[quote=“Small_Clanger, post:7, topic:462498”]
From the first episode of Spaced
Daisy: Do you want another cup of tea?
Tim: No thanks, twelve’s my limit.
Ten cups a week? As Linda Smith would have said. That’s not a drink, that’s homeopathy.
Had a read of the nutrition information on a packet of PG Tips. Per cup before adding milk:
Calories: 1
Sugar: nil
Fat: nil
Saturates: nil
Salt: nil
[QUOTE]
Caffiene= 50mg or so.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caffeine
*Caffeine tolerance develops very quickly, especially among heavy coffee and energy drink consumers. Complete tolerance to sleep disruption effects of caffeine develops after consuming 400 mg of caffeine 3 times a day for 7 days. Complete tolerance to subjective effects of caffeine was observed to develop after consuming 300 mg 3 times per day for 18 days, and possibly even earlier.[68] In another experiment, complete tolerance of caffeine was observed when the subject consumed 750–1200 mg per day while incomplete tolerance to caffeine has been observed in those that consume more average doses of caffeine.[69]
Because adenosine, in part, serves to regulate blood pressure by causing vasodilation, the increased effects of adenosine due to caffeine withdrawal cause the blood vessels of the head to dilate, leading to an excess of blood in the head and causing a headache and nausea. Reduced catecholamine activity may cause feelings of fatigue and drowsiness. A reduction in serotonin levels when caffeine use is stopped can cause anxiety, irritability, inability to concentrate and diminished motivation to initiate or to complete daily tasks; in extreme cases it may cause mild depression. Together, these effects have come to be known as a “crash”.[70
Withdrawal symptoms—possibly including headache, irritability, an inability to concentrate, and stomach aches[71]—may appear within 12 to 24 hours after discontinuation of caffeine intake, peak at roughly 48 hours, and usually last from one to five days, representing the time required for the number of adenosine receptors in the brain to revert to “normal” levels, uninfluenced by caffeine consumption. Analgesics, such as aspirin, can relieve the pain symptoms, as can a small dose of caffeine.[72] Most effective is a combination of both an analgesic and a small amount of caffeine.
This is not the only case where caffeine increases the effectiveness of a drug. Caffeine makes pain relievers 40% more effective in relieving headaches and helps the body absorb headache medications more quickly, bringing faster relief.[73] For this reason, many over-the-counter headache drugs include caffeine in their formula. It is also used with ergotamine in the treatment of migraine and cluster headaches as well as to overcome the drowsiness caused by antihistamines.
[edit] Overuse
In large amounts, and especially over extended periods of time, caffeine can lead to a condition known as caffeinism.[74][75] Caffeinism usually combines caffeine dependency with a wide range of unpleasant physical and mental conditions including nervousness, irritability, anxiety, tremulousness, muscle twitching (hyperreflexia), insomnia, headaches, respiratory alkalosis[76] and heart palpitations.[77] Furthermore, because caffeine increases the production of stomach acid, high usage over time can lead to peptic ulcers, erosive esophagitis, and gastroesophageal reflux disease.[78]
There are four caffeine-induced psychiatric disorders recognized by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition: caffeine intoxication, caffeine-induced anxiety disorder, caffeine-induced sleep disorder, and caffeine-related disorder not otherwise specified (NOS).
[edit] Caffeine intoxication
An acute overdose of caffeine, usually in excess of about 300 milligrams, dependent on body weight and level of caffeine tolerance, can result in a state of central nervous system over-stimulation called caffeine intoxication,[79] colloquially “caffeine jitters”. The symptoms of caffeine intoxication are not unlike overdoses of other stimulants. It may include restlessness, nervousness, excitement, insomnia, flushing of the face, increased urination, gastrointestinal disturbance, muscle twitching, a rambling flow of thought and speech, irritability, irregular or rapid heart beat, and psychomotor agitation.[77] In cases of much larger overdoses mania, depression, lapses in judgment, disorientation, disinhibition, delusions, hallucinations, psychosis, rhabdomyolysis, and death may occur.[80][81]*
10 cups of tea a day gets us to maybe 600mg. A healthy fit person could work up to that, but would have some minor associated problems- I’d certainly mention it during your regular physical. If you stopped suddenly youd be pretty miserable for a day.
I am not saying that healthy person could not consume well in excess of 10 cups a week, but that’s the example the OP gave us. I think 10 cups a day- especially large strong-brewed cops, is an amount where I’d consult my MD about it. It could be dangerous for a reasonable but small amount of dudes.