How Much Caffeine Your Body Can Handle

There is a limit to the amount of caffeine your body can handle, each day too much caffeine will cause negative and adverse effects.

Caffeine is used by millions of people daily to increase wakefulness, alertness, and to remove fatigue. About 400 milligrams (mg) of caffeine a day is said to be safe for a healthy adult. That amount of caffeine is found in four cups of coffee, Increasing the intake of caffeine may cause various side effects which may include a migraine headache, insomnia, nervousness, stomach upset, frequent urination, and restlessness.

The amount of caffeine that will start side effects vary from person to person, so be careful about how much caffeine you’re used to drinking and how much is toxic for you.

When you are having an occasional cup of coffee that is just ok for your body, but when you start having too much then your body starts showing negative effects.

Caffeine causes your body to produce more adrenaline, that is a famous “fight or flight” hormone of your body that makes you stay alert and active, but too much adrenaline in the body will cause you in a “fight-or-flight” mode and your adrenal glands start to burn out from overuse, which can lead to adrenal fatigue.

Caffeine affects your body functioning just like other drugs, a little bit is ok and your body will tolerate it, but if you overdo it your body will reach a point where it can’t do anything without it and you are addicted to it.

So you should be careful of how much of your favorite energy drink, soda, or coffee should you consume, you need to reduce the amount of coffee, tea, and sodas that you consume. Caffeine just gives you a temporary feeling of increased energy which quickly dissipates so better try to find a better way to get energy rather than sticking to caffeine habits.

The caffeine content of drinks and foods

Drinks/Foods               Volume                   Caffeine (mg)Mean (range)

Filtered coffee                  125 ml                        85 (60-135)

Espresso                         30 ml                         60 (35-100)

Soluble instant coffee      125 ml                        65 (35-105)

Decaffeinated coffee         125 ml                        3 (1-5)

Tea (leaves or bag)          150 ml                         32 (20-45)

Iced tea                          330 ml                         20 (10-50)

Hot chocolate                 150 ml                          4 (2-7)

Caffeinated soft drinks    330 ml                         39 (30-48)

Sugar-free caffeinated     330 ml                         41 (26-57)

soft drinks

Energy drinks                 330 ml                         80 (70-120)

Chocolate bar                 30 g                            20 (5-36)

Milk chocolate                 30 g                           6 (1-15)

Dark chocolate                 30 g                          60 (20-120)

Suggested Read: International Coffee Day