How do you start your day? If you are like me, I feel like I could not do anything in the morning until I have my coffee. A warm cup of coffee soothes my soul, makes me feel more focused, and provides me the energy I need to tackle the problems of the day. 

But have you ever wonder if you are a coffee addict? Or may someone told you that having too much caffeine may not be good for you. This blog will provide you the most up-to-date info about caffeine and its effects on your body.

What you need to know about caffeine 

Caffeine in powder or liquid form can provide toxic levels of caffeine, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has cautioned. Caffeine can be found in coffee, teas, cocoa, soft drinks, and energy drinks. It stimulates your brain and nervous system and increases the circulation of chemicals such as cortisol and adrenaline in the body (Better Health Chanel, 2020).  Caffeine can give you an energy boost and help you concentrate when you use it in small doses. However, If you ingest caffeine in large quantities, you’ll probably experience anxiety and difficulty sleeping. 

Caffeine has its perks, but it can pose problems too. 

What does caffeine do to the body?

An individual can feel the short-term effects of caffeine within 5 or 30 minutes of consumption. These effects may include an increased heart rate, breathing, as well as increased mental alertness and physical energy. The effects can continue up to 12 hours, depending on the individual. Having a little dose of caffeine can bring a positive effect. If one person consumes too much caffeine, the signs and symptoms are increased body temperature, frequent urination, dizziness and headache, increased heart rate, anxiety and agitation, trembling hands, and sleeplessness.

 How much caffeine is too much? 

Caffeine’s effect on you is determined by your body mass, health, and metabolism. Additionally, it is dependent on whether your body is accustomed to receiving regular doses of caffeine. According to Mayo Clinic, 400mg of caffeine per day or less is an acceptable amount for the general population. Caffeine is a xanthine derivative that is widely utilized as a psychostimulant on a global scale and may be a helpful biological model of an induced panic attack (Mayo Clinic, 2020). According to the study in 2008, the researcher conducted a caffeine challenge test in panic disorder patients. There were 25 panic disorder (PD) patients, 27 healthy first-degree relatives of probands with PD, and 22 healthy volunteers with no PD disorder. They were given 480 mg caffeine and a caffeine-free solution to those groups. In this coffee challenge test, PD patients and their first-degree relatives were more sensitive to panic attack symptoms than healthy volunteers but were less responsive to headache, blood pressure elevation, and insomnia. Our data showed a link between panic attacks and coffee intake of 480 mg in PD patients and their first-degree relatives. A caffeine test clearly distinguishes PD patients and their first-degree relatives from the healthy group (Nardi, 2008). 

Or the short answer is, don’t drink more than 400mg of caffeine per day. 

Panic attack? Do you need to worry about that?

Caffeine itself doesn’t directly cause a panic attack according to the research. However, it induces panic attacks via the sensations that come with consuming caffeine such as elevated heart rate, increased body temperature, dizziness, headache, and sleeplessness. If such sensations can trigger someone’s panic attack, then they are more likely to get a panic attack from drink too much coffee. However, once someone is trained to overcome the panic-attack-induced sensations, they will not get the panic attack from consuming caffeine. So the upshot here according to the video is “Caffeine does not directly cause panic attacks. Instead, it’s your response to the sensations that caffeine can create, that can trigger a panic attack or not” (Norman, 2016). 

Reducing caffeine intake can improve your anxiety

Reducing caffeine intake can make you feel better about your mental and emotional state. Your heart and digestive system will also appreciate a rest, which might help you physiologically.
Your mood will slowly begin to improve along with your anxiety leaving you less sensitive to the daily frustrations. According to Harvard Medical School, studies linking coffee consumption to cardiovascular disease have mostly observed it with higher consumption (Shmerling, 2017). By cutting back on coffee or simply giving it up, you’ll minimize your risk of severe cardiac diseases and decrease your blood pressure dramatically. Reduced blood flow helps alleviate muscle pain and headaches.

You may want to cut back if you’re drinking more than 4 cups of caffeinated coffee a day!

References

Nardi, A. E., Valença, A. M., Nascimento, I., Freire, R. C., Veras, A. B., De-Melo-Neto, V. L., Lopes, F. L., King, A. L., Soares-Filho, G. L., Mezzasalma, M. A., Rassi, A., & Zin, W. A. (2008). A caffeine challenge test in panic disorder patients, their healthy first-degree relatives, and healthy controls. Depression & Anxiety (1091-4269), 25(10), 847–853. https://doi.org/10.1002/da.20354

Caffeine. (2020, March 20). Better Health Chanel. https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/caffeine#bhc-content

Norman, M. [YouTube]. (2016, May 18). How to stop panic attacks naturally and fast: avoid caffeine? [Video]. Panic Free TV. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1j9f6AbxQ0

Caffeine: How much is too much? (2020, March 6). Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/caffeine/art-20045678#:~:text=Up%20to%20400%20milligrams%20%28mg%29%20of%20caffeine%20a,in%20beverages%20varies%20widely%2C%20especially%20among%20energy%20drinks.

Shmerling. R (2017, September 25). The latest scoop on the health benefits of coffee. Harvard Health Publishing Medical School. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/the-latest-scoop-on-the-health-benefits-of-coffee-2017092512429