Everybody gets so jittery about the caffeine content of coffee. So they forgo their cup o' Joe and often substitute some other libation they believe won't give them the caffeine shakes.

But the U.S. Department of Agriculture recently reported that caffeine derivatives often are liberally used in energy drinks and dietary supplements. Let's take a look at three of the more popular ''botanicals'' that'll give you a buzz.

1. The Agricultural Research Service says an 8-ounce cup of coffee contains 95 milligrams of caffeine. Of the 53 energy drinks and dietary supplements the agency studied, how many of those products met or exceeded coffee's caffeine content?

a) 13

b) 33

c) 53

d) none

2. Guarana, a plant found in the Amazon basin, is the most frequently added caffeine-alternative extract. According to a study in the journal Pharmaceutical Biology, how much more caffeine does guarana have than coffee beans?

a) same amount

b) twice as much

c) five times as much

d) 25 times as much

3. Yerba mate, a species of holly from South America, contains about one-third of the caffeine of coffee, according to a Health Canada study. Which celebrity has not touted yerba mate as a supplement?

a) Madonna

b) Moby

c) Matt Dillon

d) Miley Cyrus

4. Among the claims that yerba mate enthusiasts cite is that it helps to . . . what?

a) restore youthful hair color

b) jump-start the male libido

c) whiten teeth

d) improve long-term memory

5. True or false: Green tea contains no caffeine.

6. For those who want the biggest buzz for the buck, which energy drink contains the most caffeine per ounce, equivalent to downing a maximum strength No-Doz tablet?

a) Red Line Power Rush

b) Blow

c) Ammo

d) Charge! Super Shot

Answers: 1: c; 2: b; 3: d; 4: a; 5: false (35 mg in 6 oz.); 6: c (171 mg per oz.).

Sources: U.S. Department of Agriculture; www.nutritiondata.com; Health Canada; www.brainready.com.

McClatchy News Service

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