Cold brew from a local coffee shop can run you 250 mg in a single serving. Fan of the fall favorite Pumpkin Spice Latte? A hot 16 oz contains ~150 mg of caffeine. The iced version jumps to ~225 mg. (Fun fact: Iced PSLs are typically made with an extra shot of espresso.) But is 150–250 mg a lot? A little? Does it matter? The short answer: It matters if you want the benefits of caffeine with none of the downsides. Think: anxiety, jitters, the crash, even poor sleep. For many folks, 150–250 mg per serving is enough to tip the scales. Caffeine follows a classic dose-response curve: The benefits climb, level off, and eventually come with tradeoffs. During my time working with Naval Special Warfare operators, I found that around 50 mg doses were often enough to: - sharpen focus - improve reaction time - make hard efforts feel a little easier - lock in for deep, cognitive work. My takeaway: Smaller doses, used deliberately, beat a single caffeine sledgehammer every time. So, let’s return to the original question: How much caffeine is in popular drinks? Here are a few more you might be chugging down to get through the day: - 8 oz Black tea: 40-70 mg - 8 oz Matcha: 65 mg - 8 oz Brewed coffee: 96-195 mg (depends on bean, brewing method, and grind or extraction) - 1 oz Espresso shot: 63 mg - 16 oz Energy drink: 300 mg