The Health Effects of Caffeine : Minimizing Risks

by Health Canada

(Page 2 of 2)

You can estimate your daily caffeine intake to see if it falls within Health Canada's recommended guidelines. To do this, keep track of what you and your children consume, and refer to Health Canada's Fact Sheet, Caffeine and Your Health. It has a section that lists the amount of caffeine in comparable servings of many products used by Canadians.

To stay within the recommended limit, a pregnant woman could drink a little more than two 8-oz cups of coffee a day, as long as she did not take any other products that have caffeine in them. It is important to realize, however, that many coffee mugs are larger than 8 oz. Also, takeout coffees can be as large as 16 oz (474 ml) or 20 oz (592 ml). Just one 20-oz coffee would contain more caffeine than the daily limit suggested for pregnant women.

An average 8-oz (237 ml) serving of blended tea has 43 mg of caffeine, while the same size serving of green tea contains 30 mg of caffeine. A 12-oz (355 ml) can of regular cola has between 36-46 mg of caffeine. Using Health Canada's recommendations, children aged 4 - 6 could drink either one 8-oz serving of blended tea or one 12-oz can of regular cola a day, as long they do not eat or drink other products containing caffeine that day.

A 1-oz (28-gram) portion of a milk chocolate candy bar has about 7 mg of caffeine. The caffeine content of a 1-oz portion of a dark chocolate candy bar would be closer to 19 mg.

Some of the "energy drinks" that are now on the market contain about as much caffeine per serving as an 8-oz. cup of brewed coffee. Some, however, have a higher caffeine content. You should also be aware that some of the caffeine in energy drinks may come from herbs, such as guarana and yerba maté. The label on these energy drinks would list the herbs as ingredients, but the caffeine in the herbs may not be listed as a separate ingredient. By law, caffeine does not have to be listed on labels unless it has been added to the product separately as a pure substance.

Remember that over-the-counter drug products may contain caffeine. Read product labels. Be sure to count the caffeine in drug products when you estimate your daily intake. Some of these products, intended for occasional use only, may contain as much as 1000 mg of caffeine in a daily dose.

Check with your doctor or pharmacist to see if any of your prescriptions contain caffeine. You should also ask if there is a potential for caffeine to interact with any of your medications.

If you have questions about the caffeine content of any product, contact the manufacturer.

Health Canada's Role

Health Canada's scientists continue to review new research findings to ensure that recommended daily caffeine intake levels are based on the results of the best scientific evidence available. In addition, Health Canada takes an active role in providing information about the potential health effects of caffeine to help Canadians make healthy food and beverage choices.

About the Author

www.hc-sc.gc.ca
Health Canada is the Federal department responsible for helping Canadians maintain and improve their health, while respecting individual choices and circumstances.