Are you wondering exactly much caffeine is in your cup of coffee. Trying to cut down a bit, or at least know how much caffeine you are ingesting each day with your morning cup of java or afternoon pick-me-up triple espresso Latte?
A typical cup of coffee contains approximately one hundred and twelve milligrams of caffeine. There is a bit less caffeine in a shot of espresso - a typical espresso shot includes about ninety milligrams of caffeine.
How much caffeine in coffee?This is important to keep in mind when making any espresso drinks.
While these numbers are typical, the amount of caffeine in coffee can vary considerably based upon multiple factors. The primary factors affecting caffeine content of coffee and espresso include the genetics of the coffee bean varietal, the particular roasting given to the coffee beans and how the coffee is brewed.
If the coffee beans being used are Arabica coffee beans then one cup of coffee that is approximately one hundred and twenty milliliters of coffee, if it is drip-brewed, will have about 112 milligrams of caffeine.
A 30 milliliter Espresso shot using Arabica coffee will have an estimated ninety milligrams of caffeine.
How Does Roasting Affect Coffee Caffeine Content?
When coffee is roasted it decreases the overall amount of caffeine in the coffee, but not significantly enough for it to be a serious way to reduce your caffeine intake.
Caffeine did not undergo significant degradation with only 5.4% being lost under severe roasting.
Source
Choose your roast based on your personal preferences, not based on caffeine content.
Roasting does have an effect on chlorogenic acid content - possibly what contributes to many of coffee's purported health effects, but another study also shows that caffeine is relatively unaffected by roast level.
On the other hand the Robusta coffee plant varietal has significantly more caffeine than the Arabica varietal. Robusta coffee beans are used primarily for espresso blends and to make instant coffee.
How Caffeine Metabolizes in the Human Body
Once a person consumes caffeine the body starts to metabolize it and this takes place in the person's liver. The result is three different metabolites. These three metabolites include paraxanthine (84%), theobromine (12%) and theophylline (4%).
In the first 45 minutes after consumption of the caffeine it is likely absorbed by the stomach and small intestine and begins to spread throughout the tissues of the human body.
Caffeine's Classification by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Considered safe for human consumption by the FDA, caffeine is classified as a food substance with multiple uses.
All About Caffeine in Coffee - Investigating the Side Effects of Caffeine and the Symptoms of Withdrawal from Caffeine continued:
Caffeine is a stimulant and is known scientifically as a xanthine alkaloid. When it is isolated from its source it is a crystalline white substance and is very bitter.
How does caffeine affect the human body?
Caffeine affects the human body by creating chemical changes in the human brain with a whole variety of effects including an enhanced alertness and energy level.
The way this is enhanced energy and alertness is achieved by the chemical caffeine is that the caffeine pretends, or mimics, another compound which is called adenosine.
The caffeine then binds on to the adenosine receptors in the brain with the effect of halting the true adenosine from doing its job which normally would be to slow down the body's nerve impulses and bring a very sleepy feeling to the person, a natural drowsiness that is warded off by the effects of caffeine.
Yes, some drugs may have an enhanced effectiveness when affected by caffeine. For example, some headache drugs include caffeine in their contents in order to help the effectiveness. This may be related to the vasodilating effects of caffeine.
Caffeine may be used in combination with ergotamine to treat cluster headaches and migraines. Some people prefer to use caffeine to overcome the sleepy qualities they feel when taking antihistamines.
Caffeine doesn't specifically, but coffee does.
However, some people who have shown to be at high risk for liver disease have been shown to have less severe liver injury associated with increasing caffeine consumption. This may include people with obesity, hemochromatosis and alcoholisms. [source]
Because of this, people who drink coffee but want to quit caffeine may want to look into decaf coffee instead of cutting out coffee entirely, so that they can continue to benefit from its health protecting properties.
Yes, some studies completed on ex vivo hair follicles have shown that caffeine may decrease hair growth suppression in vitro due to testosterone. In this regard caffeine may be a potential therapeutic agent in Androgenic alopecia, and caffeine has been added by some companies to their soap and shampoos.
Caffeine is found in nature in a wide array of plants, and it is found in plant fruits as well as plant leaves. This includes: cocoa beans, tea leaves, coffee beans and kola nuts. Less common sources are yaupon holly, guaryusa, yerba mate and guarana berries.
Caffeine often serves to help the plant by working as a natural pesticide against harmful predators on the plant such as insects.
What Products Contain Caffeine, and How Much?
A tablet of Excedrin contains about sixty-five milligrams of caffeine while a regular strength caffeine tablet has about one hundred milligrams of caffeine. There are two hundred milligrams of caffeine in an extra-strength caffeine tablet.
Another example of a common product with plenty of caffeine in it is chocolate. There are about ten milligrams of caffeine in an average milk chocolate bar. Dark chocolate, by comparison, may have about 30 milligrams of caffeine.
There are some dark chocolate bars that have as much as 160 milligrams of caffeine so it can vary considerably by the type and the quality of the chocolate.
Six ounces of a typical green tea will contain about thirty milligrams of caffeine while the very same amount of black tea will have about fifty milligrams of caffeine.
Amount of Caffeine in Coffee continued: You will get about thirty-four milligrams of caffeine from 12 ounces of Coke while a Mountain Dew will give you a whopping 54 milligrams of caffeine. A Red Bull energy drink has about eighty milligrams of caffeine while a Monster energy drink has about 160 milligrams of caffeine.
Withdrawal from Caffeine and Human Tolerance To Caffeine
People who consistently consume caffeine will gradually adapt to the continuous presence of the chemical in their body by increasing their overall number of adenosine receptors in their central nervous system. This occurs since caffeine functions as an antagonist to the receptors in the central nervous system for the neurotransmitter adenosine.
Tolerance adaptation to caffeine has the effect over time of reducing the chemical's stimulatory effects. These adaptive responses to caffeine also have the effect of making the person more sensitive to adenosine, and thus when the intake of caffeine is reduced then the adenosine's natural physiological effects will create withdrawal symptoms.
Of 49 symptom categories identified, the following 10 fulfilled validity criteria: headache, fatigue, decreased energy/activeness, decreased alertness, drowsiness, decreased contentedness, depressed mood, difficulty concentrating, irritability, and foggy/not clearheaded. In addition, flu-like symptoms, nausea/vomiting, and muscle pain/stiffness were judged likely to represent valid symptom categories.
In experimental studies, the incidence of headache was 50% and the incidence of clinically significant distress or functional impairment was 13%. Typically, onset of symptoms occurred 12-24 h after abstinence, with peak intensity at 20-51 h, and for a duration of 2-9 days. In general, the incidence or severity of symptoms increased with increases in daily dose; abstinence from doses as low as 100 mg/day produced symptoms.
Research is reviewed indicating that expectancies are not a prime determinant of caffeine withdrawal and that avoidance of withdrawal symptoms plays a central role in habitual caffeine consumption.
Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15448977
Debate Over Adenosine Receptors, Tolerance and Caffeine Withdrawal Symptoms
There is some debate in scientific circles about the increase in adenosine receptors being the main cause of building up tolerance to caffeine's stimulating effects, with some evidence pointing toward a conclusion that there are also other causes at work which help to explain people developing a tolerance to large doses of caffeine.
The Discoverer of Caffeine
The evidence is a bit fuzzy but some say that the stimulating effects of caffeine are mentioned in Chinese legends dating to about 3,000 years ago.
Firmer evidence comes from 600 BCE as a Mayan pot dating to this time contains the first clear evidence of a cocoa bean, so we know caffeine was around by this time for sure.
Who First Isolated Caffeine from Coffee?
In 1819 the German chemist Friedlieb Runge became the first scientist to successfully isolate the chemical caffeine from coffee beans. Less than one year later the French chemist Pelletier and another scientist named Caventou also isolated the chemical caffeine, and Pelletier was the one to coin the word "cafeine" which he derived from the word "cafe" meaning coffee.
Who Opened the First Coffee House?
As early as 1530 there were coffeehouses in Damascus, Syria and Istanbul.
What began the spread of coffee all around the world?
In the 1600s the Dutch became the first people to carry coffee from the ancient port of Mocha. This movement of coffee by the Dutch began the rapid spread of coffee beans around the globe and it is still spreading, most recently growing rapidly in consumption in China and other emerging markets.
The Dutch were also industrious in cultivating coffee in other locations, first in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) in 1658.
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 caffeine withdrawal 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).
Even small amounts of caffeine (such as a green tea, compared to a full coffee) can do wonders to alleviate a withdrawal-induced headache.
The source of caffeine is important to consider as well. Coffee is generally considered to be healthy, due in part to its anti-oxidant properties. However, energy drinks and unregulated supplements may contain any number of other compounds that can have a negative impact, often working synergistically with caffeine.
Caffeine on its own, particularly coffee, is associated with an overall decrease in all-cause-mortality [4]. Simply put, this means that people who drink coffee are less likely to die from all causes.
Caffeine withdrawal symptoms
Often, people who are reducing caffeine intake report being irritable, unable to work, nervous, restless, and feeling sleepy, as well as having a headache. Many of these symptoms mirror having the cold or flu.
- Headache
- Sleepiness
- Irritability
- Fatigue, lethargy
- Constipation
- Depression
- Muscle stiffness, cramping
- Brain fog, Inability to focus
- Cold-like symptoms
- Anxiety
In extreme cases, nausea and vomiting has also been reported. These are very real experiences [1], and despite recurring jokes, can cause problems with normal functioning. If you experience severe symptoms, seek medical advice.
Is Caffeine Withdrawal Real?
In short: Yes. Negative effects from quitting caffeine have been scientifically documented in clinical studies.
Of 49 symptom categories identified, the following 10 fulfilled validity criteria: headache, fatigue, decreased energy/activeness, decreased alertness, drowsiness, decreased contentedness, depressed mood, difficulty concentrating, irritability, and foggy/not clearheaded. In addition, flu-like symptoms, nausea/vomiting, and muscle pain/stiffness were judged likely to represent valid symptom categories. [1]
Additionally, caffeine withdrawal is recognized by psychiatrists as a real disorder.
Caffeine withdrawal is a recognized disorder and is listed in the DSM-5. (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders)
How Long Does Caffeine Withdrawal Last?
The answer to this will depend on your level of consumption and the level you reduce your caffeine consumption to.
In experimental studies, the incidence of headache was 50% and the incidence of clinically significant distress or functional impairment was 13%. Typically, onset of symptoms occurred 12-24 h after abstinence, with peak intensity at 20-51 h, and for a duration of 2-9 days. [1]
That means you'll probably notice the start within 12-24 hours with the worst being the second day you after you quit. From there, it gradually gets better over the course of a week to a week and a half.
Your brain is miraculously resilient and adapts to life without caffeine in just 2 short weeks. The psychological habit of drinking caffeine can take 3 to 4 weeks to break, but can also be replaced with decaf coffee or another low-caffeine drink (eg. tea).
Reports of people having withdrawal symptoms months or years after quitting coffee or caffeine are more typically confused with general health maladies or other more drugs.
Unrelated Symptoms
Caffeine cessation is often associated with major lifestyle changes, and as such, it can be difficult to associated symptoms directly with caffeine withdrawal. As a best practice, you should isolate factors by making changes slowly, over time, unless under the advice and guidance of a medical professional.
Compounding factors such as other medications, and major health events that lead to discontinuing caffeine, can have a misleading association with caffeine withdrawals.
If symptoms such as kidney pain appears, seek immediate medical attention.
Tingling
There are no known mechanisms through which caffeine withdrawal may cause tingling. On the other hand, caffeine consumption can sometimes cause tingling due to restriction of blood flow to extremities.
Back pain
While back pain is not a symptom of caffeine withdrawal, symptoms may (re)appear when caffeine use is discontinued.
This may be due to caffeine's reported analgesic affect on pain [3] - in english, caffeine might help alleviate (back) pain by amplifying the effect of pain killers. The re-ocurring presence of back pain may be due to synergistic effect being lost, but is unrelated to the temporary effects of withdrawal itself.
Dealing with Caffeine Withdrawal
The severity of caffeine withdrawal symptoms vary with how extreme the restriction, and a gradual reduction can do wonders in avoiding symptoms. Simply starting by replacing one cup of coffee with a decaf coffee or tea will provide a much smaller dose of caffeine, allowing your receptors to re-acclimate to lower levels. Drinking coffee (decaf) or other warm beverage (tea) instead of regular coffee helps psychologically with the well established habit.
Timing large reductions in caffeine consumption is also a useful tool. Picking a time of rest and relaxation such as a weekend or vacation can lessen the burden of symptoms like brain fog and a lack of motivation.
Hydration is also key - while coffee is a diuretic it's also mostly water, and cutting back on coffee may also inadvertently cut back on your fluid intake. Many symptoms of dehydration overlap with caffeine withdrawal including headaches, muscle soreness and leg cramping, irritability and lethargy.
Without caffeine blocking your adenoseine receptors, your body's built up levels of adenosine will lead to a lot of sleepiness. Get lots of rest! Scientists are still puzzled by why humans need sleep, aside from getting tired. According to some research from the NIH (National Institutes of Health) has indicated that sleep enables your brain to drain built-up chemical by products of working so hard (you little genius), which is good for you!
Advil or Tylenol can be an effective method of dealing with the coffee withdrawal headache and muscle pain. Other natural pain relievers such as running / exercise and even an orgasm can provide temporary relief by dilating blood vessels in the brain.
The best solution may not be totally ceasing caffeine consumption though. Coffee does have health benefits, as it contains over 1000 known compounds, with many associated with lowering blood pressure and improving cardiac function, as well as liver protection [2]. Generally, the best coffees are grown at higher elevations will develop more healthy chlorogenic acids that are present in higher concentrations in light roasts than dark roasts. If you're a dark roast lover however, darker roasts cause less stomach acid production. A decaffeinated coffee with just 5-25 mg of caffeine will still retain a lot of its healthy chemicals and will provide health benefits in medium and dark roasts.
With these tips you can reduce the caffeine in your body and avoid the rebound of a caffeine withdrawal.
References
[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15448977
[2] Coffee Consumption Decreases Risks for Hepatic Fibrosis and Cirrhosis: A Meta-Analysis
http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0142457
[3] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22419343
[4] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28697850
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.
Xie et al "Sleep initiated fluid flux drives metabolite clearance from the adult brain." Science, October 18, 2013. DOI: 10.1126/science.1241224
User says
re: Terrible caffeine withdrawal--middle back pain on both sides
Yikes I am feeling the back pain right now...which is what led me to this site in the first place. Very happy to see that this aweful pain is caffeine withdrawal (which I suspected) instead of the flu. I cut down my caffeine in half last Monday, then COLD TURKEY since. I had a headache the first 3 days for which I took Tylenol PM. I learned many years ago by accident that the sleeping pill stops the headache because it constricts the blood vessels. Anyway, starting yesterday I started getting terrible back pain and I wasnt sure if it was from too many Tylenols for 3 days or the caffeine withdrawal itself. Glad to see it is the withdrawal. I didnt take any tylenol today because my headache is now gone, and I was concerned about the back pain as it almost feels like it is my kidneys, it is not lower back as much as middle back on both sides. I swear I will never be on caffeine again. I have terrible cat allergies and had read that coffee is an anti-asmatic. So I started having more and more cups of coffee a day, finally about up to 4 which is a lot for me, and it is seemed like my asthma attacks were more frequent. I had to sit near a window in my house just to breath for DAYS. Anyway, I suppose last Sunday I thought I should see maybe if the caffeine was making the asthma worse not better and ever since I stopped the caffeine, my breathing has improved immensely. I still need some windows open in the house, but I have not been gasping for air like I was or living near the window. I got a referral to a respirologist anyway to check on the asthma, but almost a year ago I was tested for allergies and had a gigantic reaction to cat (my beloved cat of 19 years passed away about 4 months after I found out). So I was on singular and it make my breathing much better for several months. I went off of it in September, was fine for about 3 months, then the asthma came back with a fury. Went back on Singular and it did nothing for me this time. Anyway, now that I am off caffeine my breathing is about 75% better. Best to you all, and stay off of caffeine it isnt worth it!
User says
re: Caffeine symptoms
I just read your comments about coming off caffine. I got sick this week, with what appears to be a stomach bug and haven't had the urge for the caffeine or the sweet taste that comes with it either. I've become very depressed, but am feeling some better now. It just occurred to me this morning, on my drive in to work, that maybe not drinking the caffeine or eating the sweets is what has me depressed.
I didn't know that caffeine and sweets could make a person feel like this, when stopping. I still have the bug, but am feeling better, so I don't think I'm going back to the caffeine or the sweets once this is over. I've had a terrible week.
User says
re: Wind sprints, exercise
here is a link to a page where many people describe their problems with exercise, especially vigorous exercise:
http://exercise.about.com/b/2006/01/30/in-the-forum-can-exercise-cause-depression.htm
that said, you don't need a potent blood sugar destabilizer and stress hormone elevator to act as a "metabolic adjuster".
User says
re: In addition, you may want to
In addition, you may want to curb all that exercise... it is a potent stressor, you just need to be active.
User says
re: sounds like a rationalization
sounds like a rationalization to continue to consume a highly addictive substance
Shannon says
re: I quit cold turkey
On New Year's Eve, I decided that my resolution would be to make no resolution.
I don't want to make just one resolution to do something and then end up backing out of it like I do every year, so I'm just doing something simple.
I'm bettering myself one step at a time, one day at a time.
I was terribly addicted to soda. Didn't matter what kind it was, I would drink it.
I'm still always tired but I think I am getting better, ever so slowly.
I had ovarian cancer in 2006 and had all my "mommy parts" removed due to the fact that there was a huge tumor crushing everything. They couldn't save anything and it was good they operated in the nick of time because my kidney was about to shut down since the tumor was crushing it too.
Afterwards, I went through 3 rounds of chemo and was much better, lost a lot of weight, but my doctors said I would probably always have kidney problems because of the tumor that was crushing it for so long.
I am much better now. 2 years remission and still counting.
But I remained a smoker, and I kept drinking soda every time I was thirsty. There was NO water in my diet any time and my kidney started killing me, and I felt like I was passing kidney stones again.
So, bottom line, if you really want to do something, you can do it. I put my mind to it and now, I haven't had a cigarette, a soda or even one drop of alcohol since New Years Eve.
I am proud of myself because some people around me didn't think I could stop smoking or stop drinking soda.
I did and yes, I am still going through bouts of withdrawal, but I'm not a wuss. I can take it.
No headaches anymore. I was having stabbing pains in my head when I brushed my hair, but it went away. I'm still really tired though. I force myself to get up every morning and go to work, and save my weekends for sleeping and lounging. =) And when I eat even a sandwich, about 20-30 min later I'm in the bathroom with diarrhea. I still don't know why, but it might be because I have no gall bladder and haven't since I was 17.
Other than that, there is nothing wrong with me.
I quit smoking so my voice would come back and I could sing again.
I quit drinking soda so that my kidney would stop hurting.
And I just wanted to see how long I could go without drinking alcohol, just because. lol
User says
re: Withdrawls?
I only drink 1-2 cans of cola every day or two. If I stop within a few days I have the WORST headaches. I have gone as long as three days with them before caving and having a drink of cola. I didn't think that one or two cans would cause such intense withdrawl symptoms. Is it the cola or maybe another problem?
wsreno says
re: unwellness?
Unwellness? OMG. Yes. I called off today and just an hour ago for tomorrow. I gave up caffeine because of all the stress in my family right now. Son was laid off from RR, mom and dad losing their home, grand son diagnosed with asthma..not hearing from son in law who is in Afghanistan and on special mission, we shouldve heard from him by now..still waiting. My nerves were crazy so I thought staying away from caffeine is a good choice for now....
Is it? Geez. After reading all these entries I am feeling the same....Its horrible. I have been crying and letting loose with emotions and havent done that for years. Im usually the encourager and strong one and Im feeling pretty defeated. I feel like I am recovering from a bad flu AND my nerves feel like Im getting ready to go into surgery.
Anyone experience that at all? Im ready to go to the ER actually. I need peace. Its been 3 days now...maybe four.
Could this be my problem and not my family issues?
User says
re: fasting
I started a 7 day fast yesterday which includes all caffeine drinks and all sugar or artificial sweetner. I got up this morning and thought I was about to die! worst headache ever, nausea, tired almost like i am in a fog!! I can't believe my body is so addicted to something and I never realized it, Hope this passes soon but I will continue to cut out caffeine after my fast is over..
User says
re: hello i decided to leave a
hello i decided to leave a comment because today i didn't have a pop/soda i was terrible ill i started to feel sick about 10-12 hours from my last soda intake. It started with a horrible headache between my eyes and the back of my head, about two hours later i was sick to my stomach i tried to gulp down a small can of soda but by then my symptoms were in full swing, as soon as i got home i tried to lay down but my head was still pounding, and stomach still turning i ran to the bathroom and you guessed it, there went my lunch from earlier, my neighbor brought me some tea and i laid down and took a nap. When i awoke i felt better but that could have been from the caffeine in the pop and tea i had. I've been drinking sodas everyday for about 8 years and on Christmas the same thing happened minus the puking so needless to say i probably need to stop but I'm afraid and i like the taste of soda. What's a girl to do?
betsson09 says
re: thanks for information.
thanks for information.
Badger1980 says
re: Well its now 27 days since I
Well its now 27 days since I started cutting down and 7 days since I gave up. Today ive been far better, ive managed 8 hours work so things are improving a lot on the energy front, concentration is coming back although I still have the odd anxious feeling and a rush of adrenaline for no apparent reason but guess its just a matter of hanging in there. Had a cup of decaf tea yesterday with no adverse affects that was 99.2% cafiene free I think.
Michael Hawk says
re: Sleeping too much
Alot of people on here are saying they're having trouble sleeping since quitting caffeine, but yesterday was my first full day without it (I had only had 2 cokes the day before) and I slept until around 10 am, took a nap at 1 pm, woke up at 5 pm and ate dinner, then went back to bed at 11 pm. I woke up 30 minutes ago. I had a throbbing headache in the back of my head yesterday, but I'm feeling a little better today. I'm still kind of groggy, and I don't know if I'll want to nap again today. My girlfriend just moved back to college, and I start school again on Wednesday, so maybe the fact that I'm kind of bummed about that is making me tired too. The caffeine withdrawal surely isn't helping.
Also, may I say that the captcha used on this site is RIDICULOUS.
bilety lotnicze says
re: Very interesting article.
Very interesting article. Thanks
User says
re: Pounding headaches
I quit 4 days ago. pounding headaches in the morning. Evenings ok.
10 years ago, i quit smoking and the symptoms were exactly the same but eventually they went away.
Good Luck Everyone.
jeanne says
re: aspartame
Just wanted to tell you that I went through aspartame withdrawal that was horrible when I quit diet coke. I was sick for 6 weeks. I feel better now 2 years later, than I ever have. Soooooo glad that I did! 🙂
~ Jeanne
Badger1980 says
re: Well in response to my
Well in response to my earlier post i'm feeling 10 times better and late night is usually my trigger time 1.15am and although i'm knackered I feel ok to go to bed soon which is better than the 4am bedtime a month ago and the restless night the last few dayd, no panic or nasty anxiety, the odd feeling in my chest but nothing nasty, still aching and a bit off but I can live with that.
But people just hold out those feelings will improve. I dont expect miracles but I really must of got over the worst of it as it couldnt get a lot worse. Worst feeling in my life, worse than the tooth absys I had.
Think the secret for those thinking of cutting down/giving up is to plan. I think the reason its took me so long(nearly a month) to get to a point where I feel half ok is that I kept quitting for a day or 2 then drinking again the next day for a few more, then a few decaf etc. Write down how many you are drinking and keep a chart then reduce it at a point you are happy with.
Give caffeine the respect it deserves(or doesnt)
Badger1980 says
re: Site is a godsend
Well I cant tell you what a godsend this site is, done a lot to put my mind at ease after reading other stories, I really thought I was going mad.
I started cutting out caffeine 3 1/2 weeks ago, cut from 10-12 strong coffees a day down to about 4 and within 2 days I was struggling to stay awake and feeling groggy then came the mental issues, for 3 days I had a constant whisper in my ear which freaked me out bigtime, this passed and I just felt horribly flu ridden for a week but perked up just in time for christmas. Christmas was great, I felt 10 times better maybe down to the chocolate I ate, 28th I decided to cut down to decaf 100% and guess what within 2 days the symptoms came back this time in the form of heart pulpitions slight whispers as before and flu again, I did actually go to the doctors at this point and he gave me diazapam to calm me down as I was shaking and basically a mess, of which I took once but didnt like so started drinking coffee again which did balance me up a fair bit. Then sunday I went berserk, maybe 8 full coffees and got the same symtoms that made me give it up in the first place (racing mind, insomnia, and pulpitations and I got about 30 minutes sleep that night) As of monday i'm cold turkey 100%, have had 2 days feeling like death ie flu symptoms again, pulpitations general nerves, anxiety and restlessness. I have used the diazepam which have helped me sleep, i'm not going near caffeine again and hopefully within a few days i'll feel more balanced and do without the drugs but we will see. I have not history of mental health but do tend to be a worrier and get anxious a lot but I know i'll be better off without the caffeine in the long run even if I feel like death at the moment.
User says
re: Caffeine withdrawl-back pain
I had to quit caffeine this past Saturday when I found out that I was pregnant. As of Monday (yesterday) I have had lower back pain, and all of you have given me a little hope that it is the coffee and not an early pregnancy going bad! We will see....I hope it is the lack of caffeine!
Julie D. says
re: Back Pain
Thanks for posting this. I am on Day 6 of no coffee and my lower back is really bothering me. I thought i was going crazy. I'm glad this might be normal. I wonder why this happens? any clue?
matt says
re: upset stomach
Just wondering if anyone else has suffered from stomach pains, diarrhea and just a general feeling off unwellness in the stomach and bowels after coming off caffeine...
I was drinking far too much of a popular soft drink and decided to go cold turkey... I can deal with the headaches but the upset stomach is getting to me... so I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced this, or if I should look elsewhere for the cause of these symptoms?
thanks!
Holi says
re: Caffeine Withdrawl - back pain.
I too suffered from lower back pain that I can only compare to sciatica which I suffered from while I was pregnant. For just over 2 days I was in constant pain no matter whether I was standing or sitting and only shifting position would temporarily relieve it. I quit caffeine cmpletely about 3-4 days earlier an went onto decaff tea. I am so glad that I now have an explanation for my back trouble. Is there any medical diagnosis as to what causes the pain?
evden eve nakliye says
re: thanks
thank for good informations...
evden eve says
re: very good
Very good article thank you...
Rigo says
re: I have the same symptoms.
Hello , Im 32 years old and I was drinking 5 to 6 cups of coffee a day and quit cold turkey in October. I went to the hospital 4 times because I thought I heart was going to explode and would have dizzy spell almost like passing out. They told me that I was fine and I was experiencing panic attacks and anxiety because of stress. I still experience panic attacks through out the day. Excercise and vitamins have helped tremendously. I have been dealing with other syptoms like depression, fatique, stress. and loss of focus, which I never had before I quit.. Sometimes I can't sleep because my heart rate is higher than normal. Is anyone experiencing the same.
I also quit smoking pot at the same time.
Let me know,
Thanks
Kirk says
re: Diet soda
When I was diagnosed as a Type 1 diabetic at age 16, I was so happy to find that diet soda had no carbs. It was the one drink that I could have and be carefree (not have to take insulin for). 10 years later I realize I have a pretty bad habit of drinking about 8-12 cans of diet soda a day. I'll be honest, I am mostly quitting to get away from aspartame, but after reading into what too much caffeine will do to you, now I have more reasons to quit.
I also decided to quit smoking, as I had picked it pack up for the past couple months after quitting for about 2 years. I am on day 4 now. I actually got a cold the day I decided I would quit, so the sore throat had kept me from smoking anyway. I am beginning to think this headache I have is the caffeine withdraw though. It's not terrible, but it's there. Kinda like a fog.
I will be testing my blood pressure the next several weeks. I actually have prehypertension (slightly elevated blood pressure). I hope to see improvements in that area as well.
I hope the bad feelings don't last as long as a lot of you are saying tho. Ouch!
Ton says
re: Also Cold Turkey.
Thanks for this Ed and Jill.
I'm also a heavy coffee drinker. Think for the last 20 years or so. Already throw out the coffee out of my house 4 months ago. But I still kept on drinking coffee outdoors. Especially at work. But now I'm not drinking coffee for almost 1 week. The strongest headache was on day 2. Went though it without using painkillers. But on day 4 the lower back pain started. Really noticed it during a morning yoga class. In the evening I also felt it when lying still in bed. How annoying. Day 5 again in Yoga class I couldn't do a lot of posses anymore; too painful. Scary. So today I'm skipping yoga (very unusual for me these days) and I'm going to the sauna tonight. Hopefully the infrared sauna will help. Very strange this lower back pain in relation to coffee detox, but I did nothing else out of the ordinary then stop drinking coffee. Hopefully I will recover soon. At work I'm drinking now a lot of herb thee. Sometimes the coffee craving comes up, having a healthy hot drink close by really helps. Going throw this withdrawal makes me realize all this coffee was not good for me and makes me more confident to go through with this.
All the best, Ton.
Gaijin says
re: The Indians used coca leaves
The Indians used coca leaves when needed, they didn't abuse it. The same applies to caffeine. In western cultures people tend to overdo things ("hey, it feels good, so I guess I'll do it some more" attitude), now if you'd use caffeine only 3-4 times a year its effects would be much more felt and you wouldn't develop an addiction.
User says
re: Thanks
Thanks for sharing your experience.
I've only just started drinking coffee regularly (by this I mean most days of the week with 1-4 cups, for about 5 or 6 months) and today I noticed myself craving a coffee in the morning, I did a work out and after it I still craved the coffee. So I'm not sure, I'm not sure if I'm getting addicted or not.
So today I was thinking "What's with this? I can go a whole day without coffee for sure" and then after my lecture I went to my boyfriend's and he was making a pot, and I was like what the hell, and had a cup.
Contemplating whether or not I should I should cut this drug out of my daily life and go substance free!
Jill says
re: Coffee
Apologies but I was really pleased - sorry! - to read that you got a pain in your lower back with caffeine withdrawal, because that happened to me last night and it was really scary: it seemed like a side-effect too far, and I was worried there might be some other cause. It really shows how strong our addictions can be, and how diverse the withdrawal symptoms. Thanks for sharing the experience, you've made me feel better! Although not, possibly, as much better as a cup of coffee would .....!
David H. age-25 says
re: Thank you
I would just like to say that I enjoyed reading your article. I've always had palpitations throughout my life but only once every few weeks or longer. Recently about a month and a half ago, I started having palpitations like around 4 or 5 a day. Than after about 3 days, I was laying in bed thinking about them and I had a panic attack. That was the only severe panic attack I had. So I went to my family doctor the next day to be checked out. My Ekg and blood tests were normal. Than I had to wear a 24hr. holter monitor. I think I had around thirty palpitations that day.(whew scary stuff) Then my Doctor said that everything is normal and I just have palpitations. I still have them everyday and sometimes get real bad anxiety about it. I've changed my diet, gave up caffeine, and cut back on smoking. I'm quitting after hunting season. It's weird because in the back of my head I know that it's just stress and anxiety but I can't help but always think that it is something else. That's probably a text book example of anxiety. ha
Anyway, sorry to just ramble on. I really did enjoy your article.
-Thank you David H.
Ed says
re: Withdrawel Cold Turkey
Wow, My wife decided to change her lifestyle and dragged me i with her, she decided sugar and caffeine had to go. I quit last Friday and woke up with excruciating head pain, I can understand this as it is a drug and my receptors were craving for it, This went on for five days.
The weird part is two days ago my lower back, sacral area was killing me, being a Chiropractor it was not my typical pain and kept me up all night, I couldn't take it anymore and had a cup of cofffee, within five minutes the pain was gone, I guess I will have to try and ween myself off.
User says
re: the best thing to do to not
the best thing to do to not have the nap is to simply not have the nap. if you avoid ever napping your night-time sleep will be improved (provided you go to bed on time every night with enough time allowed for your ~8 hours sleep plus falling asleep time).
napping is disruptive to human sleep cycles and can only really be excused in places where it is very hot at noon and there is no air conditioning. other people should not nap and they will be healthier and sleep better for it.
if a little bit of caffeine helps you avoid a nap it's no bad thing. just always get your 8 hours and exercise then you won't need your naps.
that_fiend says
re: yes...you should never vary
yes...you should never vary much the amount of caffeine you consume in a day. Too much or too little of what you're used to will affect you greatly.
User says
re: Bizarre sleep/wake patterns?
I'm not necessarily trying to quit drinking coffee - but I think I might be experiencing withdrawal symptoms anyway. Either my tolerance has gone up significantly without me realizing (thus making the 2 cups I drink insufficient) or the coffee grounds I buy loses its effectiveness within a certain amount of time (thus making the 2 cups have less caffeine in them). Either way, whenever I don't get my coffee I get an undeniable spell of drowsiness that can make me sleep 3-4 hours in the middle of the evening, causing me to wake up around midnight and finally going to bed around 2-3am because I'm desperately trying to catch up on studying that I should have done while I was napping. The next day I have to wake up at 7-8am, feeling tired and irritable, which then reinforces my crash later that evening, and the cycle repeats. Sometimes I try not to have coffee on the weekends, but I end up sleeping the weekend away and lose all productivity.
Does anybody else experience this bizarre disturbance in sleep/wake cycle?
User says
re: not the only one sufferring for more than 2 days
Well I am extremely glad that caffeine withdrawal symptoms have lasted for more than two days with other people. I have been drinking a pot and a half of coffee for over 10 years. I would on occassion take a one day break or only drink a couple cups rather than a pot without symptoms. Well I quit almost cold turkey.
It has now been 3 1/2 days and even though I tried to sneak a cup or two of green tea....the headache has not subsided. I have been lucky (sarcastically) enough to experience the migraine first than now its a slow painful (not quite migraine) pressure with nausea and fatique. Pain killers don't work and neither does any of the stomach soothers. I thought that maybe if I took some niacin that it would help it pass. I believe it made it worse. I pray that this passes in a week cause the depression is kicking in because I feel so bad. For a minute I thought I was dying.
Thank you to all who posted. In feel a little better now.
Sin says
re: If you think quitting
If you think quitting caffeine sucks wait till you have to stop doing 5-6 things at once. I think most people need these drugs just to get through the day and i don't blame them. Humans have been taking drugs since the beginning of recorded history and Im willing to bet caffeine is one of the first things they came upon.
User says
re: someone out there like me
I am sooo grateful you posted this.
I have similar symptoms except i've only been an addict for 10 years.
Once I went off it "mostly" for 3 weeks about 6 months ago... and I didnt' have any of the symptoms...but this time I'm cold turkey'ing it and my muscles ache, my head hurt for 2 days straight and then there is the emotional trauma of needing a "pick-me-up" and not allowing myself to find it through my friend mr caffeine.
i had flu-ish type symptoms the last two days. My legs still ache something fierce. I have been an emotional wreck at home and work.
Sooo I just endure. I can do it. You have helped volumes.
User says
re: anxiety
You might try GABA amino acid. Read Julia Ross' book The Mood Cure.
I read somewhere that caffeine effects GABA absorbption.
Cathy says
re: Unbelieveable. I have been
Unbelieveable. I have been eliminating caffeine from my life and i am in excrutiating backpain - the small of my back and running down the back of both legs. I figured it was lack of caffeine because once before I had tried and given up because that pain was so bad. I decided to 'google' because most people tell me they get a dreadful headache. I did get a headache which i would describe as mildly annoying but this backache is something else again. It is (as you say Frank) reassuring to know that other people are experiencing the same thing, because I can steel myself to just get through it knowing that it won't be long and i will be both caffeine free and pain free!
Cathy
cicoe says
re: Caffeine headache
I am kicking the caffeine habit for the second time & have a tip, I learned from my Dr the last time I quit. If you just wet your lips with something w/caffeine when you first feel the hit of a headache it will keep it at bay. I managed to not have a headache when I quit last time & am on my third day this time & it's working.
lc500 says
re: Caffeine Withdrawal Anxiety Symptoms
I quit my caffeine habit (3 pints of Diet Mountain Dew a day) cold turkey on the 25th of October after going to the hospital thinking I was having a heart attack. My heart started beating uncontrollably and it scared the crap out of me.
So now, 10 days later, all of the physical symptoms of withdrawal have passed but I still have this low level anxiety I'm dealing with. It usually is worse at night and it keeps me from sleeping well. Does anybody have any solutions to calm my anxiety or have an idea how much longer this may last?
Thanks.
that_fiend says
re: re:Quit 1 week ago
I too have a bad diet soda addiction and would like to quit but it's so hard. I went 31 days and still felt drained in the mornings and depressed. But will try again soon since I know it takes some people a lot longer than that.
Thanks Bruce keep us updated.
Bruce says
re: Quit 1 week ago
I quit caffeine completely 1 week ago today. I have had all-day-long headaches every day, and I'm experiencing constast pain in my hips and back. I have never drank coffee, but I drank 12-15 cans of Diet Coke a day for that last 15 years, and I ate chocolate but not very much. I have read the book Caffeine Blues which is a real eye-opener, plus conducted additional research via the Internet trying to rely only on credible websites like Mayo Clinic, Johns Hopkins Hospital, WebMD, etc. I'm anticipating my symptoms will go on for another 2-3 weeks (so up to 1 month), but given the information I have gathered, this will probably prove to be the best health-related decision I will ever make in my life.
hudsony says
re: Yes - re your first
Yes - re your first paragraph: Gandhi expresses the same logic. If you are tired, you should just sleep. Bring back the siesta I say!
Pepsi Drinker says
re: caffeine withdral
This web site has helped me allot to understand how caffeine works, I am trying to get off caffinated pepsi, in two days I am very tired and have bad headahes. I hope it gets better soon 🙁
zack says
re: hmmm. . . . .
If you try to use coffee as a stimulant when your body should be resting, then this will likely facilitate exertion above and beyond what your body ought to be performing. This will do a great deal of damage to your body systems in the long run; however, the caffeine itself is not the culprit. Responsible use of a mild and benign stimulant such as caffeine will not produce any appreciable ill effects.
In particular, caffeine is an adenosine receptor antagonist. This causes adenosine receptors to be upregulated in the brain. Sudden cessation from caffeine will lead to feelings of lethargy, lack of mental focus, and perhaps some anxiety until the receptors are once again and baseline density. This is the only direct effect of caffeine, anything else is either secondary or coincidental.
It is a blessing that our society has such easy access to this chemical, but a curse that many are foolish enough to abuse it. For every person you can find that has a bad record with caffeine, you can find at least one other person who has had nothing but positive experiences. So, I really think alot of you need to chill out on the whole "caffeine is devil" thing and broaden your perspective from your narrow experience.
cristeny333 says
re: Im not alone
People laughed when i mentioned caffeine as the culpret to my headaches now im sure that whats going on. Thanks for this site. It has shed a light on the problem that im sure may people have and dont even realize is there. Thanks so much and do to comments i will start weening my self of my 1-2 pot addiction of coffee! Sincerley Cristen, Clarksville Tn.
AAA says
re: First of all - very
First of all - very encouraging comments, it is always good to know that you are not alone in something like coffee withdrawal...to recap, the same drowsiness, a little bit brain fog, tiredness, depressive mood, etc... I've just made 1 full month without coffee (been drinking for 8 years), and I'm wondering:
Will it be harmful to my coffee withdrawal discipline to drink some decaf coffee? I've read an article on this site and a couple of articles on the internet that mention that researchers and some other info claims that the five to ten decaf coffees can add up to one regular non-decaf coffee. I'm drinking 2-3 decafs/day on the weekends, during the workweek I'm not drinking decaf because I don't have an espresso machine...so I'm wondering if there is any of you who uses decaf as a coffee-habit replacement? And last but not least - can my decaf dosages be harmful to my caffeine 'rehab'?
Thanks in advance
User says
re: Thanks for all the personal
Thanks for all the personal experiences. In the past when I've tried to quit caffeine I have experienced the worst flu symptoms. When I told my doctor(s) they acted like I was foolish and presumed that I was exaggerating the symptoms or I had a flu and mistakenly thought the caffeine withdrawal was to blame. Currently, I am in day 5 of quitting caffeine. I have had all of the worst symptoms listed here. Sick headache, muscle stiffness, nausea, vomiting,nasty mood, ... not very glamorous. I grew up drinking Mountain Dew (I think my parents had NO IDEA of what it would do to me) so I feel that my body's expectation for caffeine is extreme. My head still hurts but I'm trying to stay on track with the thought that anything that could cause this kind of withdrawal cannot be good for you. Good luck to others who are trying and thank you again to all who have posted their experiences.