Is it bad to have a cup of coffee with breakfast? Not at all. Scientific studies have been highlighting the benefits of this beverage for years. However, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has observed an increase in caffeine consumption in recent times. The proliferation of energy drinks and supplements has caused caffeine intake to skyrocket. Therefore, they invite us to reflect and recalculate our consumption. Because… how much coffee is really too much coffee?
The problem is caffeine, not coffee
Consuming too much caffeine may be the reason why you are so stressed. In extreme situations, it can raise blood pressure and cause anxiety attacks. Both the FDA and experts at National Geographic agree that no one should consume more than 400 milligrams of caffeine per day.
However, coffee is not strictly the main problem behind the global increase in caffeine consumption. To put it in terms we can all understand, 400 milligrams of caffeine is about four cups of filtered coffee, each containing about eight ounces. This means that if you drink a couple of cups in the morning, you shouldn’t worry. What’s more, if you have another cup after lunch, you would still be within the healthy range. That is, if your body can tolerate it, of course.
But according to experts, the excess does not come so much from coffee as from new synthetic products that contain caffeine. We are talking, of course, about energy drinks, which are becoming increasingly common in our society. They are consumed by people of all ages, with young people being a particularly worrying demographic. In addition, these drinks are often sold in large cans. Just one of them can contain up to 300 milligrams. Therefore, a couple of them can be more than enough to exceed the recommended dose.
Concentrated coffee shots should also be consumed in moderation. After all, no one consumes them while counting the amount of caffeine they are ingesting, reaching potentially dangerous levels.
Why is 400 milligrams the limit?
Caffeine is like a kind of molecular impostor. Its chemical structure is very similar to that of adenosine, a compound produced in our brains. When we have enough adenosine accumulated and it binds to receptors, we start to feel sleepy. We begin to yawn, our eyelids droop, and we realize it’s time to sleep.
But caffeine, as we say, is an impostor. It is a stowaway that gets on the train without a ticket but still takes up a seat. Our brain lets caffeine pass as if it were adenosine. But caffeine does not bind to adenosine receptors. Therefore, the feeling of fatigue is suppressed, thus delaying the feeling of sleepiness.
However, blocking the receptors has a side effect. According to Robert Cowan, a neurologist at Stanford University, the fact that the adenosine receptors are not activated triggers an increase in dopamine and adrenaline activity. The result? A significant change in the way our body uses energy. As well as changes in our mood and impaired concentration.
As if that weren’t enough, our brains aren’t so easily fooled by caffeine. When consumption is chronic (and high), the body responds by producing more adenosine receptors to compensate for the blockage caused by caffeine. That’s why caffeine becomes more dangerous. Consumers will eventually notice that they need more and more coffee to stay awake. The usual response in many cases is to increase intake. This may involve drinking more cups of coffee, consuming trendy energy drinks, or even using supplements such as pre-workout drinks.
Cutting out caffeine intake altogether is not a brilliant idea either. What will happen is that adenosine will flood those extra receptors that were produced to counteract the caffeine. The effect will be very noticeable, with increased irritability, headaches, and fatigue that will prevent you from doing even the most basic tasks. So, for your own sake, try to consume caffeinated beverages in moderation, avoiding exceeding the 400 milligrams per day recommended by experts.