How Much is too Much Coffee?

“Provided it’s taken in moderation we don’t need to see coffee as a threat to health, but the recommendation is enjoy in moderation,” says a spokeswoman for the British Dietetic Association.

They say too much coffee is harmful and that you must keep your intake in moderation. But what constitutes moderate coffee consumption? How much coffee is too much?

Sensitivity to Caffeine

There is no simple answer to this question, mainly because people differ in their sensitivity to caffeine.

Accordingly, 200 to 300 milligrams caffeine should be safe for most people, which means that it’s okay to drown in 2-3 cups of brewed coffee per day. And the British Department of Health (DoH) says that five single espressos, or seven instant coffees, per day would count for moderate caffeine intake.

But a word of warning is given to those who might be sensitive to caffeine. So how do you identify sensitivity to caffeine? This is yet another complex question with no easy answer. You are sensitive to caffeine when you are a slow caffeine metabolizer. Problem is, there is no easy way to identify slow-metabolizers. There is a genetic test available for this purpose, but it’s still not accessible to the common Joe.

But there are ways by which you can check whether you should cut down your caffeine intake or not. And you can also make your own rough assessment on your caffeine sensitivity. Take a look at the following factors:

Body Mass

The smaller body mass you have, the sooner the effects of caffeine will kick in.

History of Caffeine Consumption

The less regular your caffeine intake is, the more sensitive you get.

Stress

Stress increases your sensitivity to caffeine.

17-year-old Jasmine Willis was rushed to the hospital after an overdose on coffee. It took her only seven cups of expresso (pretty tame considering that the likes of Robbie Williams take on a 36-a-day habit) to start burning up, hyperventilating, laughing and crying all at the same time. Not a pretty sight, is it?

So how much is too much coffee for you?

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