[eavc]

Unless he's drinking decaf, several liters of iced tea intake a day would almost certainly indicate addiction and dependency.

Replace 'tea' in this article with cocaine. The cocaine alone doesn't do it for him, he requires there to be some sugar in it. And then blaming the sugar withdrawal for his fuzzy head.

That's basically what's happening here. Except that people tend to ignore that caffeine is a drug that can have some pretty pronounced effects when used a lot and over a long time.

[raintrees]

I agree - I have a much more difficult time getting relaxed when I have had too much black/green tea or coffee. I do use honey, so I cannot attest to what the effects would be without.

No, on second thought, I will take that back. When I need to drive for another 4 hours or code for another 3, I will sometimes drink straight black coffee, and as long as I do not eat, I will get quite a rush (and probably grind my teeth quite a bit). And if I do either drink past the afternoon, sleep that night will be sketchy/non-refreshing.

[nisa]

> that caffeine is a drug that can have some pretty pronounced effects when used a lot and over a long time.

As an avid coffee-drinker - what are these effects? I've read upon caffeine and I've found no clear evidence for permanent harm or good out of coffee.

[eavc]

Dependency is the big one relevant to the OP. Withdrawal can impact energy, mood, cognitive function, and cause bad headaches, among other things, I'm sure. Caffeine use can also compromise sleep, raise blood pressure, and increase anxiety. Caffeine intoxication is an acute state and has a range of effects as well, but that's not really what you're asking about.

The wikipedia article actually has a good summary of some of these issues as well as others.

You'll notice that the higher dosages given in that article as being risk factors for things are within the range of 'several liters of iced tea.'