If you’ve had too many cups of coffee and are feeling jittery, you may wonder if there’s a way to flush the excess caffeine from your system.
Caffeine is a natural stimulant that millions of people rely on each day. Yet, consuming too much of it may cause side effects like difficulty sleeping, an increased heart rate, jitters, and shakiness.
This article explains whether you can flush out caffeine and tips for reducing jitters and other uncomfortable effects.
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How to reduce caffeine’s effects
Caffeine’s effects are known to last for several hours — and you may have stronger jitters if you drank a lot of coffee, soda, energy drink, or some other caffeinated beverage.
Once it has entered your body, you cannot do much to flush caffeine out. The only way to eliminate it is to wait for it to flush itself naturally.
Nonetheless, you can take a few steps to minimize its side effects.
Stop caffeinating as soon as you notice adverse effects
If you notice uncomfortable symptoms like shakiness, stop consuming caffeine immediately. Foods and beverages with caffeine include coffee, tea, energy drinks, soda, dark chocolate, and some ice creams and desserts.
Decaf coffee is a good option if you still want to enjoy the flavor and health benefits of coffee. Still, it contains meager amounts of caffeine, at 2–7 mg per cup (240 mL).
Furthermore, pay attention to medications, supplements, and personal care products that may harbor caffeine. For example, over-the-counter pain relievers like Aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) can pack upwards of 40–60 mg in a single tablet.
Finally, performance-enhancing formulas like pre-workout supplements may have high amounts of caffeine, up to 250 mg in just 2 teaspoons (10 grams).
Wait it out
Caffeine’s stimulatory effects are usually noticeable within the first 45 minutes of intake and can last 3–5 hours.
Moreover, the half-life of caffeine is 5 hours, which means the amount of caffeine in your system will take 5 hours to be reduced by half. It will then take another 5 hours to reduce the amount in your blood to 25%.
If you’re worried about sleep, it’s best to stop consuming caffeine 6–8 hours before bedtime.
Stay hydrated
Drinking water is important for staying hydrated throughout the day.
Though limited research is available, many anecdotal reports claim that drinking water helps relieve caffeine-induced jitters. This could be because dehydration may make symptoms worse.
Therefore, increasing your water intake may help while waiting for the caffeine to leave your system.
Additionally, if you’re not used to caffeine, it may act as a mild diuretic, leading to increased urination and more frequent stools. Though this is rare for those who regularly consume caffeine from coffee or tea, hydrating can help reduce some of these effects.
Get moving
Go for a light walk to relieve anxiety and jitters.
Practice deep breathing
If you’re feeling anxious, take slow, deep breaths for 5 minutes. Alternatively, practice meditation to calm your mind and nervous system.
Eat fiber-rich food
Eating may slow the release of caffeine into your bloodstream. Opt for slow-digesting, fiber-rich foods like whole grains, beans, lentils, starchy vegetables, nuts, and seeds.
Take L-theanine
Though it won’t counteract the stimulatory effects of caffeine, this amino acid supplement may help relieve anxiety and reduce blood pressure. Be sure to speak to your healthcare professional before taking it.
Summary: Once caffeine is in your system, it’s difficult to eliminate. Avoiding caffeine, staying hydrated, and waiting it out are your best options to reduce its effects.
How much caffeine is too much?
Most people can safely consume 400 mg of caffeine daily — the equivalent of about 4 cups (945 mL) of coffee.
However, caffeine tolerance varies based on age, genetics, weight, and your liver’s ability to process caffeine. Moreover, certain drugs like oral contraceptives and heart medications may increase caffeine’s circulation time in your body.
Pregnant women should limit themselves to 200 mg daily, as excessive caffeine intake may raise the risk of preterm birth, miscarriage, and low birth weight.
Children should avoid caffeine due to developmental risks, and teenagers should limit their intake.
Summary: Most people can tolerate up to 400 mg of caffeine daily, or around 4 cups (945 mL) of coffee — though pregnant women, children, and teens should limit their intake.
Risks of excessive caffeine intake
Though caffeine is recognized as safe, everyone tolerates it differently.
Pay attention to unwanted side effects, including headaches, jitters, difficulty sleeping, and increased heart rate. If you experience any of these symptoms, reduce your intake.
Though rare, caffeine overdose can occur and is almost always due to the overconsumption of energy drinks and energy shots. Symptoms include:
- chest pain
- fever
- irregular heartbeat
- severe dehydration
- trouble breathing
- uncontrollable muscle movement
- vomiting
If you experience these symptoms after consuming lots of caffeine, seek medical attention immediately.
Summary: Common side effects of caffeine include headaches, jitters, and rapid heart rate. Reduce your intake if you experience any unwanted symptoms. If symptoms worsen or continue, seek medical attention.
Summary
Caffeine is an effective, natural way to boost your energy levels, but many people find they’ve consumed too much and want to flush it from their bodies.
Side effects of excess caffeine intake include difficulty sleeping, jitters, shakiness, and increased heart rate.
Besides waiting it out and avoiding caffeine, there isn’t any effective home remedy to clear caffeine from your system. All the same, you can reduce its side effects by staying hydrated, going for a walk, and eating fiber-rich foods.
Suggested read: 22 high-fiber foods you should eat
Most people can safely tolerate 400 mg of caffeine daily — about 4 cups (945 mL) of coffee — though your limits may vary. Be sure to listen to your body and only consume what feels comfortable.
