Guys get greater caffeine rush than girls.

• Position: YOUR LIFE - Brief article

To the many differences between girls and boys, add the effects from caffeine-physiological, behavioral, and subjective--to the list. Results of a study appearing in Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology of the response of youth to caffeine indicate that in general, boys get a greater rush and more energy from caffeine than girls. Boys also report they feel that caffeine has a positive effect on their athletic performance. Girls did not report on this issue. It is the first study to demonstrate gender differences in physiological response to acute caffeine in adolescents.

"Our findings suggest that boys and girls respond differently to caffeine," says neurobiologist Jennifer Temple. "We are hoping that the findings from our studies will help us to determine why males and females differ in susceptibility to drug abuse and respond differently to treatment."

In addition to the general findings, the study reveals several...