What happens if drink too much coffee

Summary: Although low-to-moderate doses of caffeine can increase alertness, larger amounts may lead to anxiety or edginess. Monitor your own response in order to determine how much you can tolerate. Studies have found that higher caffeine intake appears to increase the amount of time it takes to fall asleep.

It may also decrease total sleeping time, especially in the elderly 13 , Although coffee and tea are the most concentrated sources of caffeine, it is also found in soda, cocoa, energy drinks and several types of medication.

For example, an energy shot may contain up to mg of caffeine, while some energy drinks provide as much as a whopping mg per can Importantly, the amount of caffeine you can consume without affecting your sleep will depend on your genetics and other factors.

In addition, caffeine consumed later in the day may interfere with sleep because its effects can take several hours to wear off. Research has shown that while caffeine remains in your system for an average of five hours, the time period may range from one and a half hours to nine hours, depending on the individual One study investigated how the timing of caffeine ingestion affects sleep.

Researchers gave 12 healthy adults mg of caffeine either six hours before bedtime, three hours before bedtime or immediately prior to bedtime. Both the time it took all three groups to fall asleep and the time they spent awake at night increased significantly Summary: Caffeine can help you stay awake during the day, but it may negatively impact your sleep quality and quantity.

Cut off your caffeine consumption by the early afternoon to avoid sleeping problems. However, caffeine itself also seems to stimulate bowel movements by increasing peristalsis, the contractions that move food through your digestive tract On the other hand, some studies suggest that caffeinated beverages may worsen gastroesophageal reflux disease GERD in some people.

This seems to be especially true of coffee 23 , 24 , In a small study, when five healthy adults drank caffeinated water, they experienced a relaxation of the muscle that keeps stomach contents from moving up into the throat — the hallmark of GERD Since coffee can have major effects on digestive function, you may want to cut back on the amount you drink or switch to tea if you experience any issues.

Summary: Although small to moderate amounts of coffee can improve gut motility, larger dosages may lead to loose stools or GERD. Reducing your coffee intake or switching to tea may be beneficial. Rhabdomyolysis is a very serious condition in which damaged muscle fibers enter the bloodstream, leading to kidney failure and other problems. Common causes of rhabdomyolysis include trauma, infection, drug abuse, muscle strain and bites from poisonous snakes or insects.

In addition, there have been several reports of rhabdomyolysis related to excessive caffeine intake, although this is relatively rare 26 , 27 , 28 , In one case, a woman developed nausea, vomiting and dark urine after drinking 32 ounces 1 liter of coffee containing roughly mg of caffeine. Fortunately, she recovered after being treated with medication and fluids Summary: People may develop rhabdomyolysis, or the breakdown of damaged muscle, after they ingest large amounts of caffeine.

A detailed review suggests that although caffeine triggers certain brain chemicals similarly to the way cocaine and amphetamines do, it does not cause classic addiction the way these drugs do In one study, 16 people who typically consumed high, moderate or no caffeine took part in a word test after going without caffeine overnight. Only high caffeine users showed a bias for caffeine-related words and had strong caffeine cravings In another study, caffeine users completed questionnaires after going 16 hours without consuming it.

Daily users had greater increases in headaches, fatigue and other withdrawal symptoms than non-daily users Summary: Going without caffeine for several hours may lead to psychological or physical withdrawal symptoms in those who consume large amounts on a daily basis. However, it has been shown to raise blood pressure in several studies due to its stimulatory effect on the nervous system 33 , 34 , 35 , Elevated blood pressure is a risk factor for heart attack and stroke because it may damage arteries over time, restricting the flow of blood to your heart and brain.

For many, life without at least one daily cup is simply a no-go. But as with any good thing, too much coffee—too much caffeine specifically—is a bad thing.

Too much caffeine can cause high blood pressure, a precursor to heart disease, and can cause side effects like dizziness, shakiness, headache, or abnormal heartbeat. Thanks to research from the University of South Australia conducted in , we now have an upper limit for how much coffee is safe when talking about your heart disease risk. In the study, researchers delved into U. Biobank data of more than , people ages 37 to 73 years to explore how the caffeine-metabolizing gene CYP1A2 helps carriers process caffeine, as well as identify the risks of cardiovascular disease as it relates to coffee consumption and genetic variations.

They discovered that those drinking more than six cups of coffee a day had a 22 percent higher risk of cardiovascular disease than those who drank one to two cups a day, putting that ceiling for safe coffee consumption at six cups per day.

Researchers considered one cup of coffee to contain approximately 75mg of caffeine. Interestingly, the amount for safe consumption did not seem to have anything to do with whether you had the genes to metabolize coffee faster. The study also suggests the heart-protective effects of drinking some coffee , since nondrinkers had an 11 percent increased risk of cardiovascular disease compared to those who drank 1 to 2 cups daily.

That follows in line with a study published in the European Journal of Nutrition , which found low to moderate coffee consumption per day was linked to lower chances of heart incidents, while those drinking the most per day had the highest risk.

An antioxidant in coffee called chlorogenic acid may help improve blood vessel function and thwart the development of the plaque buildup that can clog arteries, those researchers believed. Addiction Caffeine addiction or dependence begins because caffeine first creates the alert feeling that coffee drinkers crave, and later becomes a chemical that the body needs to prevent withdrawal symptoms such as headaches, lethargy, and depression.

A critical review of caffeine withdrawal: empirical validation of symptoms and signs, incidents, severity and associated features.

Increased Blood Pressure Caffeine causes your adrenal glands to release more adrenaline, which causes your blood pressure to increase. Stomach Ulcers Caffeine speeds up the process of gastric emptying, which may result in highly acidic stomach contents passing into the small intestine more rapidly than normal, causing injury or ulcers.

Cardiac Arrest Increased blood pressure from high caffeine intake and the effects of the stimulant on the cardiovascular system can have a devastating outcome for people with weak hearts.

Coma When people consume too much caffeine, they can go into what is known as caffeine intoxication, where they become confused and disoriented.

This is when a caffeine coma can occur, as well as seizures. Death People with caffeine sensitivities can die from caffeine overdose. While achieving a lethal dose of caffeine would be difficult with regular coffee, high doses of caffeine pills are a known cause of many caffeine overdoses. Massive caffeine ingestion resulting in death. This post originally appeared at Business Insider Australia. Copyright Editorial Disclosure: Inc. These articles are editorially independent - that means editors and reporters research and write on these products free of any influence of any marketing or sales departments.

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