Sarah Carolides breaks down the signs that suggest it’s time to cut down on caffeine
Celebrity nutritionist Sarah Carolides has shed light on the telltale signs that you might be drinking too much coffee.
Most of us rely on our morning cup (or two) to kickstart the day, whether it’s a solo ritual before work or a social pick-me-up with friends. In fact, according to the National Coffee Association, around 517 million Americans enjoy at least one cup of coffee every single day.
But have you ever noticed how some people can drink coffee late at night with no problem, while others get jittery from just one cup?
Why does coffee affect people so differently? The answer lies in metabolism.
“There are a couple of genes that mean you are either a fast metabolizer or a slow metabolizer of coffee,” explained Sarah, Head of Nutrition at Zooki
She added that you don’t really need a scientific test to figure out if you’re a fast or slow metabolizer of caffeine.
In most cases, you probably already know based on how your body reacts.
Millions of Americans are frequent coffee drinkers
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Sarah shared her own experience, saying: “If I had a coffee now, after two o’clock, I will be up to at least midnight. I’m a slow metabolizer.”
She also noted: “My husband is fast metabolizer. He can have a double espresso after dinner and be out five minutes later, and it doesn’t interrupt his sleep at all.”
According to Sarah, who has worked with top Hollywood actors, influential business leaders, and high-profile politicians – people who metabolize caffeine quickly may actually benefit from drinking up to four cups a day. She says this could positively impact areas like cardiovascular health.
Sarah Carolides is a celebrity nutritionist and Head of Nutrition at Zooki
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On the other hand, if your body processes caffeine at a slower rate, drinking too much could lead to negative effects.
Issues like dehydration, skin problems, and disrupted sleep could all be signs that your body is struggling to handle your coffee intake.
If you’re wondering whether you’re drinking too much, Sarah suggests asking yourself a simple question: “Are you in control of your coffee, or is it in control of you?”
She went on to challenge coffee lovers with this thought: “If you wake up in the morning and you go, I cannot function until I’ve had my double espresso or whatever, you know what, I want you to give it up for a while and see what happens.”
There are ways to know if you need to cut back on coffee
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“Do you start getting the headaches? Do you start feeling really awful? Because if that’s that’s also a sign that you’re not metabolizing it well and it’s affecting you in the wrong way.”
Wrapping up the discussion, Sarah left coffee drinkers with this final insight: “If you can come off coffee easily, and doesn’t affect you. You feel you still feel fine, then you’re in control.”