How much, is too much coffee?

Question

I drink at a minimum around 5 cups of strong coffee a day. I get really chittery. Am I drinking too much, and how do i stop if i am

Answer 1

I usually drink enough strong coffee each day to launch the space shuttle.
If you pass yourself several times during the day, it's generally an indication that you've had too much.
You've also had too much if everything around you begins to slow and you start to travel backwards in time.

OK... in sincerity...

Coffee is great as a quick boost in the morning but it cannot be a way of life. I made myself hypoglycemic by running on coffee for long periods and skipping meals. Caffeine is a stimulant but contains no nutrition. It is considered a mild amphetamine.
If you skip meals during the day and run on caffeine, your body will compensate by releasing adrenalin into your system. That causes the jittery feeling you are experiencing. It is the same trembling you might feel if suddenly startled or scared and is part of the "flight or flight" response to danger. It's nature's way of giving you a quick boost of energy for survival.
Eventually you will burn out your adrenal glands and pancreas. You might end up with hypoglycemia or panic attacks. Hypoglycemia can turn into diabetes later in life.
The panic attacks are hell.
Panic or Anxiety disorder is the number one mental problem in the USA, surpassing even depression. It is called the curse of the Starbucks generation because it is easily triggered by too much caffeine.

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Answer 2

I used to drink about a gallon of coffee per day, I was not sensitive to the caffeine and never lost sleep or got too jittery because of it. You seem to be more sensitive to it than I.

Recently I cut back and I have had maybe four cups of coffee in the past six months. Yes, there was an initial caffeine withdrawal for a couple of days. As a benefit, now when I need to wake me up, one cup of coffee does a great job!

As a substitute, I've been drinking herbal teas. Your own taste will tell you what's good, but for me it was mostly licorice root tea (your health food store will probably have it, along with some nice licorice-mint tea which is good if you get a cold). That's now my morning drink, steeped for over five minutes with a slice of lemon peel in the pot. Later in the day I've become fond of several varieties by the Yogi Tea label, including their India Spice and Moroccan Orange blends. And if I want a cup before bed, nothing compares to Celestial Seasonings' Sleepytime.

Oh, and Yogi Tea makes a "Gourmet Roast" blend that tastes remarkably like coffee--especially if you add a bit of cream.

Answer 3

I was a coffee addict, too, sometimes I think I still am, but the doctor prohibited it because of hyper-acidity in my tummy.

I got really BAD migraines when I first got off coffee cold-turkey, but I discovered that black tea can supply you with just enough caffeine to prevent the migraines without the bad effects. So now I drink tea and a very rare coffee every now and then.

But don't turn cold-turkey like I did. Gradually reduce your intake until you can handle just one or two cups a day. That way, you'll appreciate your cuppa more.

Answer 4

i know how you feel, i use to drink 8 large coffee's a day and i knew after the 2nd cup i should have stopped drinking it,but the problem was i was and still am addicted to coffee,so i went to the doctor for a phycial and he every time i see you,you are so jittery,i explained about the coffee,and he told me i needed to cut down to no more then 2 cups a day,so here is what i did in the morning i have one large hot coffee,then midday i get an ice coffee and sip on that for the afternoon,it took me about 2 weeks to make it a routine,good luck to you with your coffee battle

Answer 5

Assuming each cups holds about 150ml of coffee, 5 cups are equal to 500mg plus caffeine.

With daily consumption of 350mg, a person will develop caffeine dependence. A person with such dependence, will suffer withdrawal symptoms like fatigue, sweating and muscle pains.

For the first few days when you cut downs on coffee, you might experience withdrawal symptoms. Suggest to do some exercise to make yourself comfortable. With exercise, your body will provide better recovery and faster too.

Hope this will answer your question.

Answer 6

You don't want to have too much coffee, but the amount you are drinking is fine. If you are having trouble sleeping I would cut down or try so de-caf in the afternoons. It would take at least 75 cups of coffee to kill you. I love my coffee and couldn't live without my espresso machine.

Hope this helps

Answer 7

It varies by person, if your shaking, breathing funny, have heart beat irregularities, sweating, the runs, etc. You are drinking to much. By chittery do you mean you talk alot? Thats not really a medical issue.

Answer 8

Just your jitters should tell you-that's too much. A lot of people get headaches if they cut back caffiene too abruptly-I think the suggestion to cut back by one cup a day each week is a good one. No more than two cups a day is the current recommendation.

Answer 9

Coffee. Hey I just got up. Everybody is knocking coffee.

Answer 10

Like another person said, it is bad for your digestive system because it eats the Flora in your intestines -- Flora is what the GOOD bacteria lives off of and reproduces in ---- Caffeine also dehydrates you ----- other than that, it's not so bad -- it's kind of fun too -----------

Quitting can be difficult but not impossible ---- Just cut down one very small step at a time ----- and DO NOT switch to de-caf -- it's worse!!!!!!!