If you are a coffee lover, then there is nothing more comforting than getting your usual cuppa of coffee. It can instantly lift your mood, increase your alertness and can shoo away sleepiness. But can excess intake of coffee have any side effects on your body? Excess of anything is bad and the same holds true for coffee. Read on to know the side effects of drinking too much coffee during the day.
Anxious episodes
If taken in moderation, coffee can suppress anxious episodes but excess of it can have the opposite effects. Drinking too many cups of coffee a day can trigger your anxiety and might make you feel more nervous. One cup of coffee contains about 80-140 mg of caffeine. It is said that more than 500 mg of caffeine can trigger anxiety and can make you feel jittery.
Insomnia
The ability to keep people awake and ward off lethargy is coffee’s most prized possession. It can help you sail through a sluggish day or help you stay alert when you need to pull off an all-nighter. Excess caffeine, especially during the night can disturb your sleep schedule and cause insomnia in the long run.
Upset stomach
It is a known fact that coffee has a laxative effect on the body. This is why many people prefer coffee early in the morning to ease out their bowel movements. Coffee helps in releasing a hormone called gastrin, which speeds up the activity in the colon. If you are drinking too many cups of coffee during the day, you might face an upset stomach.
Blood pressure fluctuations
Too many cups of coffee a day might also make your blood pressure fluctuate. High blood pressure can damage your arteries over time, which can restrict the flow of blood to your heart, exposing your body to a risk of heart stroke. If you are already suffering from high blood pressure, you need to be doubly careful about your caffeine intake as it can increase the risk of blood pressure elevation.
Heartbeat palpitations
Too much coffee has a stimulatory effect on your body which can make your heart beat faster. This high dose of caffeine can cause altered heartbeat or heart palpitations which can make you feel jittery or anxious.
Fatigue
Even though coffee provides an energy boost for some time after the caffeine hits your body, it has the opposite effects when caffeine leaves the body. Several studies have proved that coffee has a rebound effect on the body after the effect of caffeine fades off and can make you feel more tired than before.
