In this article we're going to take a look at the most common side effects so you know what the risks are before you consider drinking green tea.

After all, the potential benefits are great - such as weight loss and disease resistance - but only you can weigh up the pros and cons by taking a closer look at the points outlined here.

Green tea, like most popular brands of coffee, does contain caffeine and so care must be taken not to overdo the use.

In this case green tea side effects can be like any other caffeine-induced side-effects including, but not limited to, headaches, shaking, sweating, hyperactivity, irratability and problems sleeping. High levels of caffeine have also been associated with skin rashes from time to time, through these tend to go as quickly as they arrived once the caffeine has left the body.

Because of these caffeine levels, doctors generally recommend against giving green tea to children of any age. The same, of course, goes for those breastfeeding.

It is important at this point to say that levels of green tea will have to be very high indeed for the caffeine-related effects to be felt. Japanese scientists claim you can safely drink up to 10 cups a day without experiencing any side effects from green tea so this is unlikely to effect most of us.

Some people may also experience an upset stomach after drinking green tea though this is rare. A scientific study in 1984 found that "tea is a potent stimulant of gastric acid, and this can be reduced by adding milk and sugar" so drinking it as you would your normal tea should help alleviate such problems. Furthermore, if you are taking green tea as extract (such as for weight loss) the manufacturer has likely already tested this element.

Lastly, tannin-containing drinks like green tea (or your more usual black tea for that matter) can, in some cases, lead to iron deficiency and so those with anemia and similar circulatory problems may be best to opt against consuming green tea.

As mentioned earlier all of these side effects are highly unlikely and are far more likely when green tea is consumed in high concentrations but if you are in any doubt, consult your doctor before taking any green tea-containing product.