On its bad side
“You become dependent on caffeine. If you get a certain amount of caffeine, and you go a day without getting that same amount, you often feel signs of withdrawal,” says Doris Henning, R.D., Erickson Health dietitian. A 2004 review by researchers at John Hopkins University and American University showed abstinence from caffeine caused headaches in 50% of people, and significant distress and functional impairment for 13% of people.
Another reason for concern is that caffeine is a mild diuretic, and increases excretion of fluids from your body. This raises the risk of dehydration, which can lead to confusion, dizziness, and falls. “You need fluids in your body to absorb nutrients, but the diuretic properties of the caffeine could cause the fluids—and nutrients— to go straight through your system so you get less,” says Henning. If you combine caffeine with a diuretic medication, this becomes more of a concern.
Stay on the safe side
People might want to limit the amount of caffeine they consume, just to be on the safe side. “As people get older, they often become more sensitive to caffeine,” says Henning. The more sensitive you are, the more you feel the effects.
“Caffeine sensitivity depends on the amount of regular intake, your body weight, and your physical activity,” says Hogan. People with less body mass feel the effects sooner. Excessive amounts of caffeine—usually 500 mg a day or more—can cause uncomfortable side effects like irritability, nervousness, anxiety, insomnia, and headaches. For most people, moderate doses of caffeine—200 to 300 mg a day—are not problematic. However, “Older people with chronic insomnia should avoid caffeine altogether.
Older folks may not metabolize things as quickly, so a cup or two of coffee in the morning may carry over into the night,” says Leslie Brandwin, M.D., Erickson Health physician at Greenspring, a community in Virginia built and managed by Erickson. “People with cardiac arrhythmia, pacemakers, or a history of rapid heart beat also should probably avoid caffeine,” says Brandwin.
Counting caffeine
To estimate your caffeine intake, consider the amount in a 12-oz can of soda to be about 35 mg. For coffee, the amount varies from as little as 20 mg in a small, 5-oz instant coffee to 300 mg for a 12-oz cup of strong, drip-brewed coffee.
Chocolate milk, hot cocoa, and chocolate candy also contain caffeine, but the dose delivered is usually less than 20 mg per oz. Check the labels of foods and beverages you consume. You may not be getting as much caffeine as you think. If present, caffeine is usually listed in the product ingredients. “Purer chocolates have more caffeine than something like a Hershey’s Kiss. One ounce of Baker’s chocolate has more caffeine than dark chocolate, at about 20 to 26g,” Hogan says.
Caffeine is also an ingredient in certain medications. Pain relief or headache medicines, such as Excedrin or Anacin, can contain 65 to 130 mg of caffeine. Talk to your doctor to see if caffeine might be in your medicine, or if caffeine consumption might affect your meds.
| Product |
Estimated Caffeine |
|
Decaffeinated Coffee (8 oz) |
Less than 10 mg |
|
Regular Coffee (8 oz) |
Around 100 mg |
|
Hot Cocoa (8 oz) |
Less than 10 mg |
|
Tea: Instant and Brewed (8 oz) |
30 to 40 mg |
|
Cola (12 oz) |
About 35 mg |
|
Haagen-Dazs Coffee Ice Cream (1 cup) |
About 60 mg |
|
Hershey Bar (1.5 oz) |
About 10 mg |
|
Excedrin (2 tablets) |
130 mg |
|
NoDoz, Regular Strength (1 tablet) |
100 mg |
Cutting back?
If you find yourself consuming more than 300 mg a day, “Try to reduce or eliminate caffeine over the course of a few days rather than all at once,” says Hogan. “To cut down on coffee, mix decaf with regular—make it half and half,” says Hogan.
“You can also cut the amount of coffee you drink if you drink more milk with it,” she adds.
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