Coffee and tea are incredibly healthy beverages. Most types contain caffeine, a substance that may boost your mood, metabolism, and mental and physical performance.
When you’re drinking a cup of coffee, you’re ingesting the natural caffeine in the coffee bean. It is safe for most people when consumed in low-to-moderate amounts.
However, high doses of caffeine may have unpleasant and even dangerous side effects. According to Franziska Spritzler on Healthline, here are some side effects of too much coffee.
1. Anxiety
Caffeine in coffee is known to increase alertness. It works by blocking the effects of adenosine, a brain chemical that makes you feel tired. At the same time, it triggers the release of adrenaline, the “fight-or-flight” hormone associated with increased energy. However, at higher doses, these effects may become more pronounced, leading to anxiety and nervousness.
Extremely high daily intakes of 1,000 mg or more per day have been reported to cause nervousness, jitteriness, and similar symptoms in most people, whereas even a moderate intake may lead to similar effects in caffeine-sensitive individuals. If you notice that you often feel nervous or jittery, it might be a good idea to look at your caffeine intake and cut it back.
2. Insomnia
Caffeine’s ability to help people stay awake is one of its most prized qualities. On the other hand, too much caffeine can make it difficult to get enough restorative sleep. 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.
You may not realise that too much caffeine is interfering with your sleep if you underestimate the amount of caffeine you’re taking in. Caffeine can help you stay awake during the day, but it may negatively impact your sleep quality and quantity.
3. Digestive Issues
Many people believe that a morning cup of coffee helps get their bowels moving.
Coffee’s laxative effect has been attributed to the release of gastrin, a hormone the stomach produces that speeds up activity in the colon. However, caffeine itself also seems to stimulate bowel movements by increasing peristalsis, the contractions that move food through your digestive tract.
Given this effect, it’s not surprising that large doses of caffeine may lead to loose stools or even diarrhea in some people. 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.
4. Muscle breakdown
Rhabdomyolysis is a very serious condition in which damaged muscle fibres 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.
Importantly, this is a large dosage of caffeine to consume within a short period, especially for someone who isn’t used to it or is highly sensitive to its effects. To reduce the risk of rhabdomyolysis, it’s best to limit your intake to about 250 mg of caffeine per day.
5. Addiction
Despite all of caffeine’s health benefits, there’s no denying that it may become habit-forming.
Even though the compound does not seem to cause true addiction, if you regularly drink a lot of coffee or other caffeinated beverages, there’s a very good chance you may become dependent on its effects.
6. High blood pressure
Caffeine doesn’t seem to increase the risk of heart disease or stroke in most people. However, it has been shown to raise blood pressure in several studies due to its stimulatory effect on the nervous system
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.
Therefore, paying attention to the dosage and timing of caffeine is important, especially if you already have high blood pressure.
7. Fatigue
Coffee, tea, and other caffeinated beverages are known to boost energy levels. However, they can also have the opposite effect by leading to rebound fatigue after the caffeine leaves your system.
To maximize caffeine’s benefits on energy and avoid rebound fatigue, consume it in moderate rather than high doses.
8. Frequent of urination and urgency
Increased urination is a common side effect of high caffeine intake due to the compound’s stimulatory effects on the bladder. You may have noticed that you need to urinate frequently when you drink more coffee or tea than usual.
If you drink a lot of caffeinated beverages and feel that your urination is more frequent or urgent than it should be, it may be a good idea to cut back on your intake to see if your symptoms improve.
ALSO READ FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
and then