From the Guidelines
Consuming 300mg of caffeine is likely to exacerbate muscle twitching in some individuals, particularly those who are sensitive to caffeine or already prone to muscle fasciculations, as it can stimulate the central nervous system and increase neuromuscular activity. This amount of caffeine can potentially intensify existing muscle twitches or trigger new ones, as it blocks adenosine receptors, increases calcium release in muscle cells, and enhances nerve excitability 1. According to the available evidence, moderate coffee consumption, defined as three to five 8-oz servings per day or approximately 400 mg caffeine/d, is considered safe for healthy adults, but individual responses to caffeine can vary greatly 1.
Some key points to consider:
- Caffeine consumption increases with age, with the mean intake across all age groups being approximately 165 mg/d, and the primary source of caffeine being coffee 1.
- The European Food Safety Authority recommends that pregnant women limit their caffeine intake to 200 mg/d, and for healthy individuals, lethality may occur after acute consumption of 10 g caffeine, an amount well above what is attainable in coffee and tea beverages 1.
- Ensuring adequate hydration, maintaining proper magnesium and potassium levels, and getting sufficient rest may help counteract caffeine's potential to cause muscle twitching.
- If you're experiencing muscle twitching, consider reducing your caffeine intake to below 200mg daily or eliminating it temporarily to see if symptoms improve, as caffeine has a half-life of 5-6 hours, so consuming it earlier in the day can minimize nighttime effects 1.
It is essential to note that individual tolerance to caffeine and susceptibility to muscle twitching can vary greatly, and some people may experience adverse effects even at moderate caffeine consumption levels 1. Therefore, it is crucial to be aware of your body's response to caffeine and adjust your intake accordingly to minimize potential negative effects on muscle twitching.
From the FDA Drug Label
Following overdose, serum caffeine levels have ranged from approximately 24 mg/L ... Signs and symptoms reported in the literature after caffeine overdose in preterm infants include ... jitteriness, insomnia, fine tremor of the extremities, hypertonia, opisthotonos, tonic-clonic movements, One case of caffeine overdose complicated by development of intraventricular hemorrhage and long-term neurological sequelae has been reported Another case of caffeine citrate overdose (from New Zealand) of an estimated 600 mg caffeine citrate (approximately 322 mg/kg) administered over 40 minutes was complicated by ... respiratory distress, heart failure, gastric distention, acidosis
The consumption of 300mg of caffeine may exacerbate muscle twitching as it can cause symptoms such as jitteriness, fine tremor of the extremities, hypertonia, and tonic-clonic movements, which are related to muscle twitching, as reported in cases of caffeine overdose 2.
From the Research
Caffeine Consumption and Muscle Twitching
- Consuming 300mg of caffeine may exacerbate muscle twitching, as studies have shown that caffeine can potentiate twitch responses in both fast-twitch and slow-twitch muscles 3, 4, 5.
- The mechanism of caffeine-induced twitch potentiation is thought to involve an increase in calcium release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum, which can lead to increased muscle contraction force 3, 6.
- Caffeine has been shown to have a greater potentiation effect on slow-twitch muscles than on fast-twitch muscles, with 50% potentiation occurring at 1 mmol l-1 caffeine for slow-twitch muscles compared to 3.5 mmol l-1 for fast-twitch muscles 3.
- The effect of caffeine on muscle twitching can be influenced by factors such as temperature, with caffeine-induced potentiation being more pronounced at higher temperatures 7, 5.
- Caffeine can also convert activity-induced shortening of half-relaxation times into prolongations in both fast-twitch and slow-twitch muscles, indicating that it can affect the relaxation properties of muscles 7.