Caffeine Consumption: Benefits, Risks, and How to Avoid Overconsumption

Caffeine can be great for giving you a boost and helping you start your day. Too much caffeine, however, will increase your anxiety levels, worsen your focus, and hurt your sleep—the opposite of what you want to achieve. Here are some important points to bear in mind when you drink coffee during the day.

The maximum amount of caffeine depends on your age and health condition

For example, if you often have high blood pressure, you should consult a doctor for a recommended daily caffeine intake. As a rule of thumb, adults should not exceed a daily dose of 400 mg of caffeine, which is equivalent to three large cups of black coffee. If you drink more than that, it can negatively impact your health.

For example, too much caffeine can cause high blood pressure, a precursor to heart disease. Moreover, drinking excessive amounts of coffee can cause side effects like dizziness, shakiness, headaches, or an abnormal heartbeat.

There are many other sources of caffeine besides coffee

Caffeine can be naturally found in the fruit, leaves, and beans of coffee, cacao, and guarana plants. There is also caffeine in tea, and it is often added to beverages and supplements. There is a risk of consuming excessive amounts of caffeinated beverages like soda and energy drinks because they are served chilled and are easy to consume quickly in large quantities. Therefore, it is important to keep track of all the beverages you drink during the day if they contain caffeine. Luckily, you can easily do this with the Wellwork App. :)

Is there a lethal dose of caffeine?

There is no reason to worry here. It is generally assumed that the lethal dose of caffeine is about 10 grams. This corresponds to about 70 large cups of coffee, 125 energy drinks, or 200 cups of tea. Although you would hardly reach that dose with traditional caffeine sources, you should still make sure to keep your caffeine intake at a reasonable level.