How to Curb Your Caffeine Consumption

How many cups of coffee do you drink a day? How many sodas or energy drinks? 

If it’s a lot, you may also be consuming too much caffeine. Four cups of coffee or two energy drinks can have more than the recommended daily allowance of caffeine, which is 400 mgs. And drinking more than that can have consequences for your health.

Even if you drink less, caffeine can cause challenges, especially if you take prescription or over-the-counter medications.

Is caffeine addictive? For most people, probably not. But caffeine addiction is real to the extent that ‘caffeine use disorder’ and dependence are recognized as official clinical concerns. Studies show an increasing number of caffeine consumers are becoming dependent and despite recurring health issues from its continued use, are unable to quit their caffeine addiction or reduce use.

So, if you’re in the morning drive-through daily ordering a double quad espresso (300 mgs caffeine) or venti blonde roast drip coffee (475 mgs) ahead of more cups of coffee or energy drinks throughout your day, or you drink enough caffeinated soda to build a weekly pyramid of empties, you should consider curbing your caffeine.

To calculate your daily caffeine intake within the recommended limit, consider the following:

8-ounce cup of coffee = 95 to 200 mg
To stay under 400 mg of caffeine, drink only 2 to 4 cups daily

12-ounce can of cola = 35 to 45 mg
To stay under 400 mg of caffeine, limit to 2 to 6 cans daily.

8-ounce energy drink = 70 to 300 mg 
To stay under 400 mg of caffeine, limit to 2 cans (be sure to read the label).

8-ounce cup of tea = 14 to 60 mg 
To stay under 400 mg of caffeine, drink 6 cups or fewer daily

(Concentrated coffee powder is particularly concerning. Consider it a no-no. One teaspoon equates to 28 cups of coffee. The U.S Food & Drug Administration cautions it can be toxic in powder or liquid form leading to potentially fatal overdose. The caffeine jolt can be fatal.)

If you’re consuming 600 mgs per day or more a day, consider curbing your caffeine intake for your health, but you may want to do it gradually as opposed to going cold turkey. As with any addictive drug, a cold stop can result in mild to severe side effects, most commonly headaches in the case of caffeine. 

The best approach to curb caffeine is to step down slowly. Reduce your daily intake by one cup or one can over time. Be sure to talk to your primary care doctor about how much caffeine you’re consuming.