What is your body’s reaction to caffeine? Is caffeine good or bad? How much caffeine is ok? Should you swear off caffeine or are there actually health benefits from consuming caffeine? In this post, I’ll share my research and answer these questions and more.
What is caffeine?
Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant. That sounds bad, huh?
Before you start worrying about how you’re going to get through the morning without your cup of coffee, let’s look at both the benefits and risks of drinking or eating foods with caffeine.
There are limits to how much caffeine is recommended.
Staying within those limits could provide some health benefits.
Your body's reaction to caffeine: how much caffeine is safe?
Your body's reaction to caffeine: health benefits of caffeine
Your body's reaction to caffeine: risks of too much caffeine
- headaches, insomnia, nervousness, irritability, fast heartbeat, muscle tremors, diarrhea
- temporary increase in blood pressure
- prevents absorption of of calcium in the bones which could lead to osteoporosis
- may worsen hot flashes
Not necessarily a benefit or a risk; however, I wanted to mention that caffeine is a diuretic and caffeine isn’t stored in the body, so you may notice an increase in urination.
How much caffeine is in the foods we eat/drink?
- 8oz decaf coffee – 2-15mg
- 1oz dark chocolate – 23mg
- 8oz green tea – 28mg
- 8oz iced tea – 25-48mg
- 12oz soda – 34-54mg
- 8oz black tea – 47mg
- 8oz brewed coffee – 96mg
- 2oz double shot espresso – 126mg
- 2 tablets over-the-counter pain medication – 130mg
- 16oz energy drink – 140 -350mg
- powdered caffeine – 1t = 28 cups of coffee (avoid)
Whether you drink/consume caffeine is a personal choice. As with most topics regarding health, there is still much research to be done.
Although caffeine appears to be safe for the healthy adult as long as you keep conumption at or below 400mg, check with your doctor when deciding whether caffeine is appropriate for you and your circumstances.
Steps for reducing caffeine consumption
If you decide to reduce your caffeine consumption, a gradual reduction may be your best approach.
Stopping caffeine cold-turkey could result in symptoms such as headaches, fatigue, irritability, and difficulty focusing.
A gradual reduction should minimize the withdrawal effects.