Coffee is not only one of the most popular drinks on the planet, its pick-me-up compound caffeine is arguably the most studied psychoactive substance in the world.

Many studies have linked moderate daily coffee habits with numerous health benefits like it reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, heart disease, depression, gallstones, Parkinson’s disease, and possibly even late-life dementia. It also boosts alertness, focus, and even athletic performance.

So what’s not to good about coffee? What are the warning signs that you need to cut down or turn to decaf?

Too much caffeine, according to Mayo Clinic, could lead to headaches, which is just one of seven ugly warning signs you are drinking too much. Another symptom of the excess consumption of coffee is experiencing a “fast heartbeat”.

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For some people, this could happen after having only one cup of coffee, which shows that your body is really sensitive to the stimulant.

If this is the case, you might be better switching to decaf or abstaining from coffee altogether.

Another possible side effect of coffee is feeling “nervous” and/or “irritable”.

People are recommended not to drink more than 4 cups of coffee within 24 hours.

This is equivalent to 400mg of caffeine, but depending on which coffee you have, the caffeine content can differ.

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The Mayo Clinic added:

This is equivalent to drinking around two cups of coffee daily – and that’s if you’re not drinking another caffeinated beverage, such as tea.

Medications and herbal supplements that may interact with caffeine include:

Ephedrine

Mixing caffeine with this type of medication – used in decongestants – “might increase your risk of high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke or seizure”.

Theophylline

Theophylline is “used to open bronchial airways”, and tends to have “caffeine-like effects”. This can lead to feelings of nausea and heart palpitations.

Echinacea

This herbal supplement, widely used to prevent colds, may also increase the unpleasant effects of caffeine.

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Too much caffeine may also lead to “muscle tremors” and can lead to “insomnia”.

Caffeine enjoyed in the afternoon can even lead to disturbances with your sleep many hours later.

This can result in less daytime alertness and poorer performance the next day.

“Using caffeine to mask sleep deprivation can create an unwelcome cycle,” warned the Mayo Clinic.

The cycle goes as follows:

• Drink coffee to remain alert during the day
• The caffeine in coffee then keeps you awake at night
• A shortened length of time sleeping, causing you to feel tired during the day

Difficulty sleeping isn’t the only issue caffeine might cause during the night.

Caffeine use may also lead to “frequent urination or the inability to control urination”.

Here are some of the seven surprising side effects of drinking coffee on a regular basis that you should be aware of and cutting down caffeine might help:

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1. Headache
2. Insomnia
3. Nervousness
4. Irritability
5. Frequent urination or inability to control urination
6. Fast heartbeat
7. Muscle tremors