Can You Drink Too Much Coffee?

As a Knoxville personal trainer, I often get asked the question, “Can I drink too much coffee?” I would be concerned about drinking too much coffee. First of all it can raise cortisol levels, which is the same hormone released when you are stressed out, and that can cause increases in belly fat. It also tricks your body into thinking it is constantly "stressed out" which we all know is detrimental to the body. It also increases your adrenals, which essentially is responsible for that "flight or fight" response (think caveman running from a saber tooth tiger). When this adrenal response wears off it can leave you feeling fatigued and irritable. Over time you can wear the adrenals out, thus you'll need more coffee to get the same effect you're now getting from your current daily dose of coffee.

Furthermore, drinking coffee too late in the day can cause you to have trouble getting a good night’s sleep. Lack of sleep is a major cause of lack of energy and fatigue, but it can also lead to a host of other problems such as weight gain, fatigue, and insulin resistance (think diabetes).

Furthermore, the phosphoric acid can interfere with calcium absorption, which can lead to fractures from brittle bones and even osteoporosis in the long run. If you have high blood pressure watch out as it can even raise your blood pressure too.

Lastly, caffeine is also a diuretic which actually flushes water out of the body, so sorry it doesn't count toward your daily water intake, and actually has a negative impact on hydration. It’s important to stay hydrated so a good idea may be to replace some of that coffee with water.

So yes, you definitely can drink too much coffee. If you just can't live without your caffeine I would suggest sticking to 1-2 cups/day and make sure to drink it earlier in the day. Limiting yourself to 1-2 cups can actually in turn have some health benefits such as a reduced risk of some diseases, so like anything else moderation is key. Start by slowly lowering how much you are taking in each day, and make sure you are getting enough sleep, eating healthy meals, and drinking lots of water to keep your brain sharp for those creative parts of the day.