Everyone loves their morning cup of coffee…and their mid-morning coffee…and they’re afternoon pick-me-up coffee…but when does it become too much?!
The FDA states that 400mg of caffeine is the upper limit without dangerous side-effects – that’s about 4-5 cups of coffee. So, good news.
However, there are a handful of side-effects that are not necessarily dangerous but can have an overall negative impact on your health and your lifestyle.
Some signs you’re consuming too much caffeine (could be from coffee, tea, soda or pre-workouts) include:
- insomnia
- jitters
- anxiousness
- fast heart rate
- upset stomach
- nausea
- headache
- a feeling of unhappiness (dysphoria)
How do I know if I’m drinking too much?
Honestly, you probably know already…if you experience any of the above symptoms after an additional cup or if you’re having a hard time falling asleep at night, it’s likely you’re consuming too much!
Start by taking note of which beverages you consume throughout the day to figure out how much caffeine you’re taking in. Coffee, tea, soda, energy drinks and pre-workout will all contain various amounts of caffeine.
8oz of coffee contains 95mg
8oz of caffeinated tea contains 26mg
1 can of Red Bull contains 111mg
1 full scoop of Purus Labs Condense Pre-Workout contains 200mg
Take inventory of what you’re drinking and a quick Google search will bring up caffeine amounts if it’s from something not listed above, or check the labels on your supplements or energy drinks! Now, add it up for you daily total and see where you land.
Every person will tolerate caffeine differently, so you need to find what works best for you. That includes amount you drink as well as times you drink caffeine. Most people take 4-6 hours to metabolize half the amount of caffeine they consume…that means drinking an afternoon coffee could negatively impact your sleep since half the caffeine is still in your system!
Start by reducing your intake by a small amount one day, then a little less the next and so on. This will help you avoid the deprivation headache or energy crash. Replace the caffeinated-beverage with water or herbal tea to improve your hydration level even further!
You might be surprised with how great you feel just by changing up your caffeine habit!
Not only will your body be able to adjust to not relying on so much caffeine, but you will likely also have better and more restful sleep at night, you may reduce your sugar intake from coffee/tea additions or energy drinks, and you’ll find changes in your hunger cues as well to help you stay on your nutrition track better!