Overdo’s and Don’ts
 

Overdo’s and Don’ts

Could you be suffering from caffeine intoxication?

by Becky Holman

Many bodybuilders need a good caffeine jolt before a workout, not to mention one when they wake up and one later in the day to keep going. Could all of the caffeine we get from coffee, energy drinks and fat burners be toxic?

According to the September 2008 edition of Drug and Alcohol Dependence, caffeine intoxication is marked by nervousness, anxiety, restlessness, insomnia, gastrointestinal upset, tremors, rapid heartbeats, psychomotor agitation (restlessness and pacing) and, in rare cases, death. A six-ounce cup of coffee has 80 to 150 milligrams of caffeine, and some energy drinks have as much caffeine as 14 cans of a regular 12-ounce cola. The caffeine content of energy drinks varies from 50 milligrams to more than 500. Because many energy drinks are marketed as dietary supplements, the caffeine limit that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration requires for soft drinks doesn’t apply. Beware of caffeine intoxication.