Yesterday my doctor told me I had to ease up on my coffee intake. The conversation went something like this:
Doc: I bet you drink a lot of coffee.
Me: That depends on what you consider a lot.
Doc: How many cups would you say you drink in a day?
Me: Well, how big is a standard cup of coffee these days?
Doc: It used to be 8 oz.
Me: Let’s see, all our mugs hold about 16 oz., and we get two mugs from a pot, so a pot’s about 32 oz., and we go through about 3 pots a day, on average, so…6 cups?
Doc: You might want to think about lowering that. But do it gradually, or your body will hate you.
I had gone in complaining of lightheadedness and a general nervousness that I’ve been feeling in the afternoons. I’ve also been getting dizzy while riding in the car. Considering that the general consensus seems to be that 300 mg of caffeine, or about 3 cups of coffee, per day is a safe amount, it’s no wonder that my 600+ mg per day might be considered excessive. Especially when you take into account the occasional 6-cups-at-home-plus-a-Starbucks-venti day. That takes us into the realm of 900 mg. Woohoo!
I’m quite certain that this is a sign of old age. I turn 30 in September.
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