Caffeine is almost ubiquitous in everyday life. It is found in the typical morning cup of coffee, in black tea, in cola, in energy drinks and even in chocolate. "In moderate amounts, caffeine has a stimulating, positive effect," explains biologist Dr Anke Ehlers in the new episode of ‘Risk’ – the science podcast from the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR). In high doses, however, caffeine can cause sweating, anxiety and heart rhythm disorders, as well as affect the growth of the foetus in the mother's womb. In extreme cases, severe overdoses from food supplements can even be fatal.
