The Amp Energy brand was founded in 2001 under the Pepsi Corporation and has since gained a huge reputation as one of the biggest providers of energy drinks. Their product line originally included drinks only, but as of 2010 includes caffeine-infused gum. So just how much caffeine does this gum contain? Amp Energy gum contains 40 mg of caffeine.
Amp Energy Gum Caffeine
There are 40 milligrams of caffeine (equivalent to 1/2 cup of coffee) in Amp Energy gum. Each pack comes with 10 regularly-sized pieces of gum and you’ll be happy to know that the product is also sugar-free. The gum also contains B vitamins, and taurine, and has a citrus flavor similar to their popular energy beverage.
So, if you’re looking for another way to get your daily dose of caffeine, without adding the calories of beverages or food, this caffeine-infused gum may be an option worth trying.
If you find that this gum doesn’t supply the amount of caffeine that you’re looking for, or simply falls short, there are other caffeinated gum options on the market to consider as well.
Caffeine Content of Other Caffeinated Gum Products
| Gum Brand Name | Caffeine Amount |
| MEG – Military Energy Gum | 100 mg |
| Viter Energy Caffeinated Gum | 60 mg |
| Rev Gum Caffeine Energy Gum 100 mg | 100 mg |
| RUN GUM Variety Pack Energy Gum 50 mg | 50 mg |
| The Golfers Gum | 80 mg |
| Apollo Energy Gum | 80 mg |
| Simply Gum | Awaken | 180 mg |
| Taurigum Caffeine Chewing Gum | 50mg |
Common Caffeinated Drinks
And then, of course, you have your typical caffeinated beverages such as coffee, tea, and chocolate drinks. Let’s take a look at how these drinks measure up to Amp and other brands of energy gum in terms of caffeine content.
| Type of Drink | Caffeine Amount |
| 1 cup of coffee | 90 mg |
| 1/4 cup of espresso | 125 mg |
| 1 cup brewed tea, | 47 mg |
| 1 cup Earl Grey Nestea iced tea | 33 mg |
| 12 oz Cola soda | 42 mg |
| 12 oz Mountain Dew | 52 mg |
| 1 oz semi-sweet chocolate | 180 mg |
| 1 cup chocolate milk | 5 mg |
| 1 tablespoon cocoa powder | 120 mg |
Can Caffeine Be Addictive?
Consuming caffeine on a daily basis over an extended period of time can cause you to develop a bit of a dependence on it– but not necessarily what doctors would classify as an addiction.
This happens because your body begins to adjust to the daily caffeine consumption, and you may even find that you will need to increase your daily caffeine amount to produce the desired effects of concentration and mental alertness.
Once your body develops a dependence on caffeine your dopamine levels become raised, though only by a small amount. Illegal drugs that contain stimulants such as methamphetamine or cocaine cause a huge surge in dopamine levels that affects the neurotransmitters of the brain–which is why they can be addictive.
So, although you can become dependent on caffeine and even experience withdrawal symptoms afterward, it wouldn’t technically be classified as an addiction.
How Long Does Caffeine Last In the Human Body?
Caffeine enters into the bloodstream fairly quickly after being consumed. You can feel the effects as soon as 10 to 15 minutes later, depending on the method of consumption. Caffeine products such as gum, energy shots, and drinks like coffee go through your system fairly quickly and can last anywhere from a couple of hours to up to six hours.
The length of time that caffeine stays in your body genetics, gender, and the amount of caffeine consumed. It can even take up to 10 to 12 hours to completely clear from your bloodstream.
What Are the Symptoms of Caffeine Withdrawal?
If you’ve grown a dependence on caffeine from daily consumption, a sudden cut back may cause you to experience withdrawal symptoms that may include the following:
- Difficulty concentrating
- Tiredness
- Headaches
- General Irritability
- Muscle pain
- Mild or moderate nausea
The symptoms may be mild depending on your daily caffeine consumption and will usually taper off within a period of a few days to a week. You can help reduce these symptoms by slowly tapering off your caffeine consumption instead of going full-stop.
Helpful Tips For Quitting Caffeine
Cutting caffeine can cause a momentary disturbance in your daily routine. This is due to your body slowly weaning itself away from the stimulant. It’s something that can take a few days if you’ve been consuming caffeine for a long time daily. However, there are ways that you can ease into this transition.
Taper Off Slowly
One of the best things you can do to reduce the withdrawal symptoms that come with caffeine reduction is to go slowly. If you believe that you can quit cold turkey, go forward, but many people can’t. Often, it comes with side effects that aren’t welcoming.
Try to cut down your caffeine to about half the normal daily amount. Do this for one week or two until you cut it out completely.
Find Good Replacements
If you’ve grown accustomed to popping in a piece of caffeinated gum, drinking coffee, or enjoying an energy drink every day for a long period of time, you may find it helpful to find a good replacement for these things.
For example, instead of drinking coffee in the morning, try tea or juice. Note that tea does contain caffeine, but in much smaller amounts than coffee–and you can always buy decaffeinated tea.
Sneak In A Nap
Sometimes your body may respond with general lethargy after taking a break from caffeine. To combat the groggy feeling, consider taking a quick afternoon nap or going to bed early to get more sleep. Napping can help boost your mental alertness, general mood, and help you to operate with more concentration during your peak performance hours.
Wrapping Things Up
If you’re looking for a low-calorie way to get a hit of caffeine every now and then or on a daily basis, an energy gum may be perfect for you. It contains about the same amount of caffeine as half a cup of coffee, which means that you likely won’t experience any jitters after having one or two pieces a day.
Featured Image Credit: Andra C Taylor Jr, Unsplash
