How Much is Too Much: Side Effects of Over-Caffeination

Published on February 06, 2023

How Much is Too Much: Side Effects of Over-Caffeination

Ever heard the saying “you can never have too much of a good thing”?

I’m not sure who said that, but for whoever did, they have obviously never had too much caffeine in one day …

Let me paint the picture for you - you ingest 500 milligrams of caffeine in one day, and you start to feel these side effects:

heart jumping out your chest
anxiety and stress through the roof
trouble sleeping
Blood pressure is through the roof
Sudden urgency to (excuse my french) sh*t your brains out

Ok … that was a little dramatic (don’t go drinking 500 mg of caffeine), but seriously, over-caffeination is a very real thing that can cause lots of health issues …

Unfortunately, all of those issues I just listed are just a few of some real side effects of ingesting too much of the “good stuff.” (the “good stuff” being STRONG Coffee of course)

Like with most things, moderation is key, and caffeine is certainly no exception.

In this article, we’ll discuss:

How much is too much?
Side effects/ health risks of too much caffeine
Over-Caffeinating before your workout

How much is too much?

Here’s the million dollar question - “How much is too much caffeine?”

Someone’s got to give the crappy news to all our coffee lovers, so to make things as painless as possible, I’ll give it to you straight …

The FDA says that anything over 400 mg of caffeine in a 24 hour period is too much. Plain and simple. No ifs, ands, or buts about it.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to be the coffee police here, but with great coffee comes great responsibility.

We take our coffee consumption very seriously and responsibly- and you should too.

So, take it from us and don’t go drinking any more than 400 mg of caffeine - it can cause some serious health issues (some of which I mentioned above).

Side effects/ health risks of too much caffeine

As for a more in depth look in health risks, here are 5 side-effects of ingesting too much caffeine:

1. Anxiety

It’s no secret that caffeine keeps you alert and on your toes.

Caffeine does this in a very interesting way - it triggers the release of adrenaline in your brain, causing your “fight or flight” instinct to heighten.

And, while a boost in energy is one of the main benefits of caffeine, overconsumption can lead to feelings of restlessness, increased stress levels, and even anxiety.

Once your “fight or flight” instinct is triggered, your body thinks it's in danger. This is why it's common to report feelings of rapid breathing, increased stress, and anxiety when you have too much caffeine.

2. Insomnia

While caffeine's ability to help people stay awake is one of its prized attributes, too much caffeine can affect sleeping habits.

It’s pretty simple - if you want to sleep at night, make sure you drink caffeine no later than 6 hours before you plan on going to sleep. Studies show that caffeine stays in your system for about six hours, so try to be conscious of when and how much you’re drinking.

It also goes to say that the amount of caffeine you’re ingesting plays a major role. If you’re hammering coffee and energy drinks all day, but stop 6 hours before you go to bed, you still might have trouble getting that beauty sleep.

3.Digestive Issues

One common effect of caffeine is that it often acts as a laxative for many people, helping get their bowels moving in the morning.

But again, here’s where moderation comes into play…

Let’s be real here, there’s a difference between cleaning out your system, and sh*tting your brains out. Caffeine in moderation does the former. In excess, it does the latter.

This is because caffeine was found to increase something called peristalsis - the contractions in your stomach that move food through your digestive system.

So take it from a world-renowned coffee company - caffeine for digestive use is can be great for cleaning out your bowels, but too much of it and you’ll be playing with fire (or sh*t for that matter)

4. High Blood Pressure

When it comes to caffeine and heart issues, studies show that caffeine doesn’t pose health risks to heart disease.

But, overuse can often result in high blood pressure due to caffeine’s ability to stimulate your nervous system.

Like always, it simply comes down to over usage. I probably sound like a broken record at this point, but for the sake of your health, this is just one more reason to pursue caffeine in moderation.

5. Muscle breakdown

It's common to see a lot of folks use caffeine for pre-workout (especially our own STRONG Coffee), but overconsumption can actually reverse the effects of working out.

Rhabdomyolysis, a condition where damaged muscle fibers enter your bloodstream, has been shown to be a product of over-caffeination. Rhabdomyolysis can lead to kidney failure and other serious issues causing your muscles to break down.

Especially for those using caffeine for physical performance, be weary that this is a very real possibility that can destroy your results in the gym

Over-Caffeinating before your workout

When it comes to caffeine and physical performance, studies show that consuming low to moderate levels of caffeine is safe for most people.

In fact, research has found that caffeine can improve your physical and mental performance, and boost your mood (shocker, right ?)

Caffeine (especially STRONG Coffee) and physical performance go hand and hand - especially when you use a healthy blend of adaptogens + caffeine to fuel your workout.

However, like I mentioned, caffeine in moderation is great … but too much of it can really have a negative affect on your workouts.

A few quick things to be wary of when caffeinating before your workout …

1. Dehydration

Caffeine is a diuretic, which means that it increases fluid loss in your body. At a healthy dose, this shouldn’t affect you, but anything over 400 mg can seriously leave you dehydrated and hinder your performance.

2. Anxiety, nervousness, and tremors

For those who are more sensitive to caffeine, this can be a side effect. The problem here is that along with anxiety, caffeine can cause tremors (shaking/trembling of your body) which can be dangerous while lifting heavy weights and doing endurance training. This is definitely one you want to watch out for.

3. Blood clots

The most dangerous risk for over caffeinating before your workouts is that you’re putting yourself at an increased risk for blood clots.

A study found that ingesting caffeine during a high intensity workout can cause an increase of coagulation in your blood - making it harder for blood to pass through your body. This can eventually lead to blood clots, which is a very serious health issue.

Although caffeine can be a great fuel for your workouts, (especially our STRONG Coffee) it has its risks too. As always, check with a medical professional prior to caffeinating before your workout, and always take caffeine responsibly.

If You Read Anything, Read This …

For a lot of folks, caffeine and working out is a match made in heaven. In fact, when we made our own STRONG Coffee, we wanted our customers to use it as a healthier alternative to pre-workout.

But, with great coffee comes great responsibility … meaning that when we use caffeine, we use it safely and responsibly to avoid the effects of over-caffeination.

Drinking anything more than 400 mg of caffeine daily can have some serious health risks. From anxiety, trouble sleeping, digestive issues, heart problems, and even blood clots, too much caffeine can be a very serious problem.

And when using caffeine as a pre-workout, always make sure not to go overboard … because too much caffeine can negatively affect your workout in many ways.

That said, caffeine in moderation is a beautiful pursuit. Your future self (and health) will thank you if you keep it that way.

Want to discover what you’ve been missing out on by not drinking Strong Coffee? For a limited time only, receive 15% off your first order. Please use code CAFFEINE15 at checkout.

Back to Blog