It seems like there’s a new energy drink or coffee plastered on ads every day. Especially on a college campus, it feels like there are endless coffee shops, cafes and energy drinks vendors everywhere. As I’m sure most people have, I have had some mishaps with caffeine. One time at a friend’s party I drank two Bubblr (138 grams of caffeine) after 5 pm and it’s safe to say that I did not get any sleep that night! Over consumption of caffeine on the regular can also cause other health issues. Often, people don’t even realize the amount of caffeine in their drinks, but revealing these amounts and how they impact your body’s functioning is important.
the science of it all
Caffeine is a stimulant drug for the central nervous system. It’s a psychoactive drug which means it alters psychological functioning and is commonly found in the seeds of coffee plants or tea leaves. Caffeine binds to adenosine receptors and blocks them from sending signals of sleepiness to the rest of the body. It also allows the body to receive more dopamine, a chemical that produces a feeling of happiness. However, overconsumption of caffeine can cause increased heart rate, blood pressure, insomnia, headaches, anxiety, stomach aches and more. Sometimes people that quit caffeine very suddenly—dropping from many milligrams a day to zero—can experience withdrawal symptoms such as fatigue, irritability, headaches and other severe effects like flu-like symptoms or vomiting.
how much caffeine is too much?
Did you know a Venti Mango Dragonfruit Refresher at Starbucks has 70-85 mg of caffeine? I sure didn’t… until it kept me awake until 1:30 AM because I drank one too late in the day! So how much caffeine is too much to have in a day? It’s different from person to person. The general consensus from health professionals and the FDA is that consumption of less than 400 milligrams of caffeine per day is safe. People’s bodies tolerate caffeine differently and some people can drink more than others and achieve the safe effects. It is important to know your body and be aware of any medications, health conditions or low tolerance which may exacerbate symptoms. It’s also unclear if the US’s advice on caffeine intake is somewhat generous, as several countries have more strict regulations, some even banning the sale of energy drinks to minors. The US has less regulations surrounding food and drink which causes people to not always understand or fully take into account the harmful ingredients in their snacks and beverages. I know in my high school we had a fully stocked vending machine filled with Bang Energy, Bubblr, and Kickstart. Several kids I knew would drink multiple Bang Energy drinks with 300 mg of caffeine per can in one day.
why does this matter?
A survey by the Illinois Food Information Council concluded that three in ten Americans didn’t know the safe amount of caffeine for a healthy adult to consume in one day. This lack of information surrounding caffeine is dangerous. Since the consumption of caffeine will not be decreasing anytime soon, it is important to check caffeine levels on drinks and regulate how much to safely drink per day. Educating others and making smart, informed decisions surrounding caffeine will help the world learn to be responsible and avoid problematic symptoms from overconsumption.
links to sources:
https://ific.org/research/caffeine-consumer-consumption-habits-and-safety-perceptions
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/caffeine-withdrawal-symptoms