Top Story: How much caffeine is too much? Signs you should start cutting back

Many people start their day with a cup of coffee or tea, but how much caffeine are you actually consuming in a day? If you are drinking more than a few cups a day, there could be some negative effects. 

University of Minnesota psychiatrist Kaz Nelson, MD, says it's possible to have a dangerous level of caffeine toxicity, but it's rare. “On average, it looks like people are consuming two cups of coffee on average a day or 180 milligrams per day, and it seems on average you start to develop some of the negative effects when you start to go over that dose and particularly when it comes to sleep.” So while you might not be experiencing a life threatening dose of caffeine, there are still going to be day to day negative impacts. 

Dr. Nelson suggests that if you start to feel jittery, restless, or anxious, to cut back. She says that if you regularly consume caffeine and then have a period without, you may experience some sort of withdrawal, including symptoms like nausea, irritability, anxiety, etc. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding and young kids should especially keep an eye on how much caffeine they are consuming. 

You can read more about caffeine consumption here.