Caffeine: How Much is Too Much?

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Caffeine. It's been around for a long time, and yet it's uses continue to evolve and change seemingly every year. Particularly common in the morning pick-me-up (i.e. coffee, tea, etc.), caffeine is a stimulant of the central nervous system and provides the feeling of "being alert" to various extents. This feeling of alertness comes from an increase in the speed of messages traveling from the brain to the body.

Image result for coffee
Caffeine has been recognized as a safe substance as long as it is consumed in moderation (FDA recommends no more than 400mg daily).

In recent years, the use of caffeine has become very common in the sports and fitness worlds as a means to increase athletic performance enhance things like speed, endurance, strength, power, and more. While some athletes may choose to get their caffeine from sources like coffee, some prefer popularized energy drink or powdered pre-workout. These beverages can range from 100-400mg of caffeine!

While many studies have verified the effectiveness of caffeine on things like speed, strength, power, and endurance, there can also be negative side-effects to an unchecked caffeine intake:
  • nervousness/restlessness
  • difficulty sleeping (insomnia in extreme cases)
  • poor appetite
  • muscle tremor
  • weakness and fatigue
So while caffeine can certainly be beneficial (for some, it may feel daunting to go a day without it), it should be consumed intelligently and in moderation. If you're an athlete, go ahead and utilize the positive effects of caffeine, but make sure you talk with someone qualified (preferably a registered dietitian) about how much is too much.

Drink up, and be safe!

CB
Resources:
https://adf.org.au/drug-facts/caffeine/
 https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/spilling-beans-how-much-caffeine-too-much

Comments

  1. ksu internsNovember 28, 2019 at 11:48 AM

    Caffeine is also carbohydrate-sparing, which can be another benefit of using it pre-workout! Good post, especially since I think caffeine is overconsumed in America! Its always good to provide education on this subject. -EL

    ReplyDelete
  2. SPFebruary 5, 2020 at 5:58 PM

    This is interesting to me because I used to not drink coffee when I was an athlete. On the flip side, now that I have retired from being a full time athlete, I could not start my day without a cup of coffee. I need to start watching for the amount of caffeine that I consume daily, and making sure that I don't consume more than 400mg. Thank you for sharing this! -SP

    ReplyDelete

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