How Much Coffee is Too Much Coffee?

As an adult in the U.S., starting your day with a cup of coffee is probably the perfect jump-start you need for your body to become alert. It helps you go about your day with added vigor and energy, and it’s not harmless –unless you drink coffee and other caffeinated beverages in excess.

However, the real question remains— how much coffee is too much coffee? Does it even matter?

For experts and scientists at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), you can include caffeine in your diet to form a healthy part of what you ingest into your body. However, caffeine can be dangerous for your health, especially when factors such as medications, weight, and general individual sensitivity are considered.

How Much Daily Caffeine is Too Much?

The FDA has recommended that adults do not consume more than 400 milligrams of caffeine daily, which would be around four to five cups of coffee per day. Although the U.S. has no specific regulations for caffeine intake for children and adolescents, other countries, such as Canada, have recommended that children and adolescents should not consume more than 2.5 mg per kilogram of their body weight.

How Much Coffee is Too Much Coffee —Symptoms of Excessive Intake

Certain symptoms accompany such circumstances when you have consumed more caffeine than your body needs. These include the following:

Headache

Caffeine stimulates the central nervous system. Many people fondly consume it as a preferable jump-start to their mornings. However, consuming too much —and even a sudden withdrawal from consumption— can cause frequent headaches. In addition, it can further trigger what is known as a “caffeine rebound,” which is when you begin to experience withdrawal symptoms after the initial benefits have worn off.

Anxiety

Caffeine is also known to affect your mood significantly. For example, having two to six cups of coffee daily may trigger feelings of anxiety and restlessness. However, according to a review of more than 57 studies on the effects of anxiety after consuming varying amounts of caffeine, some studies showed that taking more than 5 cups of coffee daily did not affect anxiety. In contrast, other studies were known to have indicated feelings of tension after just two to three cups.

Insomnia

Consuming too much caffeine can lead to trouble in having adequate rest. Caffeine consumption in high quantities reduces the quantity and quality of sleep, making it harder for such an individual to get adequate rest.