What Happens When You Drink Too Much Coffee

As a natural stimulant, caffeine not only increases the body’s processes, but also makes you feel more alert and awake as a result. This has led to coffee being one of the most widely-consumed beverages in the world, and is arguably one of the most popular among adults and students.

But with that being said, caffeine also has its own drawback: consume too much and you’ll start experiencing side effects, which can even be life-threatening in certain cases.

How Much Is Too Much
The maximum allowable dosage of caffeine for adults is 400 milligrams, which is roughly equivalent to three or five eight-ounce cups of coffee. But what happens when you’ve had a little too much to drink?

These are the more common symptoms of caffeine overdose, such as the following:
• Fast, irregular heart rate
• Restlessness
• Confusion
• Nausea or vomiting
• Tremors or shaking, or “jitters”

However, more serious symptoms of caffeine overdose include:
• Cardiac arrest
• Heart palpitations
• Insomnia
• Dizziness
• Panic attack

The good news is that life-threatening symptoms of caffeine overdose are rare, and that most people only experience these mild symptoms before the chemical leaves the body entirely.

This is because the side effects we experience are our body’s way of telling us that we should stop consuming caffeine. In fact, if you start feeling jittery, this is your cue for taking a break from coffee or any caffeinated drinks, such as energy drinks.

However, if you start to experience any of the more serious symptoms, you should seek medical attention as soon as possible.

Dealing with Caffeine Overdose
The first thing you need to do right away is to stop drinking coffee or ingesting any sources of caffeine as much as possible.

Mild side effects can be dealt with by drinking more water to rehydrate (caffeine takes water from the body to dilute it, which makes you feel dehydrated as a result) and burning out that restlessness by going on a short walk.

After doing these, you will notice that the side effects will subside after three to five hours, which is the half-life of caffeine in the body. But if you notice more severe symptoms or have accidentally consumed a large amount of coffee, you may need medical treatment.

Other Sources of Caffeine
Aside from black coffee and energy drinks, you can also find soft drinks, tea, and dark chocolates to be other sources of caffeine, so be careful of how much you consume these foods and beverages throughout your day.
Caffeine tablets and headache medications can also be more direct sources of caffeine, so if you’re currently taking them, be sure to reduce your coffee intake.