Despite caffeine being the most widely used drug, there is surprisingly little understanding of the upper daily limit or maximum amount of caffeine we can consume in one day.

A deep dive into the research yields a wide range of positive benefits of drinking coffee, but most of us do not need to be convinced to have more. What we really need to know is – how many coffees can we safely have each day?

International health authorities, including the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and endorsed by the World Health Organization (WHO), recommend the following daily limits for caffeine from all sources:

Adults: Up to 400mg per day, with no more than 200mg in a single serving (about 3-4 cups of brewed coffee).

Pregnant or breastfeeding individuals: No more than 200mg per day. WHO specifically advises reducing caffeine intake during pregnancy to lower risks of low birth weight and pregnancy loss.

Children and adolescents: Around 3mg of caffeine per kilogram of body weight in a single serving (for example, about 120mg for a 40kg child, roughly two cans of cola).

These guidelines aim to minimize risks such as increased anxiety, sleep disruption, and other health concerns linked to excessive caffeine intake. EFSA’s review found that higher caffeine doses can lead to short-term effects on the central nervous system, including anxiety and behavioural changes especially in sensitive individuals.

For most of us, these quantities of caffeine are more helpful if we think about them in terms of cups of tea or coffee. The upper daily limit is around 4 barista coffees. Do not forget that energy drinks have large amounts of caffeine and even chocolate needs to be accounted for!