Is Caffeine Bad for Me?

A lot of people wonder if caffeine is bad for them.  After all, caffeine is found in a variety of popular beverages such as coffee, tea, and soft drinks.  Because there is a strong likelihood that you have had or will have food or drink containing caffeine, it’s worthwhile to know a little bit about it.

Caffeine is a drug, though it is generally recognized by the FDA as safe for people to consume.  A typical serving of coffee contains about 100 to 150 mg of caffeine, and the FDA recommends a daily amount of 400 mg or less as an amount not associated with negative side effects for healthy adults.  So that means that most folks can have a few servings of caffeine-containing beverages per day without increasing their risk – but keep in mind that your own maximal caffeine intake depends on your own medical history and conditions.  Pregnant women or folks with heart conditions, for instance, may be instructed by their doctor to drink even less caffeine. 

Intakes of caffeine greater than 400 mg per day can increase the risk of side effects.  Minor side effects include things like jitteriness and nausea, but may progress to more serious side effects like insomnia and anxiety.  Excessive quantities of caffeine can cause dehydration, as well.  These side effects are quite common, but can be mitigated by reducing your caffeine intake and avoiding caffeine later in the day.

The healthiest sources of caffeine are tea and caffeine because they are naturally-occurring and their plant sources offer other benefits as well.  Natural beverages contain moderate amounts of caffeine, as opposed to many of the energy drink beverages on the market.  In energy drinks, caffeine content is added as part of the manufacturing process, so the concentration of caffeine can be much higher than what would be found in a typical tea or coffee.  What’s more is that energy drinks often contain large amounts of added sugar.

To sum it all up, caffeine in moderate quantities is safe for most people to drink, and the healthiest caffeinated beverages are coffee and tea.  If you have a medical condition, then you should talk to your doctor about your caffeine consumption.  Avoid caffeine late in the day, as it takes several hours for the body to excrete it.  Finally, avoid beverages containing sugar, opting for a sweetener like stevia or Splenda to save calories.