Caffeine in Dr Pepper
A 330 ml can of Dr Pepper holds about 40 mg of caffeine, right at the sleep threshold.
| Caffeine per serving | 40 mg |
| Serving | 11.2 oz can (330 ml) |
| Caffeine per 100 ml | 12 mg |
| Share of the 400 mg daily limit | 10% |
| Equal to filter coffee | 0.4 mugs |
| Equal to espresso | 0.6 shots |
How late can you have it?
At 40 mg this sits below 40 mg, the line Cira uses as low enough to sleep on, so on its own it is unlikely to keep you awake. It still adds to whatever else is already in you.
What to know
At about 12 mg per 100 ml Dr Pepper is at the higher end of the cola range, close to Diet Coke and above Coca-Cola.
Diet Dr Pepper carries a similar amount. As with the colas, the sugar-free version is not the caffeine-free one.
40 mg is exactly the line below which caffeine stops measurably delaying sleep onset for most adults, so one can late in the evening is borderline rather than safe.
Compared with the rest of the soft drinks
| Drink | Serving | Caffeine |
|---|---|---|
| Mountain Dew | 11.2 oz can (330 ml) | 50 mg |
| Diet Coke | 11.2 oz can (330 ml) | 42 mg |
| Dr Pepper | 11.2 oz can (330 ml) | 40 mg |
| Pepsi | 11.2 oz can (330 ml) | 36 mg |
| Coke Zero | 11.2 oz can (330 ml) | 33 mg |
| Coca-Cola | 11.2 oz can (330 ml) | 32 mg |
Common questions
How much caffeine is in Dr Pepper?
Dr Pepper has about 40 mg of caffeine per 11.2 oz can (330 ml). That is 10% of the 400 mg daily limit for a healthy adult, or about 0.4 mugs of filter coffee.
Will Dr Pepper keep me awake?
On its own it is unlikely to. At 40 mg it stays below 40 mg, the line Cira uses as low enough to sleep on. It still adds to any caffeine already in you.
How many servings of Dr Pepper can I have in a day?
About 10, going by the 400 mg daily limit for healthy adults. That limit covers everything else with caffeine in it too, so the real number is lower on a day with other coffee, tea or cola.
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Where these numbers come from
Caffeine content is the typical value for the serving shown, the same figure the Cira app uses. Brands and brew methods vary, so treat it as a good estimate rather than a measurement of your cup. The 5.7 hour half-life is a typical value for healthy adults, the 40 mg sleep line is a working threshold of the model, and the 400 mg daily limit is the figure used by the European Food Safety Authority and the US FDA. How the numbers are worked out.
