Understanding Caffeine: How Much Caffeine Is Too Much?.

While coffee offers numerous health benefits, not everyone processes caffeine the same way. Several factors determine how much caffeine is too much for an individual:

• Some people have a genetic defect in the GYP1A2 gene that affects caffeine metabolism.
• Caffeine can stay in your system for up to 10 hours, so some people may find that consuming coffee in the afternoon impacts their sleep quality.
• Caffeine makes you feel awake by increasing the amount of cortisol in your body, which can have adverse affects if undergoing mental stress.
• Adverse effects can include:
  • Insomnia
  • Anxiety
  • Jitters
  • Feeling “wired” after just one or two cups

While there’s definitely such a thing as too much coffee, research suggests that for the vast majority of people, moderate caffeine consumption offers more benefits than drawbacks. The European Society of Cardiology found that light to moderate coffee drinking is associated with multiple health benefits:

Dr. Judit Simon from Semmelweis University notes, “0.5 to 3 cups of coffee per day was independently associated with lower risks of stroke, death from cardiovascular disease, and death from any cause.”

Despite potential drawback, for most people coffee seems to offer significant advantages:

• Provides an energy boost by releasing norepinephrine and dopamine
• Improves both physical and mental performance
• Studies show that regular coffee drinkers are less likely to die from heart disease, stroke, diabetes and kidney disease. It may also ward off Alzheimer’s disease, colon cancer, and Parkinson’s disease.
• Rich in antioxidants and nutrients, including:
  • Riboflavin – Also known as B2, supports cellular function and energy production.
  • Vitamin B5 – Another B vitamin that helps turn fats in energy, as well as supporting healthy skin, hair and eyes.
  • Manganese – Aids metabolism, helps regular blood sugar, and decreases inflammation.
  • Potassium – Essential for nerve transmission, muscle contraction, and kidney function.
  • Magnesium – Aids nerve impulse conduction, muscle contraction and normal heart rhythm.
  • Chlorogenic acid – Has been shown to have positive effects, including anti-diabetic, anti-carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-obesity impacts.
  • Caffeic acid– Found to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic activity.

• Limit intake if you suffer from insomnia or anxiety
• Be mindful of the effects of added sugar or cream.
• Most people can safely enjoy up to three cups per day

The clear health benefits associated with drinking coffee makes one of our office coffee machines a fantastic addition to any office environment. Commercial coffee machines are an excellent way to boost employee morale and productivity, and come in an array of shapes and sizes, with design features suitable for all needs and requirements – we even have machines with dual bean hoppers, so you can offer your workforce both decaf and regular coffee!