The side effects of caffeine

Caffeine is a naturally-occurring stimulant found in food and beverages such as tea, coffee and cacao (cocoa or chocolate). It is also added to things like soft drinks and energy drinks. Knowing the side effects of caffeine, in particular the side effects of having too much of it, is important to maintain your health.

It is safe to have caffeine every day, but that does not mean that it cannot have a serious impact on your health and wellbeing if you consume too much of it.

The side effects of caffeine

There are a number of side effects to caffeine. Some of these can be more serious than others, especially if you consume too much of it.

General side effects:

• Unable to sleep or suffering from insomnia
• Irritability
• Headaches
• Anxiety
• Nausea

More serious side effects

Excessive consumption of caffeine can lead to some more serious side effects. If you’re experiencing these, it might be a good idea to visit your GP.

• Diarrhoea/constipation
• Stomach pains/bloating
• Blood in your stool (poo)
• Green vomit
• Twitching/uncontrollable muscle movements
• Fever
• High blood pressure/high blood sugar

Recommended daily dose of caffeine

The recommended daily limit for caffeine intake is 400mg, or 200mg if you’re pregnant. It can be hard to know how much caffeine you are consuming in a day, so using these estimates provided by Safe Food can help.

How much caffeine is in your tea and coffee?

• Cup of coffee (brewed): 111 mg
• Cup of coffee (instant): 78 mg
• Cup of coffee (decaffeinated): 4 mg
• Shot of espresso: 40 mg
• Cup of black tea: 44 mg
• Cup of herbal tea: 0 mg
• Cup of cocoa:

The exact amount of caffeine in drink can vary depending on how big of a drink you have or how strong you make it. Generally, one cup of coffee or tea is considered to be 200ml, while one shot of espresso is considered to be 30ml.