Picture a quiet morning. You’re relaxing before the hustle and bustle of the day, enjoying a cup of coffee. And yet, later in the day, you find yourself grabbing your second, third, or even fourth cup, worrying about just how much caffeine you can actually drink. Is there such a thing as drinking too much coffee?
In short, yes. Thankfully, you don’t need to give up caffeine altogether if you learn to safely consume the proper amount of coffee.
Limit Yourself to a Maximum of 4 Cups per Day
Just like all things, coffee is best enjoyed in moderation. One cup (8 ounces) of brewed coffee contains 95 mg of caffeine. One single shot of espresso contains 64 mg of caffeine. The FDA recommends consuming no more than 400 mg of caffeine daily to avoid experiencing adverse side effects.
However, the amount of caffeine that the human body can metabolize varies from person to person. When determining your daily “cup” limit, you should consider your sensitivity to caffeine — note if you get jittery, have insomnia, an increased heart rate, or an upset stomach — and your height and weight. (There are online caffeine calculators that can help guide you.) Also consider if you are consuming extra caffeine outside of coffee, such as in soda or chocolate.
