With all the great news about coffee drinking lately -- you’re less likely to have type 2 diabetes and Parkinson’s disease as well as fewer case of certain cancers, heart rhythm problems and strokes -- you might think the more you drink the better. But like most things in life, there can be too much of a good thing. The latest study shows that folks who take in the caffeine equivalent of three cups of brewed coffee (or seven cups of instant) are more likely to hallucinate.
In the study conducted at Durham University, UK, 200 students were asked about their typical intake of caffeine-containing products, such as coffee, tea and energy drinks, as well as chocolate bars and caffeine tablets. The researchers found that people with an intake of 315 milligrams of caffeine, whatever the source, had a three-times-higher tendency to hear voices and see things that weren’t there.
The explanation could be that caffeine has been found to exacerbate the physiological effects of stress. When under stress, the body releases a stress hormone called cortisol. More of this hormone is released in response to stress when people have recently had caffeine. Researchers said that this extra boost of cortisol may link caffeine intake with an increased tendency to hallucinate.
