By Rachael Savoie, Human Resource Specialist at Elder Law of Michigan
Do you need some sort of caffeine in the morning to get you going? Before I do anything in the morning, I need to have a nice strong cup of coffee.
March was National Caffeine Awareness Month. The goal of the Caffeine Awareness Alliance, formed in 2003, is to promote awareness about the consumption of caffeinated products.
Before you take a drink of your favorite caffeinated beverage, know that 400 milligrams (mg) of caffeine a day is safe for most healthy adults according to the Mayo Clinic. How many caffeinated beverages can you drink without going over the 400mg guideline? Since each beverage contains different amounts of caffeine the quantity you can drink of any specific beverage varies. In my research, I found a few guidelines for beverage consumption from the Mayo Clinic. If cola is your drink of choice, you could drink about 10 cans! If you prefer coffee, you should stick with four cups. If you need energy shot drinks to wake up, two shots contain roughly 400mg of caffeine. The Mayo Clinic also states that more than 500mg to 600mg (about 5 to 7 cups of coffee) of caffeine a day can lead to significant dehydration. Consuming this much caffeine can be harmful to anyone, especially seniors.
The article Caffeine Overdose Symptoms: Signs, Cases, Prevention states that too much caffeine can cause negative effects such as anxiety, heart palpitations, and insomnia. The good news is, there are health benefits associated with caffeine too. An article in Caffeineinformer reports that caffeine can reduce the chances of a stroke, improve memory, and reduce certain cancer risks. However, it appears, like with everything, that moderation is the key to these benefits. If you drink caffeinated products, I hope you can use this blog as a resource to become aware of your daily caffeine consumption and to get the greatest health benefits!
Rachael Savoie serves as Human Resources Specialist at Elder Law of Michigan and has been a member of the Elder Law of Michigan team since 2013. As a Human Resources Specialist, Rachael serves as the link between the organization’s management and its employees. She also directs and coordinates the administrative functions for Elder Law of Michigan.