One More Cup: The Side Effects of too Much Caffeine

Coffee has always been a viable commodity on college campuses; students use the caffeinated beverage to keep them energized throughout the day. Besides being a tasty drink, coffee also has several health benefits. Plus, a plain cup of brewed cup contains only two calories, according to the Mayo Clinic.

“One thing that I think of that a lot of people use caffeine for would be to just heighten awareness and make you more focused,” says Ashley Hole, Associate Professor of Nursing,

Students at the University of Sioux Falls (USF) use these benefits in their everyday routine. USF Junior Tiahnna Evans uses coffee to keep her energized while working two jobs, as well as being a full time student. Evans has two or three cups of coffee on her busy days, while on slow days still has at least one cup.

“Usually, one [cup of coffee] in the morning to get me up and another one to get me through the day,” says Evans, “I love the flavor of it.”

Although coffee has many great benefits, consuming too much can result in a few negative side effects. One of the most notable side effects is that users can become addicted.

“If a consumer’s body becomes addicted to the caffeine intake, the user may suffer from a rebound headache,” says Holen. “This is a result of constricting and dilating blood vessels. Caffeine may also cause long term effects on users.”

In the long run, overuse of caffeine can lead to high blood pressure, which can result in cardiovascular problems. This can easily be avoided if users consume caffeine in moderation.

In general, caffeinated beverages are not bad, rather the products that are present in some of the beverages are unhealthy for consumers.

“Soda is probably worse for you just because it includes sugar and other processed products, whereas caffeine is more natural,” says Holen.

However, adding excessive amounts of creamer, syrups, and sugar to a cup coffee can make the drink high in calories and very unhealthy. When reaching for a caffeine boost remember the benefits that are found in a plain cup of coffee.

Story by Whitney Fryer, Jill Langland, & Casey Kelderman