Caffeine is more prevalent in college students than in the rest of the world. According to the Mayo Clinic, 400 milligrams of caffeine is considered safe, but most college students are drinking 800 mg a day.
We asked College students, “How much caffeine is too much?”
“I think anything more than one coffee a day is excessive,” said Ethan Cartagena, 20, of Frederick, and a business major. Most of the students explained drinking caffeine every day was too much and energy drinks were excessive.
Students did drink more caffeine during finals week to stay up and do more work. Not all the students drank caffeine every day; only one student admitted to drinking caffeine twice a day,
“I drink caffeine day and night,” said Caitlin Elizabeth, 18, of Fredrick, a freshman nursing major.
When student’s intake so much caffeine, they might not realize that it causes their heart rate to speed up called tachycardia, according to the National Institutes of Health. National Institutes of Health did an experiment and concluded that around five cups of coffee caused panic attacks. Too much caffeine can cause panic attacks, chest pain, and shortness of breath.
The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York reports that a person can actually get an overdose of caffeine. In extreme cases, too much caffeine can trigger heart palpitations. And for people with heart conditions, it is especially dangerous. Although Harvard Health reported, “Caffeine does help increase alertness, so having a cup of coffee can help sharpen your mind.”
