The Hidden Danger Of Unregulated Caffeine Consumption
We know that too much caffeine can be bad for us. But between the recent school ban on Prime energy drinks and the death of a teenager due to Panera’s highly caffeinated lemonade (and her parent’s subsequent lawsuit), many people have been wondering just how much caffeine is too much? How much you do you need to drink to be in danger of overdosing?
We consulted two nutritionists for their expertise on all things caffeine. Here’s everything you need to know about what’s in your morning coffee—and whether you should think twice before grabbing that 3 p.m. Diet Coke.
What Caffeine Does To You
Caffeine is a chemical stimulant found “naturally found in plants such as coffee beans, tea leaves, cacao beans, and guarana berries,” Ally Mast, RDN, said. Many of us consume it in beverages that extract it directly, such as coffee or tea. It’s also extracted in laboratories and added to drinks like soft drinks, energy drinks, sports supplements, and medications.
When it hits our system, caffeine increases our alertness and decreases fatigue—at least temporarily. Kim Yawitz, RD, owner of Two Six Fitness in St. Louis, said that it “increases activity in the central nervous system and speeds up the rate of communication between the brain and the rest of the body.” According to Mast, it also prevents us from becoming tired by “blocking adenosine receptors,” which are sensors which track the adenosine accumulation in our bodies throughout the day and cue us to be sleepy. Mast said that “only sleep clears that adenosine. Caffeine does not give you energy, just delays fatigue for a little while longer.” In other words, that 2 p.m. cup of coffee is just delaying the inevitable.
At first, caffeine might appear to be a great performance-boosting tool. Mast said that it can “cause people to feel motivated (and) focused” and also “improve learning, be protective against depression, enhance physical performance, and increase metabolism.” But according to Yawitz, “having too much can lead to anxiety, insomnia, diarrhea, jitters, a rapid heart rate, and other unpleasant side effects.” And, in very extreme cases, death.
So How Much Should We Drink?
The FDA’s recommendations regarding daily caffeine consumption for adults are uncomfortably noncommittal. Their 2023 report states that 400 milligrams a day is “an amount not generally associated with dangerous, negative effects.”
Hmm. “Not generally associated”? That's not reassuring. That's the amount of caffeine in about four eight-ounce cups of coffee. A single can of Prime energy drink has 200 mg of caffeine.
The FDA is also quick to remind us that there’s a “wide variation in both how sensitive people are to the effects of caffeine and how fast they metabolize it [break it down].” In other words, what’s not too much caffeine for you could be too much for someone else.
Then there are other factors to consider. According to Yawitz, women who are pregnant and breastfeeding “may need to limit caffeine to 200 milligrams daily, simply because babies don’t have the enzymes necessary to metabolize it.” Mast also said that people with anxiety disorders and heart conditions should limit their caffeine consumption due to the way that the stimulant can “increase anxiety, agitation, (and) blood pressure and cause palpitations.” Those with gastroesophageal reflux disease should also steer clear, since caffeine can “worsen reflux symptoms.”
Children are a completely separate category. The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry strongly discourages caffeine consumption for any child under the age of 12. Teens are slightly different. According to Yawitz, “most healthy teens can safely consume up to 100 milligrams of caffeine daily,” which basically amounts to 24 ounces of soda or one eight-ounce cup of coffee. Or half a can of Prime energy drink.
To Caffeinate Or Not To Caffeinate?
Since everyone’s different, there’s no absolute answer to the question of how much caffeine is too much. Specific conditions excepted, most adults are probably safe with the FDA’s 400 mg per day guideline. It’s just important to be mindful of how much you’re consuming, as well as when you’re consuming it. That morning coffee habit is fine as long as you’re mindful of how much you’re drinking. Remember that eight ounces of coffee contains around 100 mg of caffeine, and that your favorite mug probably contains at least 12 ounces. A 3 p.m. can of diet soda is also fine as long as you keep in mind that those 46 mg of caffeine can keep you alert for 8-10 hours. No one wants to be wide awake at 2 a.m. on weeknight.
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