Can Too Much Coffee Kill You?

At some point, every coffee lover has wondered: Can too much coffee actually kill you?

As someone who drinks coffee regularly, I would love to answer, “Absolutely not. Keep drinking.”

Unfortunately, science has entered the chat.

For most healthy adults, the FDA says up to 400mg of caffeine a day is generally not associated with negative effects. But that doesn’t mean more is better. Too much caffeine can cause jitters, anxiety, headaches, insomnia, a racing heart and other unpleasant surprises.

And yes, extremely high doses of caffeine can be dangerous. The FDA has warned specifically about pure and highly concentrated caffeine products, which can cause severe toxicity and, in some cases, death.

But before you look nervously at your morning latte, there’s an important distinction.

Drinking coffee isn’t the same as consuming concentrated caffeine powder.

Most of us aren’t waking up thinking, “Today feels like a good day to measure caffeine by the teaspoon.” We’re drinking coffee because we like coffee.

Still, I think it’s worth knowing how much caffeine we’re actually having, especially when coffee isn’t our only source. Tea, energy drinks, chocolate and some medications can add to the daily total too.

For me, the goal isn’t to drink less coffee just for the sake of drinking less coffee. It’s to understand my caffeine intake and know when I’ve had enough.

Because sometimes, less caffeine doesn’t have to mean less coffee. I’ve written more about that idea here.

So, can too much coffee kill you?

Technically, caffeine can be dangerous at extremely high doses. But for everyday coffee drinkers, the bigger question might simply be:

Do I really need that fifth cup?

…Asking for a friend. A very caffeinated friend.