The Maximum Daily Dosage Of Caffeine To Stay Awake

Caffeine is a substance found naturally in sources such as coffee beans and cocoa-based products and added to certain soft drinks, supplements and medications. Caffeine stimulates your central nervous system, which means it increases your wakefulness and can heighten focus and concentration, according to MayoClinic.com. Although taking a moderate dose of caffeine can give you a mental boost, a high dose could end up backfiring.

A Safe Amount

In most cases, a moderate 200 to 300 mg of caffeine -- about 2 to 4 cups of coffee -- should temporarily boost your alertness without added harmful effects, according to MayoClinic.com. However, some factors may make you more sensitive to small amounts of caffeine. For instance, you may feel the effects more strongly if you: aren't used to drinking much caffeine, are young, are a smaller person or you have a health problem, such as an anxiety disorder.

Getting Advice

Your doctor may recommend that you limit your intake if you take certain antibiotics or asthma medications. Also, some evidence has shown that drinking too much caffeine during pregnancy increases your risk of miscarriage and other complications, so the March of Dimes recommends that pregnant women avoid having more than about 200 mg of caffeine a day. Ask your doctor to give you a caffeine intake guideline based on your individual needs.

Negative Effects

Having more than about 500 to 600 mg of caffeine a day may cause you to experience a host of unpleasant effects, according to MayoClinic.com. Nervousness, stomach upset, rapid heartbeat, irritability, restlessness and muscle tremors are common symptoms of having too much caffeine. And although it is rare, caffeine overdose is possible. Most lethal caffeine overdoses have occurred when a person took more than 5 g of caffeine, which is equivalent to about 80 cups of coffee. You are at a higher risk of a serious caffeine overdose if you take multiple caffeine pills at one time.

How Caffeine Could Backfire

You may suffer from a vicious fatigue cycle if you have too much caffeine late in the day or if you have too much caffeine on a regular basis. You need about seven to eight hours of sleep per night, but caffeine can make you have trouble falling asleep each night. You will not perform well on an exam in the daytime if the caffeine you took the night before caused insomnia. Even slight sleep deprivation each night can add up over time and reduce your alertness and performance during the day. If you constantly use caffeine to cover up the fatigue, you will perpetuate the cycle.

Caffeine-Free Energy Tips

Whether your doctor has recommended that you cut back on caffeine or you're trying to break a fatigue cycle, you can take some steps to boost your energy without caffeine's help. Start by setting aside enough time to sleep seven to eight hours each night. Also, keep your diet low in saturated fats and alcohol and rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains to have sustained energy. Keep meals small and frequent to prevent the energy drain of trying to digest large amounts of food. Any time you need a quick pick-me-up, take a brisk 10-minute walk to get your blood flowing, recommends the University of Illinois McKinley Health Center.