Why too much caffeine can jeopardise your health

With coffee culture spreading its wings all across the world, most people depend heavily on caffeine drinks to help stay awake and get through the day with ease.

However, a recent study warned against overconsumption, stating that higher dosage caffeine drinks can jeopardise your health.

It can inversely affect stress levels, resulting in lack of sleep, and in some cases, consuming the substance in large portions can lead to early death.

According to local sources, a North American bakery-café restaurant chain was slapped with two different wrongful lawsuits from families, mourning their losses.

The lawsuit claimed that the deceased had consumed a beverage containing high quantities of caffeine.

The beverage made headlines, with people questioning the use of ingredients. The drink that led to two deaths simultaneously, is a sugar-sweetened lemonade loaded with the stimulant.

Although, the exact amount of caffeine consumed in both cases is unknown, both lawsuits allege that the late consumers, 21-year-old female and the 46-year-old male died shortly after drinking it.

What makes caffeine 'toxic'?

Rob van Dam, a professor of exercise and nutrition sciences at the Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University claimed: "At very high doses, caffeine can be toxic or even lethal."

Caffeine belongs to the group of chemical compounds, known as methylxanthines. 

These compounds rapidly enter the bloodstream, affecting the nervous system, binding with adenosine receptors, that play a vital role in promoting sleep.

The upside of consuming caffeine

Although, caffeine is widely known for stimulating mental alertness and reducing fatigue, overconsuming the stimulant can lead to inverse reactions in one’s body.

According to research, caffeine goes as far as to improve memory function, helping the person concentrate on any task at hand.

Its long-term consumption is associated with a reduced risk of Parkinson’s disease.

Caffeine is even consumed by U.S. Army soldiers to increase their ability to focus and staying alert at all times.

In conclusion, modern consumption of coffee and tea may prove to be beneficial on several grounds, improving cardiovascular health in people as stated by van Dam.

According to Jennifer Temple, director of the nutrition and health research laboratory at the University at Buffalo: "Overall, the health benefits of caffeine intake are relatively minor and not significant enough to encourage caffeine consumption.”

Therefore, it’s crucial to keep caffeine consumption at bay, restricting its use in our everyday lives.