How Much Espresso Is Too Much: A Comprehensive Research-Based Guide

So, how much espresso is too much?! According to Mayo Clinic, a healthy adult can consume up to 400 milligrams (mg) of caffeine in a day. So, anything beyond this limit is too much.

In general, a single shot of espresso contains about 64 mg of (source: USDA) caffeine. That means you can drink up to 5-6 espresso shots per day. However, some coffee enthusiasts suggest sticking with 4 single shots (a single shot is equal to 1 fl. oz.) in order to avoid any kind of health risk.

“Excess of everything is bad”, we all know this proverb. It’s true for espresso as well.

Doesn’t matter how much you love espresso, you should not drink more than 4 shots of espresso in a day.  

People love espresso because of its bolder and richly flavored output. But it does contain way more caffeine compared to regular coffee. A single shot of espresso contains about 64 mg of caffeine. On the flip side, regular coffee contains just about 12-16 mg of caffeine per ounce.

In today’s blog, we will try to discuss how much espresso is too much for you and why. Along with that, you will get some detailed information on coffee, caffeine, and the health benefits of coffee. Lastly, our informative FAQs will definitely quench your curiosity.

So, without further ado, let’s dive right in…

Undoubtedly coffee is one of the most popular drinks on this planet. At first, it was introduced in modern-day Yemen in the 15th century. People used to drink coffee because of its stimulant effect. Since then, it became widely famous all over the globe.

Coffee contains caffeine which is responsible for the stimulant effect. Because of the caffeine content, drinking coffee can make you smart and increase your energy levels as well. Besides, it can omit depression from your life and make you happy. Hence, caffeinated coffee has become the most popular beverage in the world.

Science has proved that a certain amount of caffeine can be great for the human body. You may have noticed people feel more energetic after having coffee. Coffee contains high levels of antioxidants which inhibit the oxidation process and keep you safe from many fatal diseases like cancer, heart attack, etc.

Those who are trying hard to burn excessive fat can drink coffee regularly. Coffee can truly burn fat as well as increase the metabolic rate. Caffeine can produce fatty acid from the fat tissue of the human body. As a result, you can be more active in physical activities.

According to the Health Line, people who used to drink coffee on a regular basis have a 23%-50% lower risk of encountering Type 2 Diabetes.

In order to prevent Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease drinking coffee regularly can play a significant role. Both these diseases can’t be cured. So it’s crucial to take steps before falling into the trap. Two different studies have found that caffeinated coffee drinkers have respectively 65% and 60% lower risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.

Lastly, according to all the studies we have already mentioned, we can say that coffee can bring you a disease-free healthy life. We won’t dare to say that coffee drinkers may live longer, but depending on the studies we can say that it can keep you happy till the last breath.

You have already got a brief answer to this question. In this section, we will try to explain the answer for a better understanding.

From the previous part, you have got that coffee is pretty beneficial for our health. It can save us from lots of dangerous diseases. But that doesn’t mean more coffee is more beneficial too. There is a certain limit to drinking espresso coffee. More than that may cause increased anxiety, insomnia also can break down the muscle of the human body.

Technically, espresso contains way more caffeine compared to regular coffee. One-ounce drip coffee contains only 12-16 mg of caffeine while the same amount of espresso contains around 64 mg. Almost 4 times more caffeine than drip coffee. You may ask, “Why do people say, Espresso contains less caffeine?”.

Yeah, we know it’s pretty confusing. Basically, it’s true when we talk about the serving size of espresso and regular coffee. Espresso is usually served in a single (1 oz.) or double shot (2 oz.). On the other hand, the standard serving size of regular coffee is 6-8 ounces.

This makes the real difference. A 6 oz. regular coffee contains about 72 mg of caffeine but a single shot of espresso contains 64 mg of caffeine. In this scenario, it’s clear that espresso contains less caffeine meaning lower health risk.

Now, what is the daily limit for drinking espresso? Should you drink as much as you want? Obviously, no. Various research has shown that the maximum limit of caffeine is 400 mg per day. Hence, it’s crucial to not cross this number.

So, how much espresso is too much after all? The answer is 4-6 single shots per day.

If you take 4 single shots of espresso you are taking (4×64) = 256 mg of caffeine. This is what most coffee connoisseurs suggest. In order to save yourself from various fatal diseases, we strongly recommend you not to drink more than 6 shots of espresso.

Now you know quite a bit about the health benefits of coffee. However, there are some particular times when it’s recommended not to drink coffee and even keep away from coffee. Let’s see what those conditions are.

According to American Pregnancy Association, during pregnancy, it is crucial to control both the blood pressure and heartbeat rate. We know that coffee contains caffeine which works as a stimulant in the human body. By consuming coffee, a pregnant woman can raise her blood pressure and heart rate.

The mother may handle this critical condition but the baby can’t metabolize the complex caffeine content. Therefore, this may seriously affect the sleeping pattern of the baby. Lastly, caffeinated coffee may not let the mother and baby sleep for the needed time.

Arrhythmia is a problem caused for irregular heartbeats. During this condition, the patient’s heartbeat could be too fast or too slow. Let’s say, the rate of heart beating is too fast. And we already know that Caffeine can make the heart beat faster. Therefore, if the patient drinks coffee in such a situation chances are he/she may fall into a dangerous health risk.

Coffee is not so good for kids as well. American Academy of Pediatrics has suggested not to drink caffeinated coffee under the age of 12. This can be a cause of their sleeping disturbance. Besides, coffee may increase their heartbeat rate and anxiety as well.

Along with that, those who can’t sleep well and have anxiety shouldn’t drink coffee.

Without any doubt, there are a lot of beneficial reasons for having caffeine. It’s the most consumed psychoactive substance in the world. People consume a pretty large amount of caffeine by drinking coffee.

It can help you to improve memory, decrease fatigue, boost your physical ability, and many more. However, consuming too much caffeine can be harmful. So, In this segment, we are about to look at some of the demerits of caffeine.

• Increasing Anxiety: Higher amounts of caffeine can lead to nervousness and increase anxiety. Besides, it can bring anxiety disorders as well

• Sleeping Problem: Caffeine is a stimulant that can make you more alert. However, by taking more than the maximum daily caffeine dose you may suffer serious sleeping disturbance. Hence, it is recommended not to drink coffee (or other caffeinated beverages) in the early afternoon

• Breaking Muscle: Excessive amounts of caffeine can break down the muscle which can cause Kidney failure. It occurs when you take higher doses and the caffeine itself mixes with the bloodstream

• Frequent Urination: Several studies have found that large amounts of caffeine consumption can exceptionally increase the frequency of urination

• Addiction: People who consume large amounts of caffeine can’t pass several hours without drinking caffeinated beverages. This type of person usually tries to scale up the consumption amount from time to time. Thus, they fall into a serious caffeine addiction trap

We hope you have got a clear concept of how much espresso is too much for an adult. We have tried to provide as much value as possible for a better understanding. However, still, if you have any queries regarding this topic feel free to leave them in the comment section below. We would love to answer your question.

Also, don’t forget to share this significant guide with your espresso-lover friend and make him/her aware.

Enjoy Your Coffee!