Coffee is one of the most popular beverages in the world. Apart from tea, people drink coffee widely. Over 2 billion cups of coffee are consumed worldwide on a daily basis.

But be careful with the amount of coffee you drink per day as a bit excess of it, can pose dangers to your health. Hence, you should know how many cups of coffee you should drink per day to avoid these dangers.

This article will briefly guide you with the required information. Coffee is pretty addictive which is why it is necessary to limit its consumption.

How Many Cups of Coffee Can You Drink Per Day?

Since it is pretty addictive, some people drink too much of coffee, but there should be a limit to everything.

The main ingredient of coffee is caffeine which is one of the most widely consumed psychoactive substance in the world.

The amount of caffeine in a cup varies from 50 to 400+mg. Small cups of coffee can contain 50mg of caffeine while the big ones may contain 300mg or more.

As per the general rule, an average 8-ounce cup of coffee can have around 100 mg of caffeine.

Experts suggest you can drink 4 cups of coffee per day. 4 cups of coffee has approx 400 mg of caffeine. There are people who exceed the limit and face no side effects.

 

The safest amount of drinking coffee on a daily basis is considered to be 4 cups which amounts to 400mg of caffeine.

 

You should always be aware of your caffeine consumption when you add things like chocolates, tea, soft drinks, energy drinks and certain medications. These things contain caffeine too. Remember to drink less cup of coffee if you add any of these things in your diet. This will in turn help to avoid the inevitable side effects due to excess caffeine consumption.

As per HealthLine, evidence has stated that drinking 4-5 cups of coffee is also considered to be the optimal amount. It is related to lowering the risk of premature death, and also some other diseases.

There are many studies which have shown the advantages of coffee being more than that of the disadvantages. You can enjoy more benefits of coffee if you drink three to four cups of coffee per day.

However, if you exceed the limit, you won’t necessarily be a victim to any harm, but the benefits would be lessened.

Women are often recommended to drink one to two cups of coffee per day which amounts to 100-200 mg of caffeine per day.

 

Studies related to Consumption of Coffee on a Daily Basis

As per an article published in BMJ about the examination of 220 existing coffee studies, drinking four cups of coffee has significant benefits on the health

The researchers of the University of Southampton conducted a study which said that drinking coffee can reduce many health problems. It lowers the risk of developing any diseases related to liver and can efficiently cut down the increase of diabetes and dementia and also some cancers. It has also been found that people who drink coffee too often are at a lower risk of dying due to stroke.

Another study found that people who drink three to four cups of coffee on a daily basis are at a 17% reduced risk of dying due to all causes. It also stated that people who drank up to seven cups based on their caffeine habits are also at a benefit of 10% reduced chances due to any disease.

NHS guidance is also supported by the studies. It refers that non-pregnant adults can drink about 400mg of caffeine per day. One cup of instant coffee contains about 100mg of caffeine, whereas three cups of filter coffee provide about 140mg of caffeine per cup.

The benefits as mentioned above were not confirmed by the research since it was based on an observational data. The scientists further indicated that the benefits were backed up by the studies and reviews which talked about the essence of coffee on the human body.

One study showed that drinking three to four cups of coffee per day could reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease by 65%. Another study showed that drinking four cups of coffee daily can help reduce the risk of developing liver cirrhosis, a condition in which liver diseases occur in sequences.

There are other studies (1, 2) too, which have shown that drinking 4 cups of coffee can also have a beneficial effect on depression reducing the risk of developing it by 20%. It also helps to lower 53% of suicide risk.

Side Effects of Drinking Coffee

 

Despite being delicious, there are some side-effects of coffee too. Though it has a lot of advantages, it can also cause some dangerous effects on health.

Some of the side-effects of coffee are as follows:

1) Drinking excessive amount of coffee per day can cause a feeling of insomnia and migraine headache.

2) It can also create the feeling of restlessness in the person as the more caffeine intake often leads to an adrenaline rush.

3) The higher quantity of coffee consumption causes the feeling of frequent urination.

4) The release of stress hormones like cortisol, epinephrine, and norepinephrine often increases the level of stress, stress and blood pressure in you. This can eventually lead to hypertension.

5) Acid reflux and heartburn are yet another side effects of drinking too much of coffee. Researchers have concluded that the chemicals present in coffee contribute towards the increased problems related to heartburn and acid reflux.

6) Coffee also leads to ulcer formation. The stomach lining is weakened due to excess coffee consumption.

7) Excess coffee consumption often leads to abdominal spasms, cramps and other problems like diarrhea and constipation. It also causes irritable bowel syndrome.

8) The higher amount of acrylamide in coffee is dangerous. Acrylamide is the carcinogenic substances obtained by roasting the coffee at higher temperatures. The darker the roasted coffee, the higher the amount of acrylamide.

9) Coffee consumption is considered to be dangerous for the pregnant women; hence it should be avoided by the expecting as well as the breastfeeding women. The caffeine in coffee increases the risk of pregnancy, premature delivery, lower birth rate and stillbirth.

Final Thoughts

Despite the number of disadvantages, it cannot be denied is coffee is one of the most liked and preferred beverages worldwide, especially in America. About 180 million of Americans start their day with coffee.

Since it contains caffeine, you should be very careful about how many cups of coffee you drink per day. It is healthy and addictive.

You can try the varieties of coffee from espresso to latte, from normal to mocha, depending upon your taste buds.