Caffeine affects boys and girls differently after puberty, according to researchers at the University of Buffalo.

The consumption of caffeine by children has been steadily on the rise for decades, due in part to the popularity of caffeinated sodas and energy drinks. In fact, children as young as four have become the target of advertising campaigns for highly caffeinated beverages. Despite this, there have been few studies on the impacts of caffeine on young people.

Jennifer Temple, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, University at Buffalo School of Public Health and Health Professions, decided to undertake a study to analyze how caffeine affects the growing bodies of children and adolescents.

The study, named “Cardiovascular Responses to Caffeine by Gender and Pubertal Stage,” looked specifically at the physical results of ingesting caffeine during the pubescent phase of growth.

Temple discovered that after puberty, boys and girls experience different changes in blood pressure and heart rate after drinking a caffeinated beverage. Furthermore, girls experience increased fluctuations during their menstrual cycles.

“We found an interaction between gender and caffeine dose, with boys having a greater response to caffeine than girls, as well as interactions between pubertal phase, gender and caffeine dose, with gender differences present in post-pubertal, but not in pre-pubertal, participants. Finally, we found differences in responses to caffeine across the menstrual cycle in post-pubertal girls, with decreases in heart rate that were greater in the mid-luteal phase and blood pressure increases that were greater in the mid-follicular phase of the menstrual cycle,” said Temple in a statement.

According to Temple, additional research will decide the extent to which gender differences are mediated by variations in patterns of caffeine use or by caffeine use by peers.

The study’s findings are published online in the journal Pediatrics.