Caffeine is a stimulant that affects the central nervous system, and it can cause hand tremors in some people. When caffeine is the cause of hand tremors, it is known as enhanced physiologic tremor. You may also experience shaky hands due to caffeine withdrawal.
Tip
Consuming caffeine may cause hand tremors. Generally, you would need to consume a lot of caffeine, or be very sensitive to it, to experience hand tremors from drinking caffeine.
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About Caffeine Tremors
According to the Cleveland Clinic, a tremor is the most common form of movement disorder. A person who experiences a hand tremors after consuming caffeine is experiencing enhanced physiologic tremor. An enhanced physiologic tremor is caused by caffeine effects, thyroid problems or drug use. Enhanced physiologic tremor could causes a visible tremor in various body parts, including the hands.
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According to the Mayo Clinic, up to 400 milligrams of caffeine a day is safe for most adults. Teens should consume little to no caffeine each day. Pregnant and breastfeeding women should also limit caffeine intake.
However, some people have caffeine sensitivities, which means they may experience the effects of caffeine at much lower doses. If you have a caffeine sensitivity, you may experience hand tremors after only a single cup of coffee. Others may experience shaking after energy drink consumption.
In most cases, if you experience shaking hands from caffeine intake, your symptoms will go away after you stop using caffeine. Caffeine is found in lots of foods and drinks including coffee, energy drinks, chocolate, teas and sodas. If you experience caffeine tremors, you should avoid products that contain caffeine.
Reducing Caffeine For Health
In moderation, caffeine is typically considered safe for most people. You may find yourself drinking coffee or tea in the morning to help you wake up, or an energy drink in the afternoon when you find your energy waning. Though you may not experience coffee shaky hands or hand tremors following these drinks, you may still be taking in too much caffeine.
Too much caffeine can lead to unwanted symptoms. According to Kids Health, some symptoms you might experience include jitters, loss of calcium, increased urination, dehydration, headaches, and increased cardiovascular disease risk. According to a March 2019 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, drinking too much coffee may modestly increase your risk for developing cardiovascular disease. The study looked at people who drank six or more cups of coffee per day.
If you find yourself shaking after energy drink consumption, it is likely due to the sheer amount of caffeine that is in an energy drink. According to Kids Health, a Monster Energy Drink has 160 milligrams of caffeine in 16 fluid ounces. By comparison, 6 fluid ounces of brewed coffee has only 115 milligrams. Even though coffee may have more caffeine per ounce, you are much more likely to drink an energy quickly. This means you could feel the effects, such as hand tremors, trouble sleeping or racing heart, much faster.
You can avoid tremors and other symptoms of excessive caffeine intake by reducing the amount of caffeine you imbibe. One thing you can do to help avoid hand tremors is replace caffeinated beverages with non-caffeinated beverages such as water, juice, and caffeine-free teas.
If you drink a lot of caffeine each day, you should work to slowly decrease your caffeine intake. To do this, you can talk to your health care provider about different ways to reduce caffeine each day. For example, you can replace one cup of coffee with decaffeinated tea, or even skip it altogether. If you withdraw too quickly from caffeine, it can cause symptoms of withdraw, such as headaches.