Does Espresso Give You Energy?

Key Takeaway:

• A single shot of espresso can boost alertness by blocking adenosine and releasing adrenaline, but individual response, timing, and dosage determine how energized you feel.

Does espresso give you energy? If you’re juggling deadlines or powering through early-morning meetings, science shows that a shot of espresso can sharpen your focus and ward off fatigue. A lot of people use espresso to get more energy. They have this idea that coffee will somehow make them more awake and better able to focus on what they’re doing. But is there truth behind this?

The Reputation of Espresso

Espresso has a reputation for being a strong drink. It’s often seen as a coffee only for people who need the caffeine boost. This might be because one can only make espresso by forcing hot water through tightly packed coffee beans. This process creates a more concentrated cup of coffee with twice the amount of caffeine as a regular cup of joe.

A shot of espresso has about 64 mg of caffeine, whereas a regular cup of joe has around 95 mg (U.S. Department of Agriculture, n.d). So yes, espresso does have more caffeine than coffee. But the difference is not as big as you might think.

The Effects of Caffeine

Caffeine is a stimulant. This means it can speed up the messages going to and from your brain. Knowing exactly what happens after drinking a shot of espresso is complicated.

For one, different people react differently to caffeine. Your weight, age, metabolism, and other factors affect how you process caffeine.

Here’s what can happen after drinking a single shot of espresso:

Less Tired, More Anxious

Caffeine blocks adenosine, a chemical in the brain that makes you tired. This then releases adrenaline, which gives you energy (Fredholm et al., 1999). You might feel more alert and less tired after drinking espresso.

For some people, this feeling is short-lived. Too much caffeine can make you anxious, shaky, or jittery.

The half-life of caffeine is around five hours. This means that if you drink one shot of espresso at 8 am, by 1 pm, half the caffeine will be out of your system.

Boost Metabolism

Caffeine can also help you burn more calories. One study showed that people who took caffeine before exercising burned more calories during and after their workout than those who didn’t have any caffeine.

Caffeine may also help your body use fat for energy during exercise (Dulloo et al., 1999). But this effect is mostly seen in endurance athletes, not people doing short bursts of exercise like sprinting.

Cause Hormones To Fluctuate

Caffeine can also have an impact on your fight-or-flight hormones. For example, it might increase the amount of cortisol, a stress hormone, in your body. Too much caffeine can put your survival mechanism on high alert, leading to anxiety and other problems.

Inhibit Vitamin and Mineral Absorption

Caffeine can also inhibit the absorption of some essential vitamins and minerals, including calcium, iron, magnesium, and B vitamins. This side-effect may be absent. However, if you drink espresso daily, try to get your vitamins and minerals through whole foods instead.

Frequent Trips to the Bathroom

Caffeine is a diuretic and can cause you to urinate more frequently. So if you’re drinking espresso every hour, you might spend a lot of time running to the bathroom.

Make You Dehydrated

Too much caffeine can dehydrate you because it is a diuretic. This is especially true if you need to drink more fluids throughout the day.

If you’re going to drink espresso, make sure to drink plenty of water. This will help offset the dehydrating effects of caffeine.

Can Damage or Stain Your Teeth

The coffee beans themselves contain compounds that can stain your teeth. And the high acidity of espresso can break down tooth enamel, leading to cavities and other problems.

Optimal Timing

Caffeine peaks in the bloodstream approximately 20–45 minutes after consumption, with alertness effects most pronounced around 45 minutes post-ingestion (Smith, 2002).

So, Does Espresso Give You Energy?

Espresso cannot give you energy by itself. Technically, only calories can give you energy. Since a cup of black coffee has fewer than 5 calories, it cannot give you energy.

Caffeine can, however, impact your hormones and brain chemistry, making you feel more awake and energetic. But too much caffeine can also have negative side effects, like anxiety and dehydration.

If you want your daily cup of joe to give you a real burst of extra energy, consider adding milk or sugar to your espresso. Those ingredients do amp up the calorie count. You can even find espresso drinks with added vitamins and minerals. Just be aware that adding calories to your coffee might offset any weight-loss benefits of caffeine.

Final Thoughts

Espresso does not give you energy but can impact your hormones and brain chemistry. Though it’s a natural pick-me-up, caffeine can have some not-so desirable side effects like making you feel anxious or jittery. The best way to get energy from espresso is to add milk or sugar, which will add calories and help you feel more energetic.

References:

Dulloo, A. G., Geissler, C. A., Horton, T., Collins, A., & Miller, D. S. (1999). Normal caffeine consumption: Influence on thermogenesis and daily energy expenditure in lean and postobese human volunteers. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 49(1), 44–50. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/49.1.44

Fredholm, B. B., Bättig, K., Holmén, J., Nehlig, A., & Zvartau, E. E. (1999). Actions of caffeine in the brain with special reference to factors that contribute to its widespread use. Pharmacological Reviews, 51(1), 83–133. https://pharmrev.aspetjournals.org/content/51/1/83

Smith, A. (2002). Effects of caffeine on human behavior. Food and Chemical Toxicology, 40(9), 1243–1255. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0278-6915(02)00096-0

U.S. Department of Agriculture. (n.d.). Coffee, espresso, brewed [FoodData Central, FDC ID 171891]. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/171891/nutrients