According to a new review into the safety of caffeine, drinking up to five espressos a day causes no risk to the general public.
The study was carried out by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) after concerns were raised by EU countries over the health risks of caffeine on the heart, central nervous system, and foetal development.
An EFSA study published on May 27th concluded that the consumption of up to 400 milligrams of caffeine a day "does not give rise to safety concerns for non-pregnant adults,” – although it is advised that pregnant women cap their intake at 200 milligrams per day.
This limit is fairly generous with the average intake by Europeans aged between 18-65 falling within the range of 37-319 mg per day, according to the EU agency.
The study also noted that: “Chocolate beverages were important contributors to total caffeine intakes in children and toddlers in most countries, and the use of a conservative caffeine value for this food category may have led to an overestimation of caffeine intakes in these age groups.”
Excessive caffeine consumption is often associated with anxiety and sleeping problems in adults, as well as in children, who may also behave erratically. EFSA recommends that safe limits of caffeine for children should be lower than that of adults.
[Written by: Dylan Grimes Larkin]
