Just a stimulating ingredient in coffee and tea, or a drug-like addiction or even a drag on health?
Turns out it is largely up to us how we manage our caffeine intakes.
Caffeine intake quickens heart rate and makes us active and alert. But it is also known to make people anxious, giddy, jittery, and may even cause heart troubles and aggravate ulcers.
So, what is the recipe that may suit us since giving up tea or coffee is out of question with about 90 percent of Americans consuming caffeine in one form or another every single day?
According to Mayo Clinic, the best amount is 400 milligrams (mg) of caffeine a day should be safe for most healthy adults.
“That’s roughly the amount of caffeine in four cups of brewed coffee, 10 cans of cola or two “energy shot” drinks. Keep in mind that the actual caffeine content in beverages varies widely, especially among energy drinks.”
![Mikael Häggström [Public domain]](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/66/Main_symptoms_of_Caffeine_overdose.svg)
Mikael Häggström [Public domain]/Wikimedia
According to Mayo Clinic, people experiencing migraine headache, insomnia, nervousness, irritability, restlessness, frequent urination, stomach upset, fast heartbeat and muscle tremors should reduce their intakes from four cups of caffeinated coffee.
Many of us take tea or coffee to beat these common conditions.
A familiar dilemma for many of us who find it extremely hard to cut down on tea or coffee.
Mayo Clinic’s findings appear to suggest a fine balancing act that may avoid side effects. You may take a reasonable quantity of caffeine as per your physical health but stay conscious of the downside and cautious against excessive intakes.
