Caffeine Overdose

– A Review on How Much is Too Much –

How was your coffee or tea today?

Coffee and tea are one of the most popular and consumed beverages all over the world.

Each country or community has its very own culture and varieties around them.

These powerful liquids somehow connect us all one way or the other.

Many of us start our day with some type of coffee or maybe tea version. It relaxes us, but it also has very practical benefits for our daily lives.

Our mind and body will receive an energy boost to keep us going and moving forward.

One of the most important ingredients in coffee and also tea is most certainly caffeine.

In various regards, it is the fuel and energy source we are looking for.

Several studies praise its great mental and overall health benefits. However, other reports also highlight concerns and promote careful consideration.

How much caffeine is actually too much for us?

When will positive effects turn into negative ones?

This article will give us an overview and help finding answers.

What is Caffeine Overdose

In broad terms, caffeine is a stimulant.

You can find it in many different foods, drinks, and even other consumer products.

Its supposedly main purpose is to keep you awake and alert. Then, we can usually mentally function, solve issues and plan ahead in a more efficient way.

Very technically speaking, caffeine is a drug.

Some of the most popular beverages such as coffee, tea, energy drinks and soda contain significant amounts of caffeine.

On average and according to experts at the Mayo Clinic, the recommended amount would be 400 mg. This suggestion would apply to healthy adults per day.

The risk of caffeine overdose is increasingly likely. If you commonly consume more than that.

Furthermore, young people or adolescents should ingest considerably less. No more than 100 mg of caffeine is advisable per day.

Pregnant women should be more cautious as well. They should limit their daily intake to less than 200 mg. Even to this day, the caffeine’s effect, especially on the baby, is still not fully examined and known.

These general and quite basic generations will be beneficial for most people. To follow some well-intended and researched recommendations is the right way, in my opinion.

Nonetheless, the very clear and specific amount for each individual can differ, of course. It highly depends on our age, weight and overall health.

Physically, the average half-life of caffeine in our blood ranges from 1.5 to 9.5 hours.

This is how long it can take for the level of caffeine in our blood to drop to half of its original amount.

1.5 to 9.5 hours is a fairly wide range to work with. It makes it difficult to know the exact amount of caffeine that can lead to caffeine overdose.

Where to Find Caffeine

Nowadays, there is a vast range of caffeine food and beverages sources for us available.

From caffeinated shakes and waters to energy drinks, the market increasingly introduces new products.

Soda drinks, coffees and teas are by far the most common items. But you can also find it in certain products of ice cream, yogurts, chocolate and medication.

The list goes on and on.

Additional sources of caffeine include candy, supplements and certain chewing gums. Basically, you can find it in any products that claim to boost energy.

For example, a cup of black coffee can have between 50 to 235 mg (12 oz.). Black tea has around 30 to 80 mg (8 oz.) of caffeine per serving.

Average soda drinks contain 30 to 70 mg (12 oz.) per can or drink. Red Bull, a famous energy drink, roughly has 80 mg (8.3 oz) per serving.

An entire chocolate milk bar will have around 9 mg (1.6 oz.), for instance.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest summarized a very informative chart of many items. You can find a variety of specific foods and beverage products on it.

In some very severe cases, a caffeine overdose can be life-threatening, indeed.

But the majority of people will only notice very little in any more extreme situation. Most people will only experience some unpleasant symptoms.

Usually, these will go away over time, once our body excretes the caffeine.

Caffeine Overdose – Causes and Risk Factors

When do we speak of a caffeine overdose?

It is actually simple. In case you take in too much caffeine through drinks, foods or medications.

However, there are exceptions to this very general and raw rule. Some people can ingest well above the daily recommended amount each day without any issues.

Nonetheless, every health expert will recommend you against a regular overuse.

High caffeine doses can cause major health issues. These include irregular heartbeat and seizures, for example.

Additionally, especially high regular caffeine doses can also lead to hormonal imbalances.

On the other hand, there are also effects for rather irregular consumers. If you irregularly take caffeine, your body may be especially sensitive to it.

Experts therefore clearly recommend to only ingest little and not too much per time.

In case you are a very regular consumer. Let’s say, many cups of coffee, tea and soft drinks per day. You may be cautious and stop when you start feeling any unpleasant symptoms.

Common Symptoms

We mentioned a few major symptoms already. But there are more to consider.

Several types may not immediately occur and alert you right away.

They may not seem too serious in the beginning but might build up over time.

For example, you may experience dizziness, diarrhea or increased thirst. Furthermore, other common symptoms are insomnia, headache, fever and irritability.

These symptoms are rather harmless to most of us. However, there are also others that are more severe. You should call and seek for immediate medical treatment then.

More serious symptoms include trouble breathing, vomiting and hallucinations. Additionally, some people may experience confusion, chest pain and irregular or fast heartbeat.

Other reports also showed uncontrollable muscle movements and convulsions.

In addition, babies may also suffer from caffeine overdose. This can especially be the case when breast milk might carry excessive amounts of caffeine.

Mild symptoms can be nausea, for example. Or, muscle groups might continuously tense and then relax again.

Moreover, additional serious signs of caffeine overdose can accompany these symptoms. Experts mention vomiting, rapid breathing and also shock.

If your child is experiencing any of these signs or symptoms. Please go and seek a doctor immediately for a diagnosis and potential treatment.

As a precaution, pregnant women and young people should consume considerably lower amounts of caffeine in the first place.

We already mentioned the recommended daily caffeine doses in this article a bit earlier.

In case you suspect any caffeine overdose. Inform your doctor about any caffeinated items you were consuming prior to having symptoms.

The doctor may want to monitor your breathing. He will also examine your heart beat and blood pressure.

Your temperature will be taken. And, you might also have to give a urine or blood test. This helps to identify the drugs in your system.

How to Treat Caffeine Overdose

A successful treatment would be very simple.

It is meant to get the caffeine out of your body again. This happens while efficiently managing the symptoms the same time.

Often, doctors may give activated charcoal to you. Charcoal is a very common remedy for drug overdose.

It prevents the caffeine from going into the gastrointestinal tract.

But if the caffeine may have already entered the gastrointestinal tract? If this is the case, your doctor might offer a laxative or even a gastric lavage.

For a gastric lavage, you are using a tube. It is basically washing the contents out of your stomach again.

Many doctors will most likely choose this method. Because it works the fastest, to get the caffeine out your body.

Additionally, your heart will be monitored. This is happening through an EKG (electrocardiogram). Furthermore, you may also receive breathing support, if necessary.

What about home treatment? Is there anything I can do myself at home?

I would actually advise against it.

If you experience severe symptoms. Please go and see a nearby doctor.

Experts will be quickly able to assess the entire situation. After, they can lay out proper treatment and medication.

Home treatment on your own may not always be enough. It often does not accelerate your body’s metabolism of the body.

Of course, resting and drinking plenty of water can help. But this will only be good enough with minor symptoms.

How to Prevent Caffeine Overdose

The answer is actually quite simple.

You just need to avoid consuming excessive amounts of caffeine. This will clearly prevent any potential caffeine overdose.

We already mentioned it earlier. In most cases, it should not be more than 400 mg of caffeine per day.

Furthermore, it should be certainly less for particular groups of people.

Young people and pregnant women should only consume half of the amount. And, some people may even react particularly sensitive to any caffeine.

In these cases, non-caffeine options are probably the way to move forward.

Coffee does also have a wide range of great decaffeinated coffee, for example.

The Bottom Line

Coffee has many great health benefits for us. Many people even suggest that we will live happier and longer.

Caffeine is one of coffee’s key ingredients. It is one of the main reason why many regular drinkers appreciate their coffee so much.

In general, for most of us a caffeine overdose will not present a real issue.

Usually, we can treat it without creating any long-term health problems.

However, it is still good to be aware of this topic. I hope that this article was of help to you.

It is better to react quickly than wait without any reason.

If any treatment is given too late. There may be irreversible health problems.

A professional talk to experts is always a good way and solution.

How about you?

Did you experience any of these symptoms already, due to caffeine overdose?

What do you think about caffeine in general? How much is too much?

How many cups of coffee or tea are you usually drinking per day?

Feel free to share your experiences and thoughts with us.

Until then, stay safe, healthy and properly caffeinated.

Cheers!