Yes, There Is Such a Thing as Drinking Too Much Coffee (2024)

FAQs

Yes, There Is Such a Thing as Drinking Too Much Coffee? ›

Having too much caffeine can cause a racing heart, jitteriness, anxiousness, nausea or trouble sleeping, said Jennifer Temple, a professor of exercise and nutrition sciences at the University at Buffalo. It can also lead to headaches, acid reflux and, at high enough doses, even tremors or vomiting, said Dr.

Drinking more than 4 cups of coffee daily is possibly unsafe. Drinking large amounts might cause side effects due to the caffeine content. These side effects can range from mild to serious and include headache and irregular heartbeat.

On average, up to 3 to 4 cups of coffee a day, or approximately 400 milligrams of caffeine, is considered safe for most adults—and can be part of a healthy diet. However, individual tolerance may vary, and potential health impacts can depend on various factors such as age, existing health conditions and lifestyle.

“Symptoms of too much caffeine include restlessness, shakiness, rapid or irregular heartbeats, headache, irritability and insomnia,” says Dr. He. The good news is that most of these symptoms, unpleasant as they are, won't endanger your life.

Caffeine can cause insomnia, nervousness, restlessness, nausea, increased heart rate, and other side effects. Larger doses might cause headache, anxiety, and chest pain. Caffeine is likely unsafe when used in very high doses. It can cause irregular heartbeat and even death.

Too much may lead to headaches

“If you consume too much caffeine, it can also cause headaches,” said Dr. Clark. This is often in addition to feeling “nervous and anxious.” But caffeine can also “sometimes help headaches,” she said, noting that “for some people, it can actually treat their headaches or migraines.”

Research suggests coffee is good for your liver. People who drink more coffee are less likely to have chronic liver disease, liver cancer, or fatty liver disease. Coffee can also be good for your kidney, although the studies aren't clear-cut. Drinking coffee can lower your chances of having kidney stones.

Up to 400 milligrams (mg) of caffeine a day appears to be safe for most healthy adults. That's roughly the amount of caffeine in four cups of brewed coffee, 10 cans of cola or two "energy shot" drinks. Keep in mind that the actual caffeine content in beverages varies widely, especially among energy drinks.

The bottom line: A large body of evidence suggests that consumption of caffeinated coffee does not increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases and cancers. In fact, consumption of 3 to 5 standard cups of coffee daily has been consistently associated with a reduced risk of several chronic diseases.

A new study has found that drinking three or more cups of coffee is linked with lower blood pressure. People are generally advised to not drink too much coffee because caffeine can raise blood pressure. However, coffee also contains certain compounds which can lower blood pressure.

Is too much coffee bad for your heart? ›

Not only can drinking too much coffee create ill effects in the short-term — some of the symptoms of overcaffeination are headaches, dizziness, and nausea — but consistently having too much of this drink could increase a person's risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

While coffee does not contain cholesterol, it can affect cholesterol levels. The diterpenes in coffee suppress the body's production of substances involved in cholesterol breakdown, causing cholesterol to increase. Specifically, coffee diterpenes may cause an increase in total cholesterol and LDL levels.

Digestive and excretory systems. Caffeine increases the amount of acid in your stomach and may cause heartburn or upset stomach. Extra caffeine doesn't get stored in your body either. It's processed in the liver and exits through your urine.

Besides waiting it out and avoiding caffeine, there isn't any effective home remedy to clear caffeine from your system. All the same, you can reduce its side effects by staying hydrated, going for a walk, and eating fiber-rich foods.

In small doses, caffeine can make you feel refreshed and focused. In large doses, caffeine can make you feel anxious and have difficulty sleeping. Like many other drugs, it's possible to develop a tolerance to caffeine, which means you need bigger and bigger doses to achieve the same effect.

Research has not shown that drinking 3-4 cups of coffee a day increases the risk of kidney disease or increases the rate of decline of kidney function, however, moderating how much coffee you drink is a good idea. Those struggling with blood pressure control should especially drink less than three cups per day.

Caffeine has been shown to cause frequent contractions in the digestive tract. It can also increase stomach acidity by triggering the production of more gastric acid. The caffeine content in a single cup of coffee is enough to have a major effect on someone's gastrointestinal system.