1. Know the Signs of Caffeine Poisoning
Caffeine is prevalent in a number of foods and beverages, and overdosing is very uncommon. A high dietary dose of caffeine -- about 300 mg in the body at any one time -- can induce panic, sleeplessness and excessive anxiety and can make existing anxiety disorders worse. More than 300mg of caffeine can cause muscle spasms, irregular heartbeat, poor judgment and even hallucinations. There are four formally defined mental disorders that are caused by caffeine intake: caffeine-induced sleep disorder, caffeine intoxication, caffeine-induced anxiety disorder and unspecified caffeine-related disorders.
2. Monitor Caffeine Dosages
People can develop a tolerance for caffeine very quickly, but generally speaking, you don't want to consume more than 300mg per day. That amount is much smaller for children or pregnant women who ideally shouldn't consume any caffeine. A single cup of coffee or espresso usually contains about 75 to 100mg of caffeine, while a can of cola contains about 35mg. Diet cola actually contains a little more caffeine than regular cola--about 45mg per can--and Mountain Dew has about 55mg. Red Bull has a little more than 80 mg per eight-ounce can, and a bar of chocolate contains about 10mg. It is not wise to ingest more than 50 to 100 mg of caffeine each hour.
3. Stop Consumption of Caffeine
If caffeine poisoning is a real fear, or your intake is causing other health problems, you should stop consumption of any and all caffeinated beverages immediately. Withdrawal symptoms usually start about 12 to 24 hours after your last shot of caffeine. They include headaches, muscle aches, irritability and an inability to concentrate. Withdrawal symptoms reach their worst point about 24 to 48-hours after you stop taking caffeine, and usually go away within a week. You can regulate this by lowering your intake gradually, by drinking fewer beverages per day, or gradually switching to beverages with less caffeine.
