physiology
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Morning coffee 0 seconds

Follow a representative caffeine response over twelve hours, from the first sips to the evening sleep window.

Representative model
Change event
Representative whole-body physiology diagramActive organs become brighter as the timeline moves.

Interactive 3D is loading into this same frame contract.

00:00:00
  • The first sips · 00:00:00
  • Entering the circulation · 00:15:00
  • Near the peak window · 00:45:00
  • The peak window holds · 02:00:00
  • About one half-life on · 05:00:00
  • Well past the peak · 08:00:00
  • The evening sleep window · 12:00:00
Happening now

The drink has just been finished, and the displayed model still shows a caffeine-free starting state.

Explore the mechanism Caffeine leaves the gut

Caffeine is absorbed rapidly and almost completely from the gastrointestinal tract, with very little removed on its first pass through the liver.

Evidence for this step

Caffeine from coffee is typically absorbed rapidly and almost completely from the gut, and circulating levels usually reach their highest point somewhere between about half an hour and two hours after the drink. moderate · View sources

The amount of caffeine in a serving of coffee varies widely between drinks and between outlets, and measured amounts have spanned a several-fold range for the same drink bought from the same outlet on different days. moderate · View sources

Time: 0 seconds. Milestone: The first sips. Active anatomy: Small intestine, Liver. Metrics: Caffeine in circulation: none; Adenosine signalling blocked: steady; Perceived alertness: No caffeine-related change shown
  • Whole-body context: 15%
  • Small intestine: 25%
  • Bloodstream: 10%
  • Liver: 20%