Coffee Lovers' Most Pressing Question: How Much Caffeine Is Too Much?

Do you start your day by drinking 1 cup of coffee or tea as soon as you wake, hoping its caffeine will get you going? Do you continue with two or more during the day?

Is Drinking Too Much Coffee a Problem?

According to scientists, caffeine is part of a healthy diet. However, too much caffeine can harm health. What counts as too much varies with body weight, medications and individual sensitivity.

Let us examine caffeine a little more closely.

Which Foods and Drinks Contain Caffeine?

Caffeine occurs naturally in plants. We use these in everyday life as tea, coffee and chocolate. It is also found in certain plants used as sweeteners. For example, guarana is among the sweeteners commonly used in North America. Yerba mate and Ilex guayusa are other examples of natural sweeteners used. Caffeine can also be added to foods and drinks.

How Can We Find Out the Caffeine Content?

Many packaged foods may contain caffeine. You can find out how much from the label. However, consumers should be careful when trying a new product: sometimes the label does not specify its caffeine content. The caffeine content of widely consumed drinks such as tea and coffee is stated. However, the amount varies according to the processes the coffee beans undergo, from growing to processing. The same applies to tea. For example, a 330 ml drink labeled as containing caffeine has approximately 30-40 mg of caffeine. A drink prepared from 96 grams of green or black tea contains approximately 30-50 mg of caffeine. A 100 ml cup of coffee contains 80-100 mg of caffeine. Every 100 ml of liquid energy drink contains approximately 40-250 mg of caffeine.

Note: You may wonder about caffeine levels in different types of coffee, such as Turkish coffee... Turkish coffee should be thought of like Italian espresso. Both are stronger than filter coffee. This is because the proportion of "robust" coffee beans, and therefore caffeine, is higher in both Turkish coffee and Italian espresso. An ideal filter coffee consists of %100 Arabica beans (Arabica coffee beans have a milder taste and less caffeine). Turkish coffee also undergoes more processing than other coffees (such as roasting twice [heat treatment] and very fine grinding). As a rough estimate, therefore, 2-3 cups of Turkish coffee or Italian espresso per day contain caffeine equivalent to 4-5 mugs of filter coffee.

Are Decaffeinated Drinks Really Free of Caffeine?

No. Drinks described as decaffeinated actually contain some caffeine. For example, 100 ml of decaffeinated coffee contains 2-15 mg of caffeine. If you are very sensitive to caffeine, you should avoid these entirely.

So How Much Coffee Is Too Much?

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), says that healthy adults may consume 400 mg of caffeine daily , equivalent to approximately 4-5 cups of coffee daily. This amount is thought not to have harmful effects, but this varies with individual sensitivity and how quickly it enters metabolism. In some situations, people may become sensitive to caffeine. For example, if you are pregnant, trying to become pregnant or experiencing anxiety , even a small amount of caffeine may cause problems. If you think you are sensitive to coffee and have difficulty limiting consumption, you can speak with your healthcare professional.

The FDA has not specified a limit for children's coffee consumption, but the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children and adolescents not drink coffee.

How Do We Know If We Consume Too Much Coffee or Cannot Tolerate It?

Problems that may occur with excessive coffee consumption

• Insomnia
• Irritability
• Anxiety
• Rapid heartbeat
• Stomach discomfort
• Headache
• Feeling unhappy

The FDA says that rapidly consuming 1200 mg of caffeine or 0.15 tablespoons of pure caffeine can have toxic effects. Consuming pure, high-dose caffeine poses a threat in terms of cardiovascular disorders, and in recent years in the United States, 2 people died from this cause.

Does Consuming a Large Amount of Caffeine Replace Sleep?

No. Coffee keeps you alert and awake but does not replace sleep. It takes approximately 4-6 hours to metabolize half the caffeine consumed, so 1 cup of coffee after dinner keeps you awake until bedtime.

What Can You Do to Avoid the Unwanted Effects of Caffeine?

You may drink caffeinated beverages every day and want to reduce this. When it comes to caffeine, gradual reduction is best. Suddenly stopping intake entirely can cause withdrawal symptoms such as headache, anxiety and irritability. Unlike opioid or alcohol withdrawal, caffeine withdrawal is not considered dangerous. You can seek support from your healthcare professional.