How much is too much?
Just how much coffee is too much?
Some might say that no amount of coffee will ever overstep the imaginary line in the sand – because of their undying love of all things espresso – but if we’re using science to determine a safe limit then it can get all a bit confusing, such are the available variations.
As you, reader, will surely know, the kick that we get from our cup of freshly brewed coffee comes from caffeine.
Caffeine gives us this boost by blocking adenosine which, in turn, allows stimulating chemicals to rush around our brain and rouses our senses.
Given that we are all individual, the reactions vary from person to person. Hence why some are quite susceptible to caffeine whilst others need a strong dose before they begin to notice its effects.
We’re all, also, probably familiar with the side-effects of too much caffeine.
Whether it’s done through choice – students cramming on coffee during study sessions – or an inadvertent extra latte or two during the day, an influx can cause nervousness, insomnia and dizziness. Then there are the more serious reactions such as cardiac arrhythmia, vomiting and anxiety.
Typically, for the average person, the recommended safe amount is 400mg a day. This roughly equates to five espressos, depending on the type of coffee bean used.
Again, people could drink more and be okay – like we said; we are all individuals and react differently.
However it is possible for a person to die from a caffeine overdose, as some unfortunate news stories in recent months and years have highlighted.
But to do so on coffee alone would be difficult: Matthew Johnson, an associate professor at John Hopkins University in Baltimore, says that it “would [take] about 14,000mg or around 140 8oz cups of coffee in one day.”
So in response the question posed at the beginning of this piece, how much is too much is all relative. On one hand the answer is 140 cups, on the other it is potentially anything above 5.
However with ‘caffeine intoxication’ slowly becoming an official term in the medical community, should we care more about our daily coffee consumption so we all, individually, can answer for ourselves?
[…] Where does one draw the line in the sand when it comes to too much coffee and in turn, too much caffeine? […]
Too Much is also relative to the frequency of consumption, ie 400 mg in one hour vs over the course of the day. In fact there are 3 frequencies caffeine consumers should be aware of: mg caffeine per hour (pacing), mg per day (400mg limit for HEALTH ADULTS), mg per week (dependency). -From the book "Are You a Monster or a Rock Star: a Guide to Energy Drinks - How They Work, Why They Work, How to Use Them Safely"