Is my caffeine intake too high?

Caffeine can be found in a wide range of daily products: coffee, tea, cocoa and many more. Keeping an eye on our own caffeine intake is quite important because it can lead to a real addiction as even small quantities of caffeine have effects on the nervous system. Even if we know it is dangerous we often embrace an excessive caffeine consumption leading to various side effects.   

Main impacts of a caffeine overdose are nausea, irritability, anxiety, shaking, heartbeat deregulation, insomnia, perspiration and diarrhea.

Those are the results of the intense nervous system stimulation which fasten the digestion and intestinal transit as well as the heart rate and all motor functions.

That’s why we need to moderate our coffee intake and all other products that contain caffeine as well. It may sound scary but it is possible to reduce or even to remove the caffeine from your daily habits, making all those negative side effects go away!

When can I consider my caffeine habits excessive?

Many people tolerate caffeine very well but certain persons can be affected with only one cup of coffee. Generally speaking the human body will start sending alert signals once a caffeine threshold is reached.

Many studies show that blood pressure, irritability or a nervous state can be observed from 400mg/day for a healthy adult.

In certain cases, for instance pregnant women, the maximum caffeine level is 200-300mg/day, because for them the time required to eliminate the substance from their system can be doubled. For people suffering from heart conditions the caffeine’s intake can have great consequences.

It is recommended to take less than 100mg of caffeine before going to bed in order to preserve your sleep quality. You also have to keep in mind that caffeine is running through your veins up to six hours after ingesting it, you then have to stop drinking coffee at least six hours before your bedtime!

How much caffeine can be found in these common beverages?

We are going to see below how many milligrams of caffeine are present in the most common beverages to evaluate the daily caffeine consumption:

· Decaffeinated coffee                  6mg

· Hot cocoa                                      20mg

· Green tea                                      25mg

· Coke                                               34mg

· Coke zero                                       36mg

· Espresso                                         37mg

· Black tea                                        42mg

· Diet Coke                                       46mg

· Nespresso                                      60mg

· RedBull                                           76mg

· Instant coffee                               80mg

· Roasted coffee beans                 95mg

· Green coffee                                100mg

· American coffee                          150mg

· Double Espresso                          154mg

· Rockstar Energy Drink                165mg

· 5 Hour Energy Shot                     200mg

 

What about your own daily caffeine intake?