Caffeine affects boys and girls differently after puberty, according to a recent study the Examiner reported.

Researchers from the University of Buffalo found that after puberty, boys and girls experience different heart rate and blood pressure changes after consuming caffeine. Girls also experience some differences in caffeine effect during their menstrual cycles.

Due in large part to the popularity of caffeinated sodas and energy drinks, caffeine intake by children and adolescents has been rising for decades.

"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," Jennifer Temple, associate professor in the Department of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, University at Buffalo School of Public Health and Health Professions, said in a statement.

For the study, the research team examined nearly 100 children and adolescents ranging in age from 8 to 17. They noted their heart rate and blood pressure before and after they consumed a caffeinated beverage or a placebo over the course of six visits.

They found that caffeine lowered the heart rates of kids past puberty by about 3 to 8 beats per minute. After puberty, Boys experienced a slightly greater increase in blood pressure than girls. In addition, Researchers also found that girls had varied responses to caffeine during their menstrual cycles.

"The data on the girls' menstrual cycles does suggest that the cardiovascular response to caffeine changes along with hormonal fluctuations during menstruation," Temple told the Examiner.

She noted that more research was needed to determine if reactions to caffeine were related to physiological factors or patterns of caffeine consumption.

Temple added that future research in this area will determine the extent to which gender differences are mediated by physiological factors such as steroid hormone level or by differences in patterns of caffeine use, caffeine use by peers or more autonomy and control over beverage purchases.

The finding will be published in the journal Pediatrics.