Many people use caffeine as a source of quick energy and increased alertness. In fact, about 80 percent of adults in the United States consume at least a little caffeine each day, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. While it's true that drinking a caffeinated beverage may produce several desirable effects, it also may cause unpleasant reactions, especially when consumed in excess. One of these unpleasant side effects is increased sweating.
Recommendations
The likelihood of negative side effects, including sweaty hands, increases proportionally to the amount of caffeine you consume. Many people can consume up to 200 mg a day without experiencing any adverse effects, but exceeding 500 mg a day makes negative side effects more likely. Keep track of the amount of caffeine you are consuming by reading the nutrition labels of the products you consume or checking an online nutrition database, like LiveStrong's MyPlate, for the caffeine content. If you find that you are exceeding 500 mg a day, find ways to cut your consumption to lessen your likelihood of side effects.
Considerations
People have different sensitivities to the effects of caffeine. Depending on your situation, it is possible that even 200 mg a day may be too much for you. Generally speaking, people who are shorter and weigh less tend to be more sensitive to the effects of caffeine than people who are taller or weigh more. Some conditions, such as pregnancy, may also make you more sensitive to the effects of caffeine. Pinpointing the specific amount of caffeine you personally can consume without experiencing side effects may take some trial-and-error efforts, but may prove useful in preventing these adverse reactions.
Causes of Sweaty Hands
To determine if your sweaty hands are due to your caffeine consumption, eliminate caffeine from your diet completely for a week or two. If you get sweaty hands even when you aren't consuming caffeine, another condition or situation may be responsible. Low blood sugar, hormonal changes, an overactive thyroid, cancer and certain medications may increase sweating in your hands or body. Consuming or holding warm food or beverages may increase the temperature of your body or hands, causing you to sweat. Eating spicy foods or drinking alcohol may also trigger sweating in the hands. Some people also get sweaty hands when they experience strong emotions, such as anxiety, nervousness, embarrassment, fear or anger.
Warning
Besides sweaty hands, you may also experience a number of other side effects from caffeine. Caffeine blocks the receptors in your brain that tell your body that you are tired. This may make it more difficult to fall asleep, and the quality of sleep you do get after consuming caffeine may be of a lesser quality than usual. Caffeine also is a stimulant, which means it can increase your rate of breathing and raise your blood pressure. When taken in large amounts, caffeine can cause headaches, dizziness, dehydration, gastrointestinal upset or muscle tremors. Some people also experience emotional side effects, such as irritability or anxiety, after consuming caffeine. The side effects of caffeine usually appear within an hour after consumption, but may last as long as 14 hours, according to the American Academy of Sleep.
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