Complications of Excessive Tea Consumption

The American College of Nutrition suggests that consumption exceeding 400 mg caffeine daily may cause adverse effects including agitation, anxiety, and sleep disturbance in healthy adults 1, 3
At typical consumption levels of 180-200 mg/day, adverse side effects remain low risk in healthy adults 2, 3
The evidence supports that ≤400 mg caffeine/day in healthy adults is not associated with adverse cardiovascular effects, behavioral effects, reproductive and developmental effects, acute effects, or bone status, as recommended by the National Academy of Sciences 3

Population-Specific Guidelines

Pregnant women should limit caffeine intake to 200-300 mg daily, approximately 4-6 cups of tea maximum, as recommended by the European Food Safety Authority 3
Children and adolescents should limit intake to <2.5 mg/kg body weight/day, equating to 1-2 cups of tea daily, due to increased risk of anxiety and withdrawal symptoms 2, 3

For healthy adults, the National Academy of Sciences recommends limiting tea consumption to approximately 8-10 cups daily, staying well below 400 mg caffeine threshold 1, 3
For pregnant women, the European Food Safety Authority recommends restricting tea consumption to 4-6 cups maximum daily, staying below 200-300 mg caffeine 3
For children, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends limiting tea intake based on body weight (<2.5 mg/kg/day), typically 1-2 cups daily 2, 3