Is Too Much Caffeine a Bad Thing?
Coffee is the first thing many people consume in the morning, again at lunchtime, and often one or two more times later in the day. Harvard School of Public Health reports that 54% of American adults drink about three cups of coffee every single day. Is that way too much caffeine?
Are you consuming too much caffeine?
Harvard recently reported that 30% of coffee drinkers enjoy drinking a cup of coffee in between meals.
In the United States alone, as much as $40 billion is spent on coffee every year.
People consume coffee for different reasons. Franke Americas reports that most people drink coffee as it helps them wake up. Some people drink coffee when they are cold, others when they need a boost in energy, and others when they simply want to treat themselves.
While many people consume the drink for a reason, there are some who drink coffee without any specific reason – other than the fact that their brain has become addicted to the effects of caffeine, a compound found in coffee.
Coffee Affects People Differently
Every person, however, isn’t affected in the same way. For example, a study by the Pregnancy Sickness Support Group in the United Kingdom reports that, among the participants of the study, 59% of women reduce their caffeine intake when they experienced the symptoms of morning sickness.
This means that 59% of these women were affected negatively, but the other 41% might not have been affected in the same way as they maintained a steady level of daily coffee consumption.
One person may also experience adverse reactions from drinking just one or two cups of coffee a day, while another person can consume more than the recommended daily allowance and still not experience any side effects.
Side-Effects Of Coffee
The caffeine content found in coffee may be an excellent compound for boosting brain function and for getting you out of bed in the morning, but it can also lead to side effects that may not be as pleasant.
Some guidelines have been provided for the consumption of coffee – Authority Nutrition recommends limiting yourself to a maximum of 400mg of caffeine on a daily basis.
This amount should not result in any significant adverse effects, but only if you are not sensitive to caffeine. When a person consumes more than 500mg of caffeine daily, they are considered to be heavy caffeine users (or heavy coffee drinkers).
Some common symptoms and side effects that people can experience when they drink too much coffee include:
- The inability to fall asleep at night. This is also called insomnia.
- The development of symptoms that are related to anxiety, such as nervousness.
- Feeling “jittery” and restless.
- An upset stomach.
- Fast and sometimes uneven heartbeats, as well as heart palpitations.
- Muscle tremors.
- A general feeling of irritability.
Dealing With a Caffeine Overload
If you have ever drunk too many cups of coffee in a single day, then you already know how inconvenient the side effects may be when they do develop. Jitters are considered to be the most popular kind of side-effect that develops and can lead to several other complications that may be harmful to a person’s overall health.
Once you start regretting that last cup of espresso or coffee, it may be too late as the side effects have already started to present themselves in the form of jitters.
When this happens, you may be looking for a way to help you deal with the symptoms that are starting to develop (or have already developed), so you can go back to your daily life and continue performing tasks without the interference of jitters, restlessness, or irritability.
Too Much Caffeine
Certain people, however, should try to avoid or at least effectively restrict their daily caffeine intake. These people include experiencing symptoms related to the different types of arthritis, serious anxiety issues, and those who are likely to become addicted to something easier.
Since too much caffeine can lead to more severe side effects in some people, such as heart palpitations, which may even lead to a heart attack, identifying the severity of the side effects is a vital first step.
If the symptoms seem to be serious, book an urgent appointment with your doctor or go to the emergency room at your local clinic. A doctor will be able to determine if your reaction could be potentially life-threatening and treat you to avoid further complications.
If your symptoms are not too severe, then you might be able to treat the reaction you are experiencing at home without having to visit an emergency room.
Reducing the Jitters
All Women’s Talk recommends trying the following methods for reducing the “jitter” feelings caffeine is causing:
- Drink a lot of water as this will help to flush the caffeine out of your system.
- Do some physical exercise in order to metabolize excessive amounts of caffeine circulating through your body.
- Eat foods that are high in vitamin C and potassium.
- Avoid drinking alcohol.
- Drink some herbal tea, such as passionflower or chamomile tea (a herbal tea that does not contain any caffeine).
While some of these methods may help to reduce the reaction, not all of them will work for every person. The preferred method is often to “wait it out”. Caffeine may stay in your system for a long period, but it is often difficult to remove it from the system without allowing it to run its course.
You can still drink water to avoid becoming dehydrated. Once the side effects have worn off, you should remind yourself not to overdo it with caffeine the next time you have a cup of coffee (or stay up late to finish some urgent reports).
Wrap-Up
Coffee is used to boost energy, to increase mental alertness and to get the day started.
Millions of people drink coffee every single day and enjoy not only the taste but the benefits of the hot beverage as well. Unfortunately, things aren’t always only good when it comes to coffee and its main ingredient, caffeine.
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