Caffeine, a potent antagonist of adenosine receptors, potentiates the taste of some but not all sweeteners. It significantly enhances the taste of acesulfam-K, neohesperidin dihydrochalcone, d-tryptophan, thaumatin, stevioside, and sodium saccharin. Adenosine reverses the enhancement. Caffeine has no effect on aspartame, sucrose, fructose, and calcium cyclamate. These results suggest that the inhibitory A1 adenosine receptor plays an important local role in modulating the taste intensity of certain sweeteners and that several transduction mechanisms mediate sweet taste.