Curtis Bovee

Staff Writer
Students waking up look forward to a freshly brewed cup of coffee to kick-start their busy days, but the side affects of excess caffeine can serve as the real wake up call.
According to the Harvard School of Public Health, 54 percent of Americans over the age of 18 drink coffee every day, while 65 percent drink it with their breakfast. The average American consumes over 300 milligrams of caffeine each day.
While caffeine has its perks, it can pose some serious problems. According to the Mayo Clinic, about two to four 9-ounce cups of coffee per day isn’t harmful; however, when caffeine consumption increases to 500 milligrams a day, the following consequences may occur:

Nervousness

Rapid heartbeat

Muscle tremors

Irritability

Restlessness

It’s believed that caffeine is the most consumed drug in the world, which has seen a tenfold increase in consumption since the 50s. In a society so overwhelmed by economic mayhem, stress is inevitable and as a result to keep up with the fast-paced lifestyle, caffeine consumption increases.

Over 10,000 Starbucks exist in the U.S. alone, with over 200 per state. The rise of Starbucks certainly corresponds to societies need and want of caffeine.

To sum it up, don’t consume more caffeine than is necessary. If you need a jolt of energy, grab a cup of coffee or maybe even consider a Five-Hour Energy, but don’t also consume an energy drink just because you are thirsty.