Is drinking tea and coffee bad for my heart? And how much caffeine is too much?
BHF dietitian Victoria Taylor says:
While there is often concern about the links between caffeine and heart health, a moderate amount of tea or coffee (four or five cups a day) should be fine for most people. Research shows that this level of caffeine intake shouldn’t be detrimental to your heart health, affect your cholesterol levels or heart rhythm.
Although drinking coffee has been shown to increase blood pressure, this effect is usually temporary and is minimised over time if you drink caffeinated drinks regularly. Some people are more sensitive to caffeine and can experience palpitations. If this is you, then it’s sensible to avoid caffeine. Remember that caffeine is found in quite a few sources including: tea, green tea, coffee, energy drinks, cola and chocolate.
Remember that caffeine is found in quite a few sources including: tea, green tea, coffee, energy drinks, cola and chocolate
Should I avoid energy drinks because of their caffeine content?
Energy drinks have a bad reputation for their caffeine content, but in reality they contain 80mg of caffeine per 250ml – that’s less than a mug of instant coffee, which has 100mg, and only slightly more than a mug of tea, which has 75mg.
However, there are other reasons why you might want to avoid energy drinks. They can contain nearly seven teaspoons of sugar in one 250ml can – that’s the maximum amount we should be consuming in a whole day. So if you enjoy energy drinks, choose sugar-free versions where possible.
Can I have coffee as part of a heart-healthy diet?
Sugar, syrups, whole milk and cream add calories and saturated fat that could cause weight gain and increase cholesterol levels
Two recent studies suggested that drinking coffee was linked to longer life expectancy, but we need more research to understand what is behind this link. We know that moderate amounts don’t seem to have a negative impact on your heart.
It’s probably more important to think about how you take your coffee. Sugar, syrups, whole milk and cream add calories and saturated fat that could cause weight gain and increase cholesterol levels.
Drinking coffee unsweetened, and swapping whole milk for skimmed, one per cent or semi-skimmed, could help your heart health more than focusing on caffeine.
Meet the expert
Victoria Taylor is a registered dietitian with 20 years’ experience. Her work for the NHS focused on weight management and community programmes for the prevention of cardiovascular disease. She leads the BHF's work on nutrition.
FAQs
You may want to cut back if you're drinking more than 4 cups of caffeinated coffee a day (or the equivalent) and you have side effects such as: Headache. Insomnia. Nervousness.
What are the symptoms of too much caffeine? ›
Symptoms of caffeine overdose in adults may include: Breathing trouble. Changes in alertness. Agitation, confusion, hallucinations.
How much caffeine a day is too? ›
4. How much caffeine is too much? For healthy adults, the 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.
Is 200 mg of caffeine a lot? ›
Consumption of 200 milligrams of caffeine doesn't cause any significant harmful effects in healthy people. However, a variety of factors can influence that number, including pregnancy, use of other drugs and sleep deprivation. Pregnant women are recommended not to take more than 200 mg of caffeine per day.
How to flush out caffeine? ›
Besides waiting it out and avoiding caffeine, there isn't any effective home remedy to clear caffeine from your system. All the same, you can reduce its side effects by staying hydrated, going for a walk, and eating fiber-rich foods.
How do I know if caffeine is affecting me? ›
Common caffeine intolerance symptoms include IBS, headaches, fatigue, insomnia and others. These negative effects can become part of normal life; can you identify with any of these?
Is quitting caffeine worth it? ›
You Could Feel More Relaxed. Nixing caffeine means no more morning or late-night jitters, and that could be good for your stress levels. All that irritability and restlessness you may experience during the workday could dissipate or lessen simply by cutting out coffee or soda.
What drink has the most caffeine? ›
Espresso is the powerhouse of caffeine. Each 240ml of espresso coffee contains about 240–720 mg of caffeine – the highest caffeine content drink. This concentrated coffee is made by forcing hot water through finely-ground coffee beans, creating a rich flavour.
What does caffeine do to your body long term? ›
Regular use of more than 600 mg of caffeine a day might cause long-term effects such as sleep problems, thinning of bones and fractures, more anxiety, and stomach acidity. It can also increase blood pressure, and if you already have high blood pressure, it can get worse.
Does peeing flush out caffeine? ›
View Source . Caffeine has very high bioavailability, which means that nearly all of the caffeine consumed is taken up by the body. Within an hour after consumption, the liver and kidneys begin to process and eliminate caffeine through the urine.
You notice the effects of caffeine within 15 minutes. The levels in your bloodstream peak an hour later and remain there for several hours. About 6 hours after you consume caffeine, half of it is still in your body. Caffeine may not completely clear your bloodstream until after 10 hours.
Does exercise burn off caffeine? ›
According to this experiment, even moderate exercise shortens the half life of caffeine by at least 50%. Effects of moderate exercise on the pharmaco*kinetics of caffeine. So basically, Yes, exercise does expedite the elimination of caffeine.
What happens to your body when you drink a lot of caffeine? ›
Caffeine in large amounts may interfere with absorption and metabolism of calcium. This can contribute to bone thinning (osteoporosis). If you consume too much, caffeine may cause also your muscles to twitch. If experiencing caffeine withdrawal, a symptom may include achy muscles.
How do I know if I have a caffeine problem? ›
A persistent desire or unsuccessful effort to control caffeine use. Caffeine use despite having persistent or recurring physical or psychological problems linked to caffeine. Withdrawal symptoms when cutting intake.
What does a caffeine high feel like? ›
Caffeine is well absorbed by the body, and the short-term effects are usually experienced between 5 and 30 minutes after having it. These effects can include increased breathing and heart rate, and increased mental alertness and physical energy. Depending on the individual, these effects can last up to 12 hours.
What helps if you had too much caffeine? ›
Stop drinking coffee immediately (and check the caffeine content of other beverages) Drink plenty of water to ease off dehydration effects. Let go of that extra energy with some exercise. Grab an orange, banana or eat some oatmeal or yogurt to replenish the minerals lost and combat coffee's acidity.
Meet the expert