Not-So-Good Caffeine Facts You Should Know

Sharon Moore April 15, 2014

Caffeine is a bitter, white crystalline xanthine alkaloid and a stimulant drug that is widely used today in various products, from fizzy drinks and energy drinks to weight loss pills, supplements and much more. Whilst this natural compound has plenty of health benefits, it comes with worrisome effects too that you should be cautious about.

Here are some, not-so-good facts about caffeine that each one of us should know.

Coffee packs way more caffeine than soda.

Most caffeinated sodas contain around 35-40 mg of caffeine. So even if you drink 5 cans of this beverage, you still don’t go overboard with your caffeine intake. Coffee, on the other hand, has more concentrated caffeine, so even a five-ounce cup of weak coffee has almost twice as much as a can of soda. But this is not an excuse to drink more soda. Take note that fizzy drinks and the like contain lots of sugar and unhealthy additives that can negatively impact your health.

Too much caffeine causes health problems.

Just the right amount of caffeine can be good for your health. But exceeding the recommended daily intake of this natural compound can bring you more harm than good. Among the most common health issues linked with getting too much caffeine is insomnia or sleeplessness. But of course, it differs from person to person. Some can drink two cups of coffee before bedtime and still don’t experience any sleep issues whilst others do even if they only drank a half cup of coffee. Too much caffeine may also promote anxiety issues. Heavy daily caffeine use may also lead to nervousness, restlessness, irritability, upset stomach, muscle tremor, and fast heartbeat.
Your body can easily build tolerance on caffeine.

Caffeine can give you a boost in concentration. It even amps up your athletic performance (in fact, caffeine is one of the most commonly used stimulants among athletes). However, these benefits tend to wane the longer we regularly use caffeine. Worse, most people easily build tolerance on caffeine. This means the coffee you drink today may not have the same effects as the coffee you drank yesterday.

Some people are more sensitive to caffeine than others. If you’re susceptible to the effects of caffeine, you may notice that even just small amounts — even one cup of coffee or tea — may prompt unwanted effects, such as restlessness, irritability, digestive issues, muscle tremors and sleep problems. How your body reacts to caffeine may depend on how often you consume it. People who don’t regularly drink caffeine tend to be more sensitive to its negative effects. Other factors may include body mass, age, medication use and health conditions such as anxiety disorders. If you happen to experience the worrisome effects of caffeine, talk to your doctor today.