The pros and cons of daily caffeine intake

Whether it’s making a cup of coffee at home, ordering a $6 specialty coffee at a local coffee shop, or cracking open a Red Bull on the way to the gym, the consensus is clear: the prevalence of the caffeinated beverage industry continues growing up. According to the National Coffee Associations Coffee Impact Report, the coffee industry employed 2.2 million people and generated more than $100 billion in wages by 2022.

Caffeine most commonly found in coffee, black and green teas, energy drinks, and some dietary supplements is ingested with the goal of increasing energy levels and increasing alertness along with motivation. However, regular intake of large amounts of caffeine has the potential to become addictive and can induce feelings of anxiety and insomnia while exacerbating some symptoms of mental illness.

Dr. Sherecce Fields, a clinical psychologist and professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Texas A&M University, says it’s important to remember that caffeine is classified as a stimulant drug and should be consumed in moderation and with caution.

Caffeine is in a similar class to drugs like cocaine and methamphetamine and behaves in a way that increases the activity of dopamine neurons, Fields said. All the things that are related to how it improves things like cognition and memory are related to its stimulating effects.

According to the National Library of Medicine, stimulant medications work by increasing the activity of the central nervous system. Specifically, they activate neural pathways that connect the brain and body, contributing to feelings of euphoria and focus and creating a cognitive advantage.

In the right doses, caffeine can provide benefits to athletes and students by increasing muscle speed and improving focus levels, respectively.

Caffeine is very popular among athletes because it can increase things like muscle speed, muscle efficiency, and it can reduce fatigue by stimulating the peripheral nervous system to get up and go, Fields said. Many people with undiagnosed attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) will also use caffeine to help them focus because it acts similarly to some ADHD medications.

Despite these benefits, caffeine is a substance that must be ingested and carefully monitored, and should never exceed the daily amount of 400 milligrams, as recommended by the Food and Drug Administration.

For people who consume some caffeine, when they stop, they often have increased anxiety or depressed mood, Fields said. For someone suffering from a mood disorder such as major depressive disorder or generalized anxiety disorder, it can certainly exacerbate these feelings.

Fields notes that it becomes especially dangerous for people with underlying health issues like high blood pressure and poor heart health, as highly caffeinated beverages consumed without a level of caution can cause health complications.

These instances can even make it to a courtroom, as in the case of Panera Breads three lawsuits surrounding its highly caffeinated lemonades. These drinks contain more caffeine than a 12-ounce Red Bull Energy Drink and a 16-ounce Monster Energy Drink combined. After consuming multiple refills of the drinks, two people died, while a third suffered permanent health complications. All had underlying health issues that made them sensitive to caffeine.

The multi-faceted question of whether Panera Bread should be held liable for the deaths of these people is not easily answered. Fields stresses the importance of being a good consumer of information and the ethics of careful advertising.

As a consumer, I try to encourage my students and my own son to be good consumers of information, Fields said. In the Paneras example, it’s important to understand that 390 milligrams of caffeine is over the limit, and if you have more than that, it can be quite dangerous, especially if you have high blood pressure or some other cardiovascular disease.

Being aware of your personal limits and the caffeine level of your beverages are two simple but effective ways to reap the benefits of caffeinated beverages while avoiding the feelings of jitters and anxiety that often accompany them.

Someone who drinks two to three cups of coffee a day exceeds the maximum recommended amount, which can have harmful effects on your fight-or-flight system, your heart and your digestion, Fields said. At low doses, caffeine can improve behavior and concentration, so the most important thing to consider is finding the balance and having the right dose for your specific needs.

The bottom line is that reactions to caffeine differ significantly from person to person and can provide both health benefits and harms, depending on the amount. So before you order that third cup of coffee, remember that more isn’t always better.