Does Dr Pepper Have Caffeine? How Much in Regular, Diet and Zero Sugar

Dr Pepper isn’t a cola, and it isn’t brown because of coffee, so many people assume it’s caffeine-free. It isn’t: caffeine is listed in the ingredients of regular, Diet and Zero Sugar Dr Pepper. Here is how much each version contains, how it compares with other sodas, and how to find the truly caffeine-free cans.

How Much Caffeine Is in Each Dr Pepper?

US Dr Pepper cans print “Caffeine Content: 41 mg/12 fl oz.” The retailer pages linked above reproduce that label text. Keurig Dr Pepper publishes nutrition for each product on its Product Facts site. Older figures (Dr Pepper’s 2015 FAQ listed 28 mg per 8 fl oz, about 42 mg per 12 oz) are close to today’s label.

Does Diet Dr Pepper or Dr Pepper Zero Sugar Have Less Caffeine?

No. Removing the sugar doesn’t remove the caffeine. Diet Dr Pepper (sweetened with aspartame) and Dr Pepper Zero Sugar both list the same 41 mg per 12 fl oz as the original. If you want a diet drink without caffeine, the product you need is Caffeine Free Diet Dr Pepper. Check the can carefully, because the caffeine-free versions use similar colors.

Dr Pepper vs Coke vs Pepsi: Caffeine Compared

So Dr Pepper sits in the middle of the soda pack: 7 mg more than a Coke, 3 mg more than a Pepsi, and 5 mg less than a Diet Coke. US rules cap caffeine in cola-type drinks at 0.02% (about 71 mg per 12 oz) under 21 CFR 182.1180, which is why sodas stay well below energy drinks. For the full chart, see how much caffeine is in soda.

How Much Caffeine by Bottle and Can Size

These are our estimates, scaled from the 41 mg per 12 fl oz label figure. Larger bottles carry their own label, so check it.

How Many Dr Peppers Can You Have in a Day?

The FDA says up to 400 mg of caffeine a day is not generally linked to negative effects in healthy adults. That would be almost 10 cans of Dr Pepper, but the sugar (39 g per regular can) becomes the bigger issue long before the caffeine does. Remember that the 400 mg total includes coffee, tea, energy drinks and chocolate too.

• Pregnancy: ACOG advises less than 200 mg a day (ACOG). One can is 41 mg.
• Children and teens: Health Canada suggests a maximum of 2.5 mg per kg of body weight per day for children (Health Canada). A can of Dr Pepper is a meaningful dose for a small child.
• Sleep: caffeine lingers for hours. A Dr Pepper with dinner can still affect sleep for sensitive people. See how long caffeine stays in your system.
• Heart rhythm problems, anxiety or certain medications: ask your doctor whether you should choose the caffeine-free versions.

Cutting Back? Switch to Caffeine Free Dr Pepper Gradually

If you drink several cans a day, swapping them all for caffeine-free cans at once can bring on withdrawal headaches and fatigue. A gentler approach is to replace one can every few days with Caffeine Free Dr Pepper or Caffeine Free Diet Dr Pepper. You keep the taste while your caffeine drops. Our guide to quitting caffeine without headaches walks through a full taper.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Dr Pepper have caffeine?

Yes. Regular Dr Pepper has 41 mg of caffeine per 12 fl oz can, as printed on the can. That is a little more than Coca-Cola (34 mg) and Pepsi (38 mg), and less than half of a typical 8 oz cup of coffee.

Does Diet Dr Pepper have caffeine?

Yes. Diet Dr Pepper lists 41 mg per 12 fl oz, the same as regular. Diet means no sugar, not no caffeine. Caffeine Free Diet Dr Pepper is the version with 0 mg.

Does Dr Pepper Zero Sugar have caffeine?

Yes. Dr Pepper Zero Sugar also lists 41 mg of caffeine per 12 fl oz can.

Is there a caffeine-free Dr Pepper?

Yes. Caffeine Free Dr Pepper and Caffeine Free Diet Dr Pepper are sold in the US and contain no caffeine. Look for 'Caffeine Free' on the label, since the cans look similar.

Does Dr Pepper have more caffeine than Coke?

Yes, slightly. Dr Pepper has 41 mg per 12 oz and Coca-Cola has 34 mg. Diet Coke has more than both at 46 mg, and Mountain Dew has 54 mg.

How much caffeine is in a 20 oz Dr Pepper?

Scaling the 41 mg per 12 fl oz label figure gives roughly 68 mg in a 20 fl oz bottle. That is our calculation; check the bottle's label for the exact figure.

Is Dr Pepper OK during pregnancy?

In terms of caffeine, one can (41 mg) is well under ACOG's advice of less than 200 mg a day in pregnancy, but count it with coffee, tea and chocolate. Ask your doctor or midwife what is right for you.

Sources

• Lowes Foods. Dr Pepper 12 Pack 12 fl oz Cans (label text: “Caffeine Content: 41 mg/12 fl oz”; 39 g sugar).
• Lowes Foods. Dr Pepper Zero Sugar 12 Pack 12 oz Cans (41 mg/12 fl oz).
• Raley’s. Dr Pepper Soda, Diet (label text: “Caffeine content: 41 mg/12 fl oz”).
• Kroger. Dr Pepper Made with Cane Sugar, 12 fl oz glass bottle (41 mg/12 fl oz).
• Keurig Dr Pepper. Product Facts (manufacturer nutrition and ingredient database).
• Dr Pepper. Frequently Asked Questions (archived Nov. 2015: 28 mg per 8 fl oz).
• The Coca-Cola Company. What is caffeine? How much caffeine is in Coca-Cola?
• PepsiCo. Caffeine content of PepsiCo beverages
• U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Spilling the Beans: How Much Caffeine Is Too Much?
• U.S. Code of Federal Regulations. 21 CFR 182.1180, Caffeine
• Health Canada. Caffeine in Foods
• American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Moderate Caffeine Consumption During Pregnancy