Most of us will admit to not being able to make it through the day without a cup or two of coffee. But too much caffeine has a bad effect on mental and physical health, according to new research from UK-based Lenstore.
According to Lenstore’s research, 49 percent of Brits cannot start their day without a cup of tea or coffee, with the average person drinking 2.71 cups of coffee every day. Surprisingly, one in every five, about 19 percent, will go on to drink five or more cups of coffee every day to stay awake.
For healthy adults, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cited 400 milligrams a day, that’s about four or five cups of coffee, as an amount not generally associated with dangerous, negative effects. However, there is wide variation in both how sensitive people are to the effects of caffeine and how fast they metabolize. The negative effects of too much caffeine intake leads to:
Caffeine stimulates the release of adrenaline, which can boost energy levels, however too much caffeine can make us nervous, anxious, and jittery. Almost 18 percent admit that caffeine gives us anxiety, and increased doses can also cause heightened stress levels.
Irritability, anger, and confusion
Increased adrenaline levels can also make you feel confused, potentially even causing you to experience hallucinations. On top of this, caffeine can lead to addiction resulting in irritability and anger, especially when you’ve drunk too much or are trying to withdraw from it.
Muscle tremors
As caffeine is a stimulant, it causes increased levels of activity in the brain and nervous system, drinking too much can lead to muscle tremors, for example, eye twitching or trembling hands.
Insomnia
Caffeine makes it difficult to fall asleep at night for 33 percent of Brits, and research shows that it can stay in our systems for up to nine hours. So consuming too much coffee close to bedtime can lead to insomnia. Symptoms of this include dry eyes, irritability, and difficulty paying attention.
High blood pressure
Lenstore’s research also revealed that 26 percent say that caffeine increases heart rate. Symptoms of high blood pressure include facial flushing, an irregular heartbeat, severe headaches and vision problems and can also lead to a greater risk of a heart attack or stroke.
Bleeding in the eye and sight issues
High blood pressure induced by caffeine can also damage the blood vessels in the eyes, damaging the retina, called retinopathy, and causing issues such as blurred vision, bleeding in the eye and even complete sight loss. You could also experience nerve damage to the eye, which can lead to further sight issues, as well as a Choroidopathy, fluid build-up under the retina.
