Caffeine may help E. coli resist antibiotics — but more research is needed

Escherichia coli photographed under an electron microscope and stained bright pink.

Caffeine may help some bacteria keep antibiotics out of their cells, potentially reducing the therapeutic effects of the drugs, a new laboratory study hints.

However, experts caution that it's not yet clear how this effect might play out in humans, so caffeine drinkers needn't panic yet.