Staying Well

Americans drink an estimated 400 million cups of coffee a day, and caffeine, in various forms, is consumed by 80 percent of the population.Who doesn't enjoy a freshly brewed coffee in the morning or a tea for midday pick-me-up? There's no denying the numerous health benefits associated with caffeine. However, these benefits work in moderation. Going overboard and obsessively drinking caffeine can trigger insomnia, increase your heart rate and cause anxiety.Does caffeine have harmful effects on your heart?If you stick to caffeine in moderation, your heart heath is not in harm's way. However, if you're having more than six cups of coffee a day or more than 400 mg of caffeine, then you might want to consider slowing down.One misconception of coffee drinkers is how much caffeine is actually in one cup. Did you know that in one cup of coffee there are 100-125 mg of caffeine? Monster energy drinkers consume 160 mg of caffeine per 16 fl. oz.Cardiologist on the medical staff of UnityPoint Health, Sanjeev Puri, MD, FA