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
William says
re: Day 4 cold turkey
...And I feel simply horrible. The worst is the flush-like feeling to my extremities and face, all down my arms, and the chest pain that has sent me into a couple of panic attacks. I have had to have friends reassure me I am not dying, and I'm still not sure.
Rob says
re: Could be, but unlikely
It could be, but probably not. A can of coke has 45mg of caffeine in it. I'm pretty sure the studies around dependence and withdrawal have found it starts with an intake of around 100mg a day. It could be that you're particulalry sensitive to it, but it's unlikely and wouldn't last 2 weeks on such a low dose.
More likely it could be sugar or something related to it than caffeine.
Angie says
re: Hi Rich, Everything you are
Hi Rich, Everything you are feeling is what I have been feeling!!! And from what everyone is telling me it is normal.
I am on day 17 of no caffeine. I quit cold turkey. As each day goes by it gets better and better. At the time you are
experiencing the depression, you feel like it is not normal. I kept thinking I was having mini strokes or something. I
have been doing things and not remembering. My legs and arms feel like I have no strength. I found when I do
stretches it helps 100%. Yesterday when laying on my left side, my right side began to tremor. My head feels like I
have a helmet of weight on it. I know when I take naps I feel ALOT better.I also have started vitamins, and drink lots
of water!! I will Never go back to caffeine, if it makes me feel this bad coming off of it, I don't need it. Good luck and
keep pressing on!!! Angie
User says
re: Am I suffering from caffeine withdrawal?
Hello all:
Wondering if what I'm experiencing could be chalked up to caffeine withdrawal. I've always drank about one can cherry coke/ day. Haven't had one for almost two weeks. I've been experiencing a stuffy-type feeling in my head, almost like a pressure upon it that you would experience before the onset of a headache. I've also had random achy type feeling in my legs (specifically thighs and calves) and slight chest pains.
I visited my doctor; told him my symptoms and he told me it wasn't anything to worry about. Blood pressure was fine and nothing abnormal in blood test. The caffeine withdrawal didn't dawn on me unitl after my visit. I did suffer from one severe headache two days ago that lasted about two hours and included vomiting. I've been trying to drink much more water and eat more fruit.
Thanks for reading and any feedback!
Rob says
re: Yes - all pretty normal
Thanks for your post. I think you're right (and it's certainly been my experience), there are short terms withdrawal symptoms, but also longer term, often more difficult, ones as well.
The more I understand caffeine the more I think it's a pretty serious drug with some powerful side-effects. I don't know if this is the case for most people, but there certainly seems to be a number (of which I'm one) who seem to be affected particularly badly.
As with many drugs, the "benefits" that we use them for are reversed with long term use and addiction. For example, alcoholics drink to make themselves more relaxed and sociable, but end up anxious and isolated.
Similarly caffeine perks us up and makes us think more clearly. If there were no upside, no one would use it afterall. Over time my experience was that it made me feel ill, poisoned, couldn't think clearly, anxious, exhausted and all-round dreadful.
When I gave up I had the short term symptoms you describe - sluggishness, headache, thirst, aches and pains. I imagined when these went away I'd be OK and all would be good. Sadly things didn't work out that way - for many weeks I was still below par much of the time. Tired, depressed, lethargic.
As with all things, it passes and your body will return to it's natural state. For me this is just feeling steadily pretty good - sleep well, wake up easily, think clearly, generally in a pretty good mood (think most kids you know).
Sadly I've forgotten over time and gone back to caffeine on more than one occasion. I recently stopped then thought I could just have one, but am now back on it full time. I'm planning to stop over the next couple of days and get clean again. It's hard work though - just have to be patient and treat yourself well as you work through it.
Oddball says
re: Could be that you've also
Could be that you've also dramatically cut back on your water consumption - heavy coffee drinking, whilst hammering your system with caffine, also provides a steady flow of water.
If you haven't replaced your missing drinking with something new this could be causing your other symptoms.
I've replaced my coffee with Red Bush tea - caffine free, something to drink when I get that craving. I'm tired, cranky and having trouble focussing on anything - but it's working. 4 days and counting :S
User says
re: Early days
I'm day 3 and my head is splitting! I am however sleeping really well!!
User says
re: Hi Angie.. this dream state
Hi Angie.. this dream state may be something caused by anxiety that I personally went through called depersonalization here's a link about it. Wish you luck you can make it through.. I'm also quitting caffine cold turkey right now. Tough! http://my.clevelandclinic.org/disorders/dissociative_disorders/hic_depersonalization_disorder.aspx
Rich says
re: Caffeine Withdrawal: Fatigue & Depression
Question: Has anyone experienced severe fatigue and/or depression as a symptom of caffeine withdrawal? If so, did it pass in time? I'm 46 years old and have been extremely dependent on coffee and caffeine for the past 25 years. I recently decided to stop once and for all and tapered off of caffeine over the past several weeks - my last, small "dose" of caffeine was this morning. Because it's been so gradual, I have experienced very little in the way of acute, short-term withdrawal symptoms (headaches, etc.). However, I've been experiencing extreme fatigue as well as some depression in the last couple of weeks. Has anyone else experienced this? As a long-term coffee drinker, should I expect some longer-term, emotional/psychological withdrawal symptoms (such as depression, etc.) in addition to the more short-term, physical symptoms of withdrawal?
Janet says
re: RE: coffee and caffeine
Yes, I did. In the morning I would wake up feeling like I was in another world! Just be patient it will go away. Also during the worst of my withdrawals I had so much anxiety and depression, that I laid in bed for days. During this time it would be wise to stay away from anything depressing(newpaper,news,etc). It's all apart of the withdrawals. Remember your body now has to adjust to not having caffeine! Just hang in there!
User says
re: In my first week
This is my first week cold-turkey. This is almost disgusting that my body has become so very addicted to this bad substance that I hurt and feel bad because I stopped. I will make it through this, and then I will never get this involved in caffeine intake (or any other bad substance) again.
I quit caffeine, smoking, and alcohol all at once. Sounds insane, but this is a great challenge for me and sort of a right of passage into my mid-life. I cannot wait to start feeling better and for the constant headaches to subside. This blog is a helpful read. I will see you all on the other side.
Angie says
re: coffee and caffeine
Hi, I am on day 11 of no caffeine and no sugar. I quit cold turkey, after experiencing a severe hypoglycemia attack.
My question is has anyone felt "out of it" kind of like in a dream state on and off? I am having headaches, tiredness,
irritability,depression, anxiety, and this feeling of being in a dream. Is this normal? please share with me tips on how
to get thru this. How long will this last? thanks
User says
re: Maybe the coffee is causing
Maybe the coffee is causing the IBS! Not worth it. I suffered through overwhelming side effects due to coffee/caffeine addiction. I have been through the withdrawal several times. The improvement in my health is dramatic (each time). Caffeine addiction affects all 24 hours of every day. NO cup of coffee tastes as good as being healthy feels.
long time addict says
re: Wow...Well now I know what
Wow...Well now I know what I'm up against. I quit for a month once but still felt tired and crappy. Thought it was just me. Even went to the doctor and had tests run but everything came back normal. Mentioned my caffeine use but the Doc sort of brushed it off. I'm sure he's a an addict too like about 80% of everyone else. Thanks for responding.
Janet says
re: Re: How long did it take you?
It took a good three months to get over the worst of it and another two to three months to feel completely normal. Each person is different. Also I did the cold turkey method, so the weaning off process may be better for some people. This message board was a blessing during my withdrawals. It was a huge help:)
long time addict says
re: How long did it take you to
How long did it take you to really come out of it and feel the way you do now?
Janet says
re: 10 months and Counting
This is my 10th month Caffeine free and I must say I feel amazing. This whole withdrawal thing has been quite a crazy experience!! I went through it all (severe panic attacks, dizziness, severe fatigue, body feeling like a lead weight, digestive problems, sleeplessness ,etc). At times it was pure hell!! So for all those who are just starting the journey, hang in there! It's all worth it when you make it to the other side.
User says
re: Back pain & fatigue!
Wow, I
Back pain & fatigue!
Wow, I was on the internet searching effects of caffeine withdrawal and your comments hit home. I've just quit cold turkey, on day 4 and the headaches are gone, but the joint pain in my back is strange! Like you, it went away with advil, but sort of scares me about why?? It's probably been 11 years since I've gone completely without, when I was pregnant and nursing. But even then I did have a little. I'm drinking only water this time and never experienced joint pain and fatigue like this.
User says
re: dumb
dumb
joey says
re: hi im 24 years old and i
hi im 24 years old and i havent had coffee in 7 days b/c i thought maybe i had fibromyalgia. During these 7 days without coffee i cant sleep, my legs and arms feel restless, im having lower, mid and neck pain along with alot of my joints, im having mood swings, headaches, im often crying at time, during nights i cant sleep or having panic attacks. I was wondering if all this is caused by no caffeine. After wat i was reading about alot of ppl goin through this, that maybe it could be the caffeine and not fibromyalgia
User says
re: caffine withdrawals
I am now at day 5 caffine free. I drank up to 2 cans of coca cola a day for the past 4years. I am on 3weeks holidays so I figure now is a good time to quit. Over the past few days I've lacked motivation, been irratable, have felt fatigued and fuzzy in the head. Yesterday was my worst day. I had hot flushes ,felt sick and muscle aches and pains. I thought I was coming down with the flew. I am determined to get through this as I know it will make me healthier in the long run and I don't want my body to be a slave to addictive substances.
User says
re: You can do it!!! I was a
You can do it!!! I was a serious caffeine diet soda drinker for about 25 years. I quit cold turkey and it was awful. I thought I was going crazy. Once the headaches were over, my muscles hurt. I was nauseous. Milk helped. I also took 1 multivitamin every day. Drank some sprite too. After that passed, I suddenly got panic attacks which i had never experienced. I was restless at night, and thought I would lose my mind. Whenever I felt that way, I would focus on doing an activity, or watching a tv show to occupy my thoughts. I went on some walks, but would feel lightheaded.
So I only tell you this so if you have these symptoms you will not be alarmed. You are not severely ill nor are you going crazy. I haven't had caffeine for 2 years now. I can honestly say it took about 1 year to be completely rid of the drug, and it is a drug. I feel great now. I sleep better. I wake up WAY more easily, and am not addicted to anything.
You can do it. Do it for your long-term health. Every time you feel terrible, think about how great it will feel to not be an addict. After my experience kicking caffeine, I have empathy for those trying to kick illegal drugs. All drugs are a serious problem that mess with your body chemistry.
You will make it, just stick with it. Be strong.
I did it! You can too!
Cheryl says
re: You can do it,
I was wondering how you did on kicking the caffeine. It is hard with the terrible headaches but they really do only last 3-5 days at the most. I have the worst affects of caffeine withdrawal. One tip I'll give you is that once you've kicked it, don't have anything with caffeine again because if you are truly a caffeine addict, all it takes is once glass of mountain dew or a cup of coffee to start it all over again! Believe me I know, I'm back in a bad phase of drinking it again but I think you've motivated me to quit again and stay with it!!!
Thanks!
(sad that it sounds like an alcoholic talking but its very similiar in what it does to you!)
User says
re: find another way to heal the
find another way to heal the IBS. just have a cup
of coffee the heck with it. you only live once.
User says
re: Caffine withdrawl
If you taper your caffine consumption over a couple of days, you can quit with only a mild headache if any!
Mark Cordon says
re: caffine is a drug and it can
caffine is a drug and it can actualy block the pain reseperters in your brain. I used to drink coffee because i had races in the morning at like 4 AM. I quit now and have been free for 3 weeks. i still am not feeling clear yet and my sleep pattern is all messed up. Right now, i am just a mess and it is going to take some time for my brain to recover. I kinda feel like a meth adict in a way. So, good luck to you all.
Mark C
User says
re: omg! yes! I just recently
omg! yes! I just recently quit smoking and no cokes for me all at once.Its been about 7 days now and I feel horrible!I went today to best buy with my son and i felt like I was gonna hit the floor cause I have no energy at all.Also I have been having some chest pans to.
Sarah says
re: Seriously?! I drink about one
Seriously?! I drink about one glass of tea a day and I'm pretty sure that would be considered "moderation"... The fact that I have a headache that is absolutely debilitating just because I go more than a few hours without drinking a sip of tea shows that it has nothing to do with moderation or an "addictive personality".
You seriously have no idea what you're talking about and anyone reading the above post should disregard because removing a food or drink from your life should not cause you to feel this sick for such a long period of time. There is no way caffeine can be good for you!
Sarah says
re: Kicking Caffeine is Hell!!
I'm a 23 year old female. I have LOVED Mt. Dew and sweet tea since I was old enough to drink it. I never realized how much the caffeine affected my life. When I was 17 I was diagnosed with IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome). My doctors told me to stop drinking all caffeine and have no chocolate. I quit caffeine cold turkey-no problem. Eventually, I started drinking sweet tea again because I realized it didn't hurt my stomach like coffee or sodas did.
Now I'm trying to get healthy. I joined a gym and have been working out regularly. I have also been adjusting my diet. The next thing I'm trying to eliminate is caffeine. In the past month or two I have tried multiple times to quit caffeine but I always give up because by noon or earlier, I have a horrible headache. I have a job where I stare at a computer all day long and this extreme headache just makes it absolutely horrific.
However, today is my second day without caffeine. I have an awful headache and I can't even focus on my work (hence why I am browsing the Internet). I get migraines and have had hangovers but this headache is so much more than either of those. I really don't know how I will manage to get through this weekend or next week at work... Hopefully I can continue drinking the water and working out. Maybe that will help the symptoms... 🙁
User says
re: For the last several years, I
For the last several years, I would wake up every morning with a nasty headache. I had no idea what was causing it, but I knew I needed to do something about it eventually. I put off going to the doctor, because they'd just prescribe pain meds. On a whim, I decided to quit drinking my usual 2 cups of coffee each morning (this was around May 15, 2010), and to abstain from drinking anything but water. The withdrawal was unbelievably horrible! However, the amazing thing was my morning headaches completely went away after about day 3 of drinking nothing but water. Clearly, what was happening is my body was craving those 2 cups of coffee each morning while I was asleep, and the withdrawal headaches were waking me up. It's now been about a month, and I've been completely headache free (not just in the mornings, but throughout the day) for that entire time. I've also noticed tons of other beneficial changes from drinking nothing but water (losing weight, don't have to use the restroom very often at all). I'd be willing to bet at least half of the medical/health problems in America could be solved, if everyone stopped drinking "substances".
smokecrops says
re: worst headache of my life
So I first must say, this site and these comments have been super helpful, and of immense aid to me in my effort to deal with my caffeine problems...I am not a major coffee drinker, but I do partake of maybe one or two cups of international instant coffee french vanilla a day, sometimes up to 2 or 3, but some days I don't drink any, but I do however drink around 10 cans of soda a day, or maybe a 2 liter depending on what deals I find at the supermarket...well I was unable to make it to the grocery store and instead of drinking my usual mountain dew or coke, I found myself drinking only caffeine free sodas completely on accident, and by the end of the day, I had the worst headache I've ever had in my life, and that's saying alot as I suffer from migraines and sinus headaches and this put all of that noise to shame...it was bad. I couldn't see, it would spread all over my skull, in waves, it throbbed, it burned, I thought honestly I was dying....I was clueless as to what was the cause of this until it hit me I wasn't taking in my normal amount of caffeine, which after this little exercise calculated to be around 800mg....Jesus that's alot...anyways once I realized it was some sort of withdrawal I quickly made a cup of coffee and tried to choke it down, I got through about 3/4s of a cup, and then I threw-up...I hadn't felt nauseous at all, it came on instantly....then I took 3 Excedrin migraines which each contain 65mg of caffeine, that fixed it, but I can tell you I am resolved to kick caffeine...but there's no way I'll be able to do it if the headaches are that bad....no person should ever have to feel that kind of pain....so I guess I'll try to ween myself off, bummer...
also to those thinking of quitting, don't do it cold turkey....just trust me don't....even if your headache isn't half as and as mine you'll never make it ...good luck and thank you for hosting this site...
-B
pmarie says
re: Wow, I had stopped coffee
Wow, I had stopped coffee cold turkey several times before and never noticed much. This time, not thinking I needed to taper down, stopped and had no headaches, but soon started having SEVERE muscle pain, much like labor pains, waves of pain from ankles to thighs. Trouble doing my normal run & no ability to stretch the thighs as I normally could during yoga. Thought I might have a serious disease! Was waking up at night in serious pain. Thanks so much for your comments. I am on day 7 and feel better already. Hope I can sleep tonight.
User says
re: caffine is a drug
caffine is a drug and it can actualy block the pain reseperters in your brain. I used to drink coffee because i had races in the morning at like 4 AM. I quit now and have been free for 3 weeks. i still am not feeling clear yet and my sleep pattern is all messed up. Right now, i am just a mess and it is going to take some time for my brain to recover. I kinda feel like a meth adict in a way. So, good luck to you all.
Frank says
re: Intense pain on withdrawal
I got into a cycle of depression and excessive coffee drinking, which I eventually quit. I guess I was on a heavy dose of 4 or 5 mugs of filter coffee when I quit. I had headache for a couple of days but worse than that, severe joint pain, especially in my legs.
Having said that I did start to feel clearer and fresher, even when I had the pain. But the pain took a good couple of weeks to go completely. Painkillers helped. The first week I allowed myself a small cup in the afternoon each only, and no other. Almost instantly at that time I felt the effect of the caffine relieving the joint pain, which also made me worried about just how powerful an effect it had.
I can see there's some sense in suddenly quitting, when it's so hard. But if you can try a limiting amount for 1 or 2 weeks first (such as one cup at a set time every day and nothing else) it might educe the withdrawal pain a bit.
Mel says
re: I think I've made it. Day 11
I think I've made it. Day 11 (or 13) and I no longer have any of the leg pain from my previous post. I was still getting twitches but could tell it was improving by day 9 or so. And I did end up taking ibuprofen for 2 nights (around day 6 and 7) in order to be able to sleep. But now I miss it! Not the taste or the "ceremony" of it - just the pick-me-up. Into the mental stage of withdrawal, I guess. I'm tired - just dragging and could fall asleep just about anytime, anywhere. Sleeping 7 to 9 hours a night and the 7 hours feels like not nearly enough. I am better on 9 hours but really, who has 9 hours to devote to sleep?!? The leg pain experience is now helping me though - anything whose withdrawal can be that painful canNOT be good for you! I don't care how many anti-oxidants it has or how many studies says it helps prevent Parkinsons and colon cancer. I'll get my antioxidants from a non-addictive source, than you very much!
Thanks for the support and listening - it also helps!
User says
re: cfa addiction
I took the cfa exam, now I'm on day 4 sans coffee. I had to up my dose to get through studying. I've so far been able to manage the symptoms with lots of water, excercise, and ibuprofen. I was drinking maybe 5 cups per day.
Matt says
re: Curious, did you take the CFA
Curious, did you take the CFA exam? I just took it as well on Saturday.
dandelion says
re: Caffeine-induced muscular pain - ibupofen
Persevere! Try a nonsteroidal antiinflammatory (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen or aspirin (but don't take on an empty stomach as it will irritate the stomach lining). You'll see results and start to feel fine by day8...HONEST!
I went cold turkey; was expecting a headache at the start, but this did not materlialise to the extent I imagined and there was no craving for coffee. Day 2 foggy-headed, depressed and listless and very tearful. Day 3-4 arms and legs like lead weights, irritable, unable to concentrate on anything, a complete 'can't be bothered/cannot muster any energy for work' attitude and intense cramping of thighs, glutteal muscles (buttocks) and lower back - couldn't sit, stand, walk or sleep - AGONY. Pain releaved by popping ibuprofen 2x day. Day 8 and the pain has disappeared, the world is back in glorious technicolour and my senses and memory have been sharpened 1000-fold. So please hang on in there. It will take about 14 days for everything to re-adjust itself; this is the time taken for adenosine receptor downregulation in the brain to take place, in the absense of caffeine, and for the adrenal glands to start producing the correct level of adenosine to circulate in the blood. Caffeine blocks the adenosine receptors, meaning that the adrenals have to works extra hard to secete a sufficient amount of adenosine. Once the caffeine disappears, there is too much adenosine circulating in the blood. This affects the blood vessels causing them to constrict and this is what you feel as pain in your muslces. Blood vessels constrict, oxygen cannot be transported to muscles (and lactic acid and carbon dioxide excreted) and you get muscle spams and stiffness and that awful wont-go-away caffeine PAIN. Eventually, things are normalised and the adrenals recover and start to produce the correct level of adenosine and you start to feel normal. Your adrenals are no longer overworked and you have more energy WITHOUT the coffee.
Make sure you have enough sleep during the 'cold turkey' period mind.... all part of the self-healing process. And don't get despondent. Remember there are countless other pour souls around the globe who are going through exactly the same as you are. You'll succeed. Good luck :o)
User says
re: Withdraaawal
Well I had the most important exam session last week and had been drinking 2 cups of relatively strong coffee (300-400 mg i guess) Today I only drank a small cup of espresso - cutting it down slowly. IT is evening here and in this very moment I'm feeling quite fatigued and have this weird pain in my back and in my knees. I'm gonna try to stop coffee altogether since my bowels burn and i get heartburn sometimes as well. I also dislike the whole idea of being dependent of some substance.
How long to be at 100% again? I've been drinking 1-2 cups a day for 4 months now with 1 week pauses.
User says
re: Hey Rob
thanks so much for
Hey Rob
thanks so much for writing about the pain you are going through .... am on day 9 .... legs and back are hurting like crazy ... i didnt have a clue tat this was due to giving up coffee.... ive been a coffe drinker since i was 5 years old ... been drinking atleast 1 cup coffee and around two cups of tea a day ...... its 12:30 in the night now; pain was so bad cudnt s;eep, so surfing the net ... came across your article and HELLO its all making so much sense now.... thanks, will surely not get in the trap of drinking another cup; also had given up drinking couple of years back... didnt have any problem in giving aclohol up, didnt realise coffee is crazier than booze !!!
Mel says
re: How to help the leg pain
I'm on day 4 (or 6, depending on how you count - I'll explain in a bit) and into my 3rd day of serious leg pain. I mean screaming, can't-focus-on-anything-else, difficult-to-walk pain. How do you alleviate this symptom?!? I have a desk job so I thought maybe the lack of exercise was making it last longer than "average". So last night I walked for 45 minutes - my legs still woke me up at 4:30 this morning and I think they are worse, if anything. I'm drinking water like a fiend. Never been big into over-the-counter medication so I haven't taken aspirin or alleve or anything.
Something has to help. I've even found myself wondering if I need to go back to the bean just to make it stop. The only thing keeping me on the wagon at this point is I don't know if/how fast that would help. I know all about the headache and exactly how much coffee it takes to make that go away but the leg pain... WIMPER.
My waffling on the days is because I chose to quit cold-turkey in the middle of suffering one of the worst stomach bugs of my life (school age kids - gotta love em). Regular coffee intake on Friday (about 24 oz, regular brew, every morning for the last 6 years), vomitting Friday night, didn't get out of bed or have coffee on Saturday (I certainly had a headache that day but bug or withdrawal, who can say?), tried to "normalize" on Sunday but only managed to choke down a few sips of coffee and that is when it finally occured to my illness-ridden brain that this is my opportunity to quit the bean. So I'm on day 6 if you ignore the Sunday sips or day 4 if you count them.
Pluses of this "detox method" is that I definitely feel like I skated through the headache dept - was suffering anyway and since I so rarely can spend a whole day in bed, I feel like I really managed that well. But the leg thing took me totally by surprise and I am not happy! Make it go away!
Dave MM says
re: Congratulations on kicking
Congratulations on kicking your addiction, Rob. Isn't it scary how your legs and back ache a full week after you've abstained from caffeine? It always scared the hell out of me, especially considering no one could give me a clear answer on why they hurt, not even medical professionals!
The next month or so will be tough. You will be very tempted to have one. And if you do, you will feel great. This will slowly lead back into the addiction, thinking that you can 'control' the amount you drink. Before too long, you will be drinking a pot a day again. I'm not trying to patronize you, I'm just trying to help. I've failed in the past just from losing focus and having that one, which opened the floodgates. I suspect that many others have made the same mistake. Good luck to you, I hope your recovery continues to go well.
Dave
User says
re: I am going through caffeine withdrawal
The anxiety, the shortness of breath, the brain fog, it is hell; it is more than 3 months! I will never go back to drink coffee, NO more. This site is helping me a lot.
User says
re: Hi, I gave up coffee ( &
Hi, I gave up coffee ( & other unhealthy foods) 9 days ago & have had a constant headache ever since. Does anyone know if this is normal?
I read headaches can be expected for 1-5 days. Thanks.
Rob says
re: Day 9 and getting better (slowly !)
I've battled with caffeine addiction for many years - when I drank it I felt groggy, unfocussed and anxious yet every morning I'd start again as the withdrawal was so unpleasant. I felt totally trapped. I kept trying to taper off - by drinking tea rather than coffee, by measuring a specific dose of caffeine in pill form and replacing coffee with this, reducing slowly each day and so on. Generally I'd last a couple of days then stop tapering and go back to mainlining coffee. I spent a fortune on supplements and vitamins to help me detox and feel better, made 'rules' about how much I could drink etc. None of this worked and I was slowly driving myself crazy being trapped in the addiction.
I finally quit 9 days ago cold turkey. I had a bit of a revelation and thought "screw it" - I'm just going to stop. No taper, no supplements, no hocus pocus. Just take it a day at a time and deal with whatever comes my way. It hasn't been easy, but it hasn't been as hard as I thought it would be - as with so many things in life, the fear of doing it is far greater than the reality. A couple of things I did do that seem to have helped have been sleeping when I needed to - the first 2 days I slept for an hour in the middle of the day, something I wouldn't normally do. I also made sure I drank A LOT of water in the first 4-5 days. I would think 10-12 pints each day. Sounds a lot, but I just made sure I drank around a pint each hour I was awake. I went to the bathroom often, but my withdrawal symptoms were far less than I imagined, maybe the water helped flush my system ?
The withdrawal symptoms I got were tiredness and inability to focus, just feeling I was dragging around, low grade constant headache and significant muscle tension and pain. I felt my leg and back muscles all the time, constantly tense and sometimes painful. One night I had to take painkillers to give enough relief to allow me to sleep.
Now after 9 days it's getting better. I've slept better than I have in a long time and have really focussed on getting re-hydrated. My thinking and focus is clearer, I'm saving money and overall life looks better. I'm still not fully out of the woods - my back is still a little tense, my legs still twitch a bit and I still have a mild headache but it's much better than it was. I've heard it takes a couple of weeks for the symptoms to have gone, and then a couple of months to fully recover your health.
I'm looking forward to the journey. Still taking it a day at a time, but so happy to be free from that pit of addiction. I've quit smoking and drinking in the past and found both easier to stop than caffeine. It's one serious drug !
User says
re: Go away
Go away
long time addict says
re: After SEVEN freaking months
After SEVEN freaking months you are still recovering??!
Jeremy says
re: Reduced Desire For Coffee
I recently finished reading Good Calories, Bad Calories by Gary Taubes (after watching a movie named Fathead), it trashes the typical advice given on nutrition through a review of virtually all of the important nutrition research done over the past 100 years.
Anyway, I decided to switch to a diet of low to no carbs, and maybe it was cutting out the coffee creamer, but my desire for coffee dropped dramatically at the same time. Other posters below seem to mention its easier to go off coffee after cutting out sugar from your diet, perhaps cutting out most carbs makes it even easier.
Just thought I'd let others know that it (cutting out carbs from my diet) has reduced my desire for coffee significantly, and today I'm going to try and stop completely. I have felt more sluggish, achy, and tired from reduced intake prior to today, so it's hard to say if the withdrawal symptoms will be as intense as usual or not, and whether cravings for caffeine will be as strong as usual during withdrawal.
User says
re: Hardest thing I ever did...
I decided I HAD to quit coffee,(4-5 cups a day) and for the most part, eliminate caffeine. No joke. It's been about 7 months. I've had a few slip ups, and I do drink ice tea. But the deal with coffee was that it's very acidic and it was causing my hands and knees and joints to stiffen up--at the young age of 42. Once I stopped, the stiffness went away. Symptoms: headache, foggy headed, crabby, tired and just felt like I was hungover. Durning my withdrawal, I took Excedrin migrane, which helped with the headache and had a few mg. of caffiene.
Coffee was also messing with my adrenals. It was a cycle of being drained, drank coffee to boost up, then get drained, and then need coffee to boost up. Funny thing is the coffee was causing the drain and the boost. It was an unnatural, nervous system jolt that was wreaking havoc with my body.
I still miss my coffee. I use Tecchino when I miss the am routine. But I'm glad I did it. It takes longer to wake up in the morning, but I feel my natural energy coming back, I don't have the adrenal drain and my joints don't ache!
N.B. says
re: Me too !
Hi ! I've just come across your web page while researching caffeine withdrawal.
For the second time this month, I missed my coffee in the morning because I was running late for work. No big deal I thought, I'll just not have coffee today. Well, by 12 noon, a headache started to develop, which grew steadliy stronger becoming inpossible to ignore. By 2pm, I made my way into the breakroom, seeking out the left over carafe of coffee from the night before. In my desperation, I reheated the old brew, added milk & sugar and drank up. Headache became unbearable and I felt cold, sweaty & nauseas.
By 4 pm, I was completely worthless at my job, running to the bathroom in anticipation of barf. I took Naproxen Sodium (Aleve), the only pain releiver in my purse. Did nothing.
At 5 pm , I got into the car with my ride home. We travelled less then a mile and I said, "Pull over, I'm gonna throw up." , which I then did.
As I said , this instance is complete repeat of onethat happened three weeks ago, so I decide to see if it really was because of coffee.
Afterwards, I slept for three hours and now I feel fine.