With more than 300 million cups of coffee consumed a day, America is one caffeinated nation. Teens are beginning to hop on board the band wagon without any knowledge of the negative effects.

Caffeine is found within all sorts of beverages including energy drinks, some soft drinks, and the all too popular coffee. The after effects of caffeine are ones that should be avoided. ABC Family can assure you that within half an hour of drinking one or two cups of coffee, the flow of blood to the brain is reduced by 10 to 20 percent. The follow up of reduced blood flow to the brain include blurred vision and an increased heartbeat.

Caffeine consumed during a meal results in more bad news. During a meal, caffeine will inhibit absorption of important nutrients including iron and calcium says HelathDump.com. If the meal is dinner, avoid drinking anything with caffeine. If caffeine is consumed within eight hours of bedtime, then it might take awhile to go to sleep.

Though the consumption of caffeine is off the rails with an ongoing list of negatives, some benefits are hidden underneath. Depending on the amount consumed, caffeine can help increase short-term memory and alertness said About.com. That must make caffeine good for you, right? WRONG! Caffeine’s negatives outweigh the positives by a ton, and in the long run, caffeine consumption’s effects are much worse.

Addiction is where the worst comes into play. Caffeine is believed to have a pick-me-up feeling that “elates one’s mood,” U.S. News said. Studies have shown that this “pick-me-up” feeling comes through addiction. If caffeine is consumed daily starting at an early age, addiction is more than likely. Once you are addicted to caffeine, it becomes a priority when you first wake up. Many people who consume caffeine daily start to think that they need caffeine to jump start their day.

Teens, hop off the caffeine band wagon before the worst comes around.