The Perils of Excessive Caffeine: How Much is Too Much?

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The Perils of Excessive Caffeine Use: How Much Caffeine Is Too Much?

6 Minute Read

Caffeine is a natural stimulant found in various plants, including coffee beans, tea leaves, cocoa beans, and kola nuts. People have been consuming caffeinated drinks for several thousand years, including herbal tonics with adaptogens that complement or replace caffeine, like Siberian ginseng.

Many parts of the world rely on caffeine to get us going in the morning and keep us sharp throughout the day. In fact, we’ve become so reliant on caffeine that people around the world drink around three billion cups of coffee each day.

Most US adults consume at least one caffeinated beverage daily, which helps us stay alert, focused, and energized. However, many people drink a lot more than just one coffee or energy drink. When you add that to the caffeine consumed through chocolate, sodas, and other foods and beverages, it’s no wonder side effects like anxiety, jitters, irritability, and a fast heartbeat have become more common.

Caffeine is like anything else – moderation is key. Plus, there are other caffeine-acting plants that might be better for your wellbeing, and don’t carry the risks that consuming too much caffeine does. Still, a good cup of espresso never hurt anyone. Four double shots might, though…

Let’s look at the dangers of consuming too much caffeine, what to do if you experience side effects, how to reduce your caffeine intake and still have energy throughout the day, and how to find the best morning coffee alternative.

How Does Caffeine Work?

Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant, which means that it affects the activity of certain neurotransmitters in the brain. More precisely, it binds to specific adenosine receptors, blocking this neurotransmitter from doing its job.

When adenosine binds to these receptors, it makes us feel more relaxed and sleepy. Caffeine blocks these effects, and it also increases the activity of dopamine and norepinephrine – two of our feel-good neurotransmitters. As a result, we feel more wakeful and alert, which is why we drink coffee and energy drinks to combat fatigue.

One of the biggest advantages of caffeine is that it works pretty quickly. The effects start to kick in only 30 minutes after consuming a caffeinated beverage, but the energizing effects can last for hours.

Caffeine also affects our metabolism, blood pressure and heart rate. Although these effects are positive in people who consume low to moderate amounts of caffeine, overdoing it can lead to problems like temporarily elevated blood pressure, increased heart rate and metabolic issues.

How Much Caffeine Is Too Much?

According to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA), and Health Canada, consuming up to 400 mg of caffeine per day is safe for healthy adults. That’s four or five cups of coffee, around 10 soft drinks, or 1-2 energy drinks. However, you have to remember that different foods contain different amounts of caffeine, and everything counts towards your daily intake. That includes chocolates, sodas, coffee, tea, supplements, and all other caffeinated products.

Going over 400 mg per day (or even smaller amounts for people sensitive to caffeine) could lead to jitters, elevated heart rate, anxiety, and other side effects. People who experience them frequently should cut back on caffeine or seek a substitute for tea and coffee. Believe it or not, you can OD on caffeine, which carries real and dangerous threats to your cardiovascular system.

Although 400 mg per day is safe for most healthy adults, the amount of caffeine that is considered “too much” varies from person to person. Some people are more sensitive to the effects of this stimulant because of factors like age, body weight, health status, and frequency of use. Genetics also plays a significant role. For example, variations in the CYP1A2 gene determine how quickly our bodies metabolize caffeine, which regulates how long caffeine stays in our bodies and how long we feel its effects.

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Should Pregnant and Breastfeeding Women Consume Caffeine?

The general recommendation for pregnant and breastfeeding women is to limit their caffeine intake. That’s because caffeine can cross the placenta and enter the bloodstream of a developing fetus. So, consuming too much of this stimulant could lead to negative outcomes on growth and development, including premature birth and low birth weight.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends that pregnant women consume no more than 200 mg of caffeine per day, which is about the amount of caffeine in one 12-ounce cup of coffee. But, some pregnant women can be more sensitive than others. That’s why it is vital to talk to a healthcare provider about caffeine consumption and be aware of the amount of this stimulant in different foods.

Breastfeeding women can consume moderate amounts of caffeine. However, they should limit it to 300 mg per day or less. Get that milk too hopped up and you and your little one are going to have a sleepless night.

Can Children Consume Caffeine?

It is generally not recommended for children to consume caffeine. Caffeine is a stimulant that can have several effects on the developing body and brain, which is why children shouldn’t drink caffeinated beverages, especially on a regular basis. It can actually stunt growth permanently.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) advises that children and adolescents should avoid caffeine and other stimulants as much as possible, especially during early childhood. There is no proven safe dose for children, so kids under 12 shouldn’t consume caffeine. For children and adolescents aged 12-18, consuming up to 100 mg of caffeine per day is considered safe.

What Are the Side Effects of Consuming Too Much Caffeine?

Most people are well aware of the consequences of consuming more caffeine than they can tolerate. The most common complaint is the crash people experience a few hours after drinking coffee. It happens because our bodies metabolize most of the caffeine, blocking adenosine receptors. After eliminating caffeine, adenosine rebounds and starts binding to these receptors again, making people feel tired, which is why they experience a “crash.”

Other side effects include:

Jitters
Anxiousness
Increased heart rate
Nervousness
Sleep problems
Headaches
Digestive problems
Nausea
Frequent urination
A general feeling of unhappiness
Muscle tremors

Why Does Too Much Caffeine Cause Jitters and Anxiety?

Caffeine stimulates the sympathetic nervous system and triggers the release of adrenaline, which is responsible for our “fight or flight” response to stress and danger. Too much caffeine can overstimulate the brain, causing anxiety, nervousness, jitters, tremors, or shaking. In addition, this causes a short-term rise in blood pressure and heart rate. The important thing is that these effects usually have no long-term consequences for people who consume caffeinated beverages in moderation.

Caffeine and Sleep Problems

We love caffeine because it helps us stay awake and alert. However, many people fall into a vicious cycle of trying to compensate for lack of sleep with caffeinated beverages. The most common mistakes are consuming too much caffeine or doing it too close to bedtime. As a result, people feel more restless at night, which makes it harder to fall and stay asleep.

Drinking caffeinated beverages in the afternoon is not a good idea because our bodies need up to five hours on average to clear most of the caffeine, and 8-10 hours to eliminate all of it. So, having a coffee or an energy drink to power through an afternoon work or studying session may not be worth it because it can interfere with sleep.

One study examining caffeine’s effect on sleep revealed that consuming this stimulant three or six hours before bedtime considerably disrupts sleep. In fact, the results showed that consuming 400 mg of caffeine six hours before bedtime reduced total sleep time by one hour. This is a significant sleep loss, so it is crucial to avoid drinking caffeinated drinks too late in the day.

Caffeine and Digestion Problems

For many people, that morning cup of coffee is what gets the bowels moving. That’s because coffee has a laxative effect that stimulates the release of gastrin. This hormone plays a central role in digestion, so small or moderate amounts of coffee can improve bowel movement.

However, too much caffeine could overstimulate the stomach, small intestine, and colon, leading to gas problems, diarrhea, loose stools, heartburn, and nausea.

Tips for Safe Caffeine Consumption

Avoiding side effects like jitters, anxiety, and nervousness requires following some tips for safe caffeine consumption. Here are the most important things:

Know Your Limits

Although the general recommendation states that people shouldn’t consume more than 400 mg per day, some people are more sensitive to caffeine than others. As a result, they may experience side effects at lower doses. That’s why it is vital to understand your limits and cut back on caffeinated beverages and foods if you experience side effects.

Read Labels

People should be aware of the amount of caffeine coming from different sources. That includes coffee, tea, sodas, energy drinks, chocolate, medications, caffeine supplements, and other foods and products. Reading the labels could help you understand how much caffeine you consume each day. If the number is too high, consider cutting back.

Don’t Consume Caffeine Late in the Day

Caffeine can interfere with sleep, making people feel even more tired the next day. As a result, they may seek more caffeine, which puts them in an endless cycle of poor sleep and exhaustion. If you want to avoid this, try not to consume caffeine too close to bedtime.

Talk to a Healthcare Provider

Pregnant and breastfeeding women, people with chronic conditions, and people taking certain medications often need to limit their caffeine intake. That’s why it’s a good idea to talk to a healthcare provider and learn more about how caffeine interacts with different medications and conditions.

If You Want to Quit Caffeine, Do It Gradually

Quitting caffeine cold turkey can result in withdrawal symptoms like anxiety, nervousness, and headaches. The best way to prevent these side effects is to lower caffeine intake gradually. People usually do that by choosing decaf options for coffee and avoiding sodas, foods, and other beverages containing caffeine.

While you’re at it, find some alternatives to coffee and caffeine that will do more than speed you up for a bit and leave you crashing. Nature’s got some other things to offer:

How to Stay Awake Without Coffee: What Are Healthy Caffeine Alternatives?

Another not-so-great thing about caffeine is that people who drink it daily build tolerance. As a result, they have to go for a higher dose to achieve the same wakefulness and focus-boosting effects, which increases the chances of side effects. Unfortunately, that’s not sustainable in the long run.

So, if you want to detox from coffee and find healthy caffeine alternatives, you have several choices. First, you can try to improve your diet, become more active, and implement healthy sleep habits. However, these things take time, so if you need something with more immediate results, you can try MTE.

MTE (More Than Energy) is our all-natural supplement in powder form that combines nootropics, adaptogens and superfoods to achieve a more sustainable energy boost. Natural ingredients with centuries of use behind them, like ashwagandha, spirulina and maca can all support sustainable energy without the complications of straight caffeine. MTE is a special formulation that supports your mood, promotes calm energy, and helps you restore balance. Most importantly, it doesn’t leave you nervous, jittery, and crashing after a few hours.

Are you interested in what makes MTE so special? Learn more about our unique formulation, including an ingredient that provides all the benefits of caffeine and more without causing annoying side effects.

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