Skip to main content

How Much Caffeine is too Much?

2 min read

By Jim Greene

A new report shows that a large cup of Starbucks coffee contains a shocking three quarters of the maximum daily level of caffeine recommended for healthy adults—and nearly double the recommended dose for expecting moms.

Just to verify, according to Bruce A. Goldberger, the director of forensic toxicology at University of Florida, the suggested daily caffeine limit for a healthy adult should not exceed more than 400 mg. So when you consider that grande cup of Starbucks coffee at 330 mg, followed by a mid morning cup at the office at 215 mg, you’re already over the edge!

“People often [underestimate] the potential risk of these beverages,” warns Goldberger.

And even though caffeine tolerance levels differ from person to person, Bertil B. Fredholm, emeritus professor of pharmacology at Sweden’s Karolinska Institute, points out that “[even though low-dose caffeine effects are wakefulness, a little bit of arousal, and slight euphoria…high-dose effects [include] anxiety, irritation, and general mental discomfort.”

Add some extraneous factors such as nicotine or contraceptives (both tend to accelerate the absorption of caffeine), and you can expect even more exaggerated, negative effects.

Pregnant women should also heed the warnings of too much coffee consumption, considering the recommended daily caffeine limit for an expecting mom is 200 mg and the typical 8 ounce cup of coffee already contains 133 mg.

 

Source: CTV News

 

Jim Greene

Contributor

Jim has spent the last 5 years writing for a variety of health-related websites. At Activebeat, James is an essential member of the editorial team, providing information on exercise, diet & nutrition and men’s health – among many other things.

Diet and Nutrition News & Advice

Explore

Dietary Fibre Affects More Than Your Colon: How the Immune System, Brain and Overall Health Benefit Too
By Mark Wulczynski Diet and Nutrition News & Advice

Dietary Fibre Affects More Than Your Colon: How the Immune System, Brain and Overall Health Benefit Too

There’s no shortage of advice about what to eat, including hype about the latest superfoods that will help you live to 100, or about the newest restrictive diets that claim to help you lose weight and look beautiful. As a researcher from the Farncombe Family Digestive Health Research Institute, I’m well aware that there is […]

Read More about Dietary Fibre Affects More Than Your Colon: How the Immune System, Brain and Overall Health Benefit Too

4 min read

What’s the Best Diet for Healthy Sleep? A Nutritional Epidemiologist Explains What Food Choices Will Help You Get More Restful Z’s
By Erica Jansen Diet and Nutrition News & Advice

What’s the Best Diet for Healthy Sleep? A Nutritional Epidemiologist Explains What Food Choices Will Help You Get More Restful Z’s

You probably already know that how you eat before bed affects your sleep. Maybe you’ve found yourself still lying awake at 2 a.m. after enjoying a cup of coffee with dessert. But did you know that your eating choices throughout the day may also affect your sleep at night? In fact, more and more evidence […]

Read More about What’s the Best Diet for Healthy Sleep? A Nutritional Epidemiologist Explains What Food Choices Will Help You Get More Restful Z’s

5 min read

Does an Apple a Day Really Keep the Doctor Away? A Nutritionist Explains the Science Behind ‘Functional’ Foods
By Janet Colson Diet and Nutrition News & Advice

Does an Apple a Day Really Keep the Doctor Away? A Nutritionist Explains the Science Behind ‘Functional’ Foods

We’ve all heard that an apple a day keeps the doctor away, but how true is that? Apples are not high in vitamin A, nor are they beneficial for vision like carrots. They are not a great source of vitamin C and therefore don’t fight off colds as oranges do. However, apples contain various bioactive […]

Read More about Does an Apple a Day Really Keep the Doctor Away? A Nutritionist Explains the Science Behind ‘Functional’ Foods

6 min read