You know what they say, “Coffee is the world’s favorite drug.” With that being said, it’s kind of hard to avoid coffee. It easily can become a habit. The caffeine in coffee is a stimulant that increases alertness and reduces drowsiness. It also can lower the risk of chronic disease by preventing health problems like heart attacks, stroke, diabetes, and high blood pressure. We even use it as a natural remedy for headaches, depression, and anxiety. But at what point does too much caffeine become harmful? Can you overdose on coffee?
Yes, one can Overdose on Coffee
Most people don’t realize that caffeine overdose is a real possibility and a serious problem. This is because it’s not as easy to determine how much caffeine you’re consuming, even if you’re drinking the same amount of coffee every day. There are many other factors that come into play with your daily intake of coffee. These include:
- The type of beans used
- How the beans are ground
- The method in which the coffee is brewed
- The size of the cup in which you drink it
- The number of cups you drink per day
- Any additives like sugar or cream
- Your individual metabolism
- Whether or not you’re taking any medications
- Your overall health status
- Your age
- Your body weight
In addition to these factors, your sensitivity to caffeine also comes into play.
Signs of Overdose
Some people can drink more coffee than others and not experience any negative side effects. If you’re one of these people, then you may be able to drink a lot of coffee without experiencing an overdose. But let’s face it, most of us aren’t that lucky. For example, suppose you have any following symptoms from drinking too much caffeine, then it’s a sign of overdose:
- Restlessness
- Nervousness
- Anxiety
- Irritability
- Rapid heartbeat
- Heavy sweating
- Difficulty sleeping
- Excessive urination
- Gastrointestinal disturbances
- Muscle tremors
- Headaches.
If you have any of these symptoms, then consider switching to decaffeinated coffee or at least cutting back a little. it’s important to note that caffeine overdose can lead to other more serious health problems.
Recommended Intake
As a general rule of thumb, a healthy adult should limit their daily intake of caffeine to less than 400 mg. This is equivalent to 4 cups of coffee or 2 cans of soda.
If you’re pregnant, breastfeeding or have heart problems, diabetes or high blood pressure, then limit your intake even further to 200 mg per day (2 cups of coffee). Of course, this is just a guideline, and there are always exceptions to the rule. If you’re one of these exceptions, then you’ll have to do your research to determine how much caffeine is safe for you.
According to FDA guidelines, coffee contains about 150 mg of caffeine per cup. This may sound like a lot, but it’s not. This is a normal amount of caffeine to consume per day for most people. If you’re a regular coffee drinker and have been drinking 4 cups of coffee each day, then you probably don’t need to worry about limiting your intake of caffeine. But if you’ve started noticing any negative side effects from your daily intake of coffee, then it’s time to reduce the intake.
Bottom Line
If you’re one of those people who can’t live without coffee, then it’s time to regulate your caffeine intake. It’s easy to get used to having coffee every morning, but it will be worth it in the long run. If you can manage your caffeine habit, then you’ll be able to sleep better and have more energy throughout the day.
