4.1. Caffeine Withdrawal: Procedures and Symptoms.
Description
This article is from the Coffee and Caffeine FAQ, by Alex Lopez-Ortiz with numerous contributions by others.
4.1. Caffeine Withdrawal: Procedures and Symptoms.
How to cut caffeine intake?
Most people report a very good success ratio by cutting down caffeine
intake at the rate of 1/2 cup of coffee a day. This is known as
Caffeine Fading. Alternatively you might try reducing coffee intake in
discrete steps of two-five cups of coffee less per week (depending on
how high is your initial intake). If you are drinking more than 10
cups of coffee a day, you should seriously consider cutting down.
The best way to proceed is to consume caffeine regularly for a week,
while keeping a precise log of the times and amounts of caffeine
intake (remember that chocolate, tea, soda beverages and many headache
pills contain caffeine as well as coffee). At the end of the week
proceed to reduce your coffee intake at the rate recommended above.
Remember to have substitutes available for drinking: if you are not
going to have a hot cup of coffee at your 10 minute break, you might
consider having hot chocolate or herbal tea, but NOT decaff, since
decaff has also been shown to be addictive. This should take you
through the works without much problem.
Some other people quit cold turkey. Withdrawal symptoms are quite
nasty this way (see section below) but they can usually be countered
with lots of sleep and exercise. Many people report being able to stop
drinking caffeine almost cold-turkey while on holidays on the beach.
If quitting cold turkey is proving too hard even in the beach,
drinking a coke might help.
What are the symptoms of caffeine withdrawal?
Regular caffeine consumption reduces sensitivity to caffeine. When
caffeine intake is reduced, the body becomes oversensitive to
adenosine. In response to this oversensitiveness, blood pressure drops
dramatically, causing an excess of blood in the head (though not
necessarily on the brain), leading to a headache.
This headache, well known among coffee drinkers, usually lasts from
one to five days, and can be alleviated with analgesics such as
aspirin. It is also alleviated with caffeine intake (in fact several
analgesics contain caffeine dosages).
Often, people who are reducing caffeine intake report being irritable,
unable to work, nervous, restless, and feeling sleepy, as well as
having a headache. In extreme cases, nausea and vomiting has also been
reported.
References.
Caffeine and Health. J. E. James, Academic Press, 1991. Progress in
Clinical and Biological Research Volume 158. G. A. Spiller, Ed. Alan
R. Liss Inc, 1984.
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