Caffeine in drinks
How much caffeine is in Cola?
Data checked against the source on 2026-10-03 by Oleksii Y.
One 12 fl oz can (370 g) of Cola has 33.3 mg of caffeine, according to USDA Agricultural Research Service, FoodData Central (SR Legacy).
How Cola compares
- Strength: 9.4 mg per 100 ml.
- One 12 fl oz can (370 g) has as much caffeine as about a quarter to a third of a cup of brewed coffee, which has 94.8 mg per 8 fl oz cup.
- Of the 22 other sodas in our soda chart, 12 have more caffeine per serving and 10 have less.
How much will be left at bedtime?
1 × 12 fl oz can (370 g) of Cola
Left at 11:00 PM (8 h later), average metabolism
≈ 11 mg
Range 5–17 mg (fast to slow metabolism)
33 mg is already at or under the 50 mg this tool aims to have left at bedtime.
What sleep studies found near this dose
- Gardiner et al. 2025 (randomized trial): In 23 healthy young men, 100 mg taken 12, 8 or 4 hours before bed had no significant effect on measured or self-rated sleep.
- Gardiner et al. 2023 (meta-analysis): To avoid losing sleep time, the authors suggest a coffee (107 mg per 250 ml) at least 8.8 hours before bed.
Estimate from a simple model: half-life of 3, 5 or 8 hours, 50 mg bedtime target. How we calculate
Caffeine by size
| Serving | Caffeine |
|---|---|
| 12 fl oz can (370 g) | 33.3 mg |
| Medium fountain drink, 22 fl oz (676 g) | 60.8 mg |
How long does Cola stay in your system?
Our model halves caffeine every 5 hours for average metabolism, and every 3 or 8 hours for fast or slow metabolism. From one 12 fl oz can (370 g) of Cola (33 mg), about 17 mg is still in your body 5 hours later and about 8 mg after 10 hours. If you clear caffeine slowly (an 8-hour half-life), about 14 mg is left after 10 hours.
Estimated caffeine left at 11:00 PM from one 12 fl oz can (370 g) (33 mg), using a half-life of 5 hours for average metabolism and 3 to 8 hours for the range. How we calculate
| Had at | Left at bedtime (average) | Range |
|---|---|---|
| 8:00 AM (15 h before bed) | ≈ 4 mg | 1–9 mg |
| 12:00 PM (11 h before bed) | ≈ 7 mg | 3–13 mg |
| 3:00 PM (8 h before bed) | ≈ 11 mg | 5–17 mg |
| 6:00 PM (5 h before bed) | ≈ 17 mg | 10–21 mg |
How many fit in a day?
Reference amounts are for caffeine from all sources combined. Counted at the upper end of the stated amount, one serving at a time:
- Up to 400 mg a day for most healthy adults (FDA, EFSA): about 12 servings.
- Up to 200 mg at one time for healthy adults (EFSA): about 6 servings in one go.
- Up to 200 mg a day in pregnancy (EFSA, NHS): about 6 servings.
These are reference amounts for groups of people, not a personal limit. Some people feel jittery or sleep worse on much less. See the cutoff calculator for timing.
Good to know
EFSA lists 40 mg of caffeine for a standard 355 ml can of cola.
How the serving amount was worked out: USDA lists 9 mg per 100 g (6 analysed samples, min 9, max 10); 370 g × 0.09 = 33.3 mg; 676 g × 0.09 = 60.8 mg. The sample max gives 37.0 mg per can.
Cola vs other generic cola drinks
- Diet cola: Cola has less caffeine than diet cola per 12 fl oz can (370 g): 33.3 mg vs 42.6 mg.
Common questions
How much caffeine is in Cola?
USDA Agricultural Research Service, FoodData Central (SR Legacy) gives 33.3 mg of caffeine per 12 fl oz can (370 g). Other sizes are in the table on this page.
How many Cola servings can I have in a day?
The FDA and EFSA cite up to 400 mg of caffeine a day, from all sources combined, for most healthy adults. At 33.3 mg per 12 fl oz can (370 g), that is about 12 servings if Cola is your only source. In pregnancy the reference is 200 mg a day.
How late can I drink Cola?
One serving has about 33 mg, which is at or under the 50 mg our calculator aims to have left at bedtime, so it sets no cutoff for a single serving. Several servings add up.
How long does Cola stay in your system?
Of the 33 mg in one 12 fl oz can (370 g), roughly 17 mg remains after 5 hours and 8 mg after 10 hours with our average 5-hour half-life. From fast to slow metabolism, 10 hours later it is between 3 and 14 mg.
Where the number comes from
- Beverages, carbonated, cola, regular. USDA Agricultural Research Service, FoodData Central (SR Legacy). FDC ID 174852, nutrient "Caffeine" (262): portions "1 can or bottle (12 fl oz)" = 370 g and "1 drink, medium (22 fl oz)" = 676 g. Accessed 2026-10-02. Source ↗
- Caffeine (topic page). European Food Safety Authority. Table "How much caffeine is there in…", row "A standard can of cola (355ml) | 40mg" Accessed 2026-10-02. Source ↗
Recipes and labels change. If a number here no longer matches the label, the label wins.
General information, not medical advice
If you feel unwell after caffeine — for example chest pain, a fast or irregular heartbeat that does not settle, fainting, confusion or trouble breathing — get urgent medical help. If you are pregnant, take medication or have a heart, liver or anxiety condition, ask a doctor or pharmacist what amount is right for you.
Sources
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration (2024). Spilling the Beans: How Much Caffeine is Too Much? FDA Consumer Updates. fda.gov ↗
- European Food Safety Authority. Caffeine | EFSA. EFSA topic page (summary of the 2015 Scientific Opinion on the safety of caffeine). efsa.europa.eu ↗
- NHS. Foods to avoid in pregnancy. NHS. nhs.uk ↗
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