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Coffee & Health

Why Does Coffee Make Me Shake?

If you enjoy drinking coffee, you probably drink it every morning. Some people have 3 or 4 cups a day.

Coffee has a great effect on the body. It can improve your alertness and energize you. Experts also say it’s full of antioxidants that are beneficial for your health.

Since coffee has such excellent attributes, most people are unprepared for any adverse effects after drinking it. Some good examples are unexplained shaking, running thoughts, insomnia, headaches, and an upset stomach.

 

jittery man with his coffee

 

These symptoms surprise most people because they seem to happen from nowhere. You could be working after drinking coffee and suddenly feel shaky or have a pounding headache. These symptoms are referred to as coffee jitters.

 

What are Coffee Jitters?

Although caffeine is a beneficial compound, you can’t afford to take it in large quantities. It is a central nervous system stimulant that can dangerously increase adrenaline levels when taken in excess.

Caffeine is found in coffee beans, tea, and cocoa pod, among other food items. It is also present in energy drinks, chocolate, and medications like headache medicine.

The recommended amount of caffeine you can take in a day is 200 mg. That translates to about 3 cups of coffee. Anything beyond that will cause an extreme rise in adrenaline levels that will cause your body to experience jitters.

Coffee jitters are a sign from your body that you have too much energy. That’s the effect of too much adrenaline in the body from excess caffeine intake.

 

How Do You Stop Shaking After Drinking Too Much Coffee?

 

three white ceramic mugs

 

You should stop your coffee intake when you notice any signs of caffeine sensitivity, such as shaking, racing thoughts, and restlessness. Reaching for another cup of coffee will only worsen your symptoms and harm your health.

You should also drink lots of water to flush the caffeine out of your system. It will also rehydrate your body, replacing all the fluids you’ve lost from the diuretic effects of coffee.

Some experts advise coffee drinkers to replace electrolytes or minerals lost due to frequent urination after drinking coffee. You can do this by drinking Pedialyte, coconut water, and lemon-infused water.

Eating bananas will also help your body to replace any potassium you’ve lost during your coffee binge.

Note that caffeine suppresses the appetite making you feel like you don’t need any food. If you are experiencing shakes, it may be because your body lacks the fuel or nutrition to keep going.

Therefore, eat something with your coffee, especially in the morning, such as oatmeal, eggs, or a salad. It will stop you from experiencing other signs of excess coffee consumption, such as diarrhea.

You may also exercise to get rid of caffeine jitters. That will give your body a chance to get rid of the adrenalin build-up in your body. It will also boost the metabolization of caffeine, helping your body to get rid of it faster.

 

Monitoring Your Caffeine Intake

Knowing the effects of too much caffeine and how to deal with them won’t keep you from experiencing them again. You should learn how to manage your coffee intake to prevent such occurrences.

The first thing to note is caffeine’s half-life. That is how long it takes for your body to metabolize caffeine out of your body. It is determined by how fast the caffeine leaves your system.

Some people feel the effects of a cup of coffee 15 – 30 minutes after taking it. If you drink two or three cups of coffee in an hour, you can see that it will be an adrenaline shock for your system. That’s why you get the shakes, sweats, or headaches after drinking too much coffee.

The vital thing to note is that it may take up to 6 hours for your body to metabolize half of the caffeine you ingest.

Therefore, if you drink 3 cups of coffee in the morning (which is equivalent to 300 mg of caffeine), you’ll still have 150 mg of it in your system by midday. It will take another six hours for that caffeine to leave your system.

Add another cup of coffee after lunch, and you’ll create a snowball effect that will cause caffeine jitters.

You should also consider the caffeine in other foods apart from coffee, such as chocolate or medicine. These substances will all contribute to your caffeine intake in a day.

Experts advise coffee drinkers to stop drinking coffee by 3 pm. The same case applies to caffeinated foods and beverages such as cola.

Controlling the intake of caffeinated foods and drinks early in the day helps minimize the likelihood of suffering issues such as insomnia which are also a sign of caffeine jitters.

 

Take Coffee Alternatives to Prevent Coffee Jitters

 

flat lay photography of eight coffee latte in mugs on round table

 

You may also switch to drinks with a lower caffeine content, such as tea and decaf, to lower your daily caffeine intake. And if you want to stay away from caffeine completely, there are coffee alternatives you can try. Here are some examples.

  1. Date Seed Coffee

Date seed coffee is made from powdered date seeds. It is an energizing coffee alternative that you can drink any time of the day. It is also full of fiber which can improve your digestion.

  1. Chicory Root Coffee

Chicory root coffee is a natural coffee alternative made from chicory root. It contains inulin, a substance that aids digestion by promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut. Chicory root coffee also aids in insulin and blood sugar resistance.

  1. Dandelion Root Coffee

Dandelion root coffee is an excellent option for anyone looking for a caffeine alternative with probiotic properties. It is filled with antioxidants that can reduce inflammation and stimulate circulation in the body.

 

Conclusion

That’s some information on why coffee makes you shake and how to prevent it. We’ve also given you some coffee substitutes that you can drink to avoid caffeine jitters. Try them and see how it goes.

Coffee substitutes can help you to stop or minimize your caffeine intake significantly. You may take them in place of coffee or mix them with your coffee to prevent caffeine sensitivity issues.

Always remember the detrimental effects of drinking too much coffee, and you’ll make the right choice when picking a beverage.