Here's What Happens When You Drink Espresso Every Day

Is there any beverage more popular than coffee? With the very likely exception of, say, plain old water — which barely qualifies as a drink selection, given it's a necessity for human survival and all — it's hard to imagine any consumable liquid superior to coffee. In fact, given an astronomical 22 billion pounds of coffee was consumed worldwide in 2021, it's patently clear no one's tiring of their morning java — whether it's a cream-and-sugar-filled Frappuccino or a piping-hot shot of espresso.

Espresso is a dream come true for the coffee connoisseur. Created by Luigi Bezzera and Desiderio Pavoni (who introduced the world to their single-shot espresso machine at the 1906 Milan Fair in Italy), the potently-caffeinated beverage is a marvel — and a hit with modern U.S. consumers. Of course, the enormous popularity of espresso-based coffee drinks in the U.S. makes us wonder how the big, bold Italian import affects human health, particularly among those who drink espresso on a daily basis.

While the unbeatable bang-for-your-buck caffeine content of caffè espresso explains its enduring appeal, the potential concerns (or possible benefits) from consistently consuming this type of coffee are less apparent. If you're wondering how sipping espresso every morning (and afternoon) may impact your overall health — for better or worse – we've got you covered. Without further ado, here's what happens when you drink espresso every day.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, how many cups of espresso a person can safely drink on any given day is all about the caffeine content. With that in mind, there's no safe limit for daily cups of espresso, per se, but rather a maximum recommended amount of caffeine: roughly 400 milligrams per day for the average adult, per the Mayo Clinic. Of course, since one ounce of espresso contains 63 milligrams of caffeine, the powers of basic division reveal the average person can safely consume just over six ounces of espresso each day (or precisely 6.35 ounces).

Does this mean you should be pouring yourself a sextuple shot of espresso before leaving the house each morning? Of course not. After all, the 400-milligram estimate considers a person's entire day from start to finish — not simply the morning time. Additionally, other individualized factors need to be taken under consideration when deciding how much caffeine (and, consequently, espresso) is safe for a person to ingest during the day, as well.

Folks known to be sensitive to caffeine, for instance, will want to lower their intake, as will children under 18. And while pregnant women don't need to avoid caffeine (or espresso) entirely, it is recommended they limit their caffeine to 200 milligrams or less per day — meaning a pregnant woman can drink up to three ounces of espresso without drastic fear (via Harvard University).

What would you say is the most widely-known and understood effect of caffeine on the human body? We'll answer for you: it's the fact that caffeine (and any beverage that contains caffeine, like espresso) is a stimulant. That's the main reason behind coffee's A.M. powerhouse status, after all. Of course, while espresso makes for a fantastic morning choice, if you're drinking espresso too late in the day, you might find yourself battling a case of insomnia as a result, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Now, whether or not your daily espresso shot(s) will lead to you lying in bed awake all night is dependent on several factors — mainly how soon before bed you drink it. Since caffeine has an average half-life of five hours, it takes an average of five hours for the effects of caffeine to wear off in the body (and can take up to 9.5 hours for certain individuals).

In other words, if you drink espresso too soon before trying to go to sleep, there's a decent chance you'll struggle to doze off. So do yourself a favor, and skip any espressos after the early afternoon.

It's no secret that the more caffeine a person ingests, the more their heart rate and blood pressure increases (via Medical News Today). If someone downs five shots of espresso within a five-minute span, there's a better-than-average chance that person will find themselves vibrating like a jackhammer (300 milligrams of caffeine will do that to you). More than that, though, drinking too much caffeine can lead to an increase in one's anxiety levels — particularly for those folks already dealing with a diagnosable level of anxiety.

To be clear, anyone may find themselves overcome with anxiety if they ingest too much caffeine. But the effects of drinking caffeine (and espresso) are more likely to trigger symptoms of anxiety in individuals already afflicted with the mental health disorder. More than that, the fact that, per GoodRx, many of caffeine's physical side effects mimic symptoms of anxiety can make it difficult to ascertain whether you're dealing with a simple byproduct of caffeine or a bonafide boost of anxiety — an uncertainty that may, in turn, trigger further anxious feelings, as well.

Additionally, some individuals can, in fact, find themselves afflicted with a caffeine-induced anxiety disorder, as well, according to a 2017 study. So if you find yourself white-knuckling through the day after an espresso shot, it might be best to steer clear of the beverage — at least until you've consulted with a doctor.

Pretty much everything in modern life is prone to raising your blood pressure. Of course, while blood pressure will naturally rise and fall throughout the day, if you're predisposed to high blood pressure, you may find espresso exacerbating the problem.

Actually, no matter who you are (or your personal health profile), the stimulating effect produced by caffeine means your blood pressure will rise (at least temporarily) after drinking an espresso. But for those folks with pre-existing high blood pressure, it's not simply a matter of avoiding a brief spike in your blood pressure.

In fact, one 2022 study found individuals diagnosed with acute hypertension who drank two or more cups of caffeinated coffee per day were nearly twice as likely to die from cardiovascular disease as individuals who drank less coffee (or green tea, instead). In other words, while you may be inclined to drink espresso every day, if your blood pressure is high, you'll want to think twice before you do.

If you've ever found yourself caressing your belly after slugging several cups of java, you realize the potential for indigestion exists with all coffee. In that regard, since espresso is a type of coffee, it, too, can be the potential source of indigestion or bloating in certain individuals — although there are several caveats to consider before you ditch espresso entirely.

For starters, there's a fairly wide pool of data to suggest the vast majority of coffee drinkers (espresso or otherwise) aren't susceptible to indigestion upon consumption. In fact, while many individuals believe coffee's acidity level is the source of any bloating or intestinal discomfort associated with the beverage, that acidity may actually aid in digestion for most individuals.

Of course, if you are one of those unfortunate individuals who feel their stomach gurgling after a sip or two of fresh coffee, espresso may offer a breath of fresh air. At the very least, espresso's smaller portion size may provide respite to someone who can't handle the eight-or-more ounces of liquid found in a standard cup of drip coffee.

As we noted several times throughout this article, there's a number of common misconceptions surrounding espresso's potential impact on the body. For instance, when it comes to coffee and espresso, many incorrectly presume it leads to dehydration and triggers weight loss. But espresso is not, in fact, a dehydrating beverage, and it won't cause you to lose weight — or, rather, it won't trigger weight loss all on its own over the long run.

Now, while the evidence is quite clear regarding whether coffee is dehydrating (it isn't, per this PLOS One study), it's less straightforward when it comes to weight loss. For instance, the energizing effect of espresso (via its caffeine) is known to be a great pre-workout performance enhancer, which, in turn, can lead to a greater drop in weight loss over time. Additionally, if you've never consumed caffeine with any sort of consistency, you may, in fact, temporarily boost your metabolism — thus triggering fat loss (via Healthline).

However, any rise in metabolism appears to diminish once the body develops a tolerance to caffeine. Consequently, you shouldn't expect to lose weight solely from drinking espresso every day — but it won't stifle anyone's weight loss journey, either.