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 (60 year habit) says
re: Hello again 6 year habit,
Hello again 6 year habit, just spoken to my GP who says that my ferritin levels were normal and the serum iron was probably elevated because I was dehydrated, (i was definitely dehydrated), so although he said I didn't need to make any changes at all, I am going to stop my high protein diet (which I hoped would help the fatigue) and go back to a more normal (for me) diet and avoid excess red meat.
Panic over …...
6 Year Habit says
re: DAY 82
Dear 60 year habit,
From what I read, it's the calcium in the milk that inhibit iron absorption. So, yogurt also works which I eat one or two each day. I haven't read it, but it seems like calcium rich Tums would work, too. You might ask your GP. I'd be curious to hear what he/she has to say about that.
6 Year Habit says
re: DAY 82
Dear 60 year habit,
After I read your comment, I googled too much iron in the blood. It sounds like this could very well take care of a lot of your symptoms. I don't drink milk, but will give this a try, too. I'm hoping that you're happy to see the tests confirm that there is indeed something wrong and that you can treat it without medicine. From what I read, too much iron can effect the adrenal glands, make us feel overly tired, and have trouble breathing among other things. I had the trouble breathing and the fatigue. I'm hopeful that this news for you might be able to help me, too. Do you know yet what an adequate amount of milk you should drink daily to help inhibit iron absorption??
To me, this is great news for you! I hope you're happy and more importantly, I hope that milk really helps you. 🙂
User with 60 year habit says
re: Just got my blood test
Just got my blood test results back, all ok apart from ferritin and iron which are too high. Just done the usual panic google search, it seems that tea and milk (both of which I have avoided for all the time I have been off caffeine) inhibit iron absorption. I have an appt with my GP soon, in the meantime I will get some milk. too much iron in the blood can apparently be v serious. I wish I could just have a cup of tea!
6 Year Habit says
re: DAY 82
Hello Nicole, I'm on day 82 of having no caffeine. During the 1st 4 weeks of having no caffeine is some of the worst days of my life. I had never felt so much depression, anxiety, and panic. I had health fears, too. Looking back, I would not have stopped cold turkey the way that I did. I had read on this website numerous stories of people with depression and also how day 60 was an important mark for many people (not all). For me, day 60 found me feeling much better: not 100% recovered, but 80% to 90%. I feel 100% more days than not now. Today is one of those not days for me, but the past 82 days of experience have taught me that it's temporary. Hang in there. Yours is temporary, too. You'll make it. I'm not sure if your little "sips" of caffeine helps or hurts you, but I don't think it changes the fact that the withdrawal will be temporary. The only hurt that I can imagine coming from the little "sips" is that day 60 may not be the magic number for you like it was for me. Our brain tries to trick us into drinking caffeine. It almost negotiates by saying, "Just drinking a little sip. It will help. It won't hurt." During my withdrawal, I was dreaming of drinking the coffee that I loved so much. That desire is now broken.
User glad to be says
re: Well you must be reading the
Well you must be reading the wrong posts, because many of the posts on this site are about anxiety and depression from caffeine withdrawal…….
Nicole says
re: Hey guys I really need some
Hey guys I really need some encouragement or something to ease my mind right now. I quit caffeine about a week ago and about 3 days ago I started to experience extremely bad panic attacks followed by really bad depression. I got scared so now I'm allowing myself a little amount of caffeine everyday. I'm normally a really happy level headed person but I'm starting to feel scared that something is actually mentally wrong with me. I'm hoping I can connect the depression to caffeine withdrawal but I've found little on people actually becoming severely depressed from it. I was drinking a monster every morning. A red bull every afternoon and an iced coffee on top of that sometimes for about 8 months straight I want to say. I'm just hoping someone can calm me down and help me feel level headed again. If anyone is experiencing what I'm going through I would really appreciate someone to talk to. Thanks so much.
Mandy says
re: 6.5 months caffeine free now
i was on this site everyday in the first four months of quitting a diet coke habit and was really helped by all the posts, i thought id come on and see how people were doing and came across micheals posts which ive read, anyway i have no regrets quitting diet coke but havent reaped full benifits as i started eating chocolate again - i promise you that first piece of chocolate tasted horrible... i know, so why eat it then. so im going to cut it out and also aspartame as i have a bit of that too, not as much as in diet coke days, but some, as i am left with cognitive fog and dizzyness, giddiness still. i was drinking diet coke all day for about 17 years. and i did some exercise yesterday and felt better for it, when i first quit i experienced such trembling dizziness and weird head sensations that i developed a panic thought around collapsing, so i became very sedentry and need to correct this now, my mind says "dont overdo it else your head will go dizzy and youll collapse and they'll find a tumour or something" i type that down and see how bizarre the thought is but when its in my head it has power, I'll get there, so saying hello and i understand and well done etc, will check in again soon. best wishes folks.
User (60 year habit) says
re: I am waiting for some blood
I am waiting for some blood test results (just an annual check up) so they may reveal something, I hope not. I am happy with my progress and am not worried about it, I wish it would speed up, but I can't make it happen, I can't control my metabolism.
Of course I don't mind your making suggestions. I don't have your faith in "experts" though….
6 Year Habit says
re: DAY 68
@ 60 YEAR HABIT: I'm not sure that it's pointless for you to see an endocrinologist. At the very least, he could identify the problem so you know it's nothing worse than a dysfunctional endocrine system. It might help relieve some worries if you have any. Plus, he might know some non-medicine treatments. We don't know what we don't know sometimes.
I have read that drinking too much lemon juice ("lemon juice cleansing") can also cause fatigue. Too much of anything is usually not good. Plus too much lemon juice can flush out essential nutrients that your body needs.
I hope you don't mind me trying to help brain storm. I personally am always open to suggestions. Sometimes I'm too close to what's going on to see clear solutions. Plus, I would like to hear you are starting to feel better. I'm hopeful that you'll get to feeling better!
DAY 68: On day 68, I'm feeling a little weak the past couple of days. Before that, I was feeling on top of the world and very happy. Some of my weakness might be the result of my diet and me exercising so much. I took off exercising yesterday to rest up. I still experience some back pain when walking 30 minutes and holding a book that I'm reading at the same time, but there's a little bit of improvement.
I made an appointment for a physical today. It will be 6 weeks before they can get me in, so I'm going to be patient. Plus, I plan on making an appointment with an endocrinologist just to get checked out and here what he has to say. Since my mother died of pancreatic cancer, I figure it can't hurt.
User (60 year habit) says
re: I was only drinking 2 cups of
I was only drinking 2 cups of tea a day, so not much, but I am extremely sensitive to all meds now (after decades of prescription benzodiazepines) which is why it would be pointless for me to see an endocrinologist, I cannot tolerate any supplements or vitamins etc except as they come naturally, in fruit and veg etc.
I am sure all your symptoms will fade eventually.
6 Year Habit (aka Michael) says
re: DAY 63
I forget 60 year habit, how much caffeine were you drinking daily before you quit? It sounds like it must have been a lot.
I can't say at day 63 I'm at 100%. I still have some allergies at night with the dry nose symptoms. I still have back pains. But, I remain hopeful that my symptoms will disappear in time. That book said that it takes 3 years of being totally off of caffeine to get that stuff out of every organ of our bodies.
Today is Thursday, so Tuesday I skipped a day of exercising. I was getting worn out from too much exercise. However, skipping a day brought on that feeling of weakness like it's a mild flu. I was feeling about 70% of normal yesterday up until I did my first sit ups before going to the gym. The sit ups by themselves helped me jump from 70% to 90% normal. After work out, I was nearly 100%. I woke up this morning (Thursday) feeling 100% but have dropped to 95%. So I think my problem is a cortisol deficiency since exercise creates cortisol. This tells me that my adrenal glands are completely healed yet, but getting better. I'm not a doctor, but this makes sense to me.
I asked you before if you've gone to see an endocrinologist? Your reply was about your trip to the emergency room. An endocrinologist can do specialized tests on your adrenal glands, pancreas, thyroid, pituitary glands, etc. I'm just not sure that an emergency room really has enough specialized knowledge to examine your endocrine system on the level that would be helpful. Plus, an endocrinologist might be able to suggest (or prescribe) treatment that will help your endocrine system to heal quicker. You may have done all of this, but it's just seems like a good way to go to me. What do you think?
Michael says
re: DAY 61
At day 61, I feel mostly normal again minus the caffeine induced mania. 🙂 I didn't think 60 days would ever get here, but around day 40 or so, time started to speed up. I couldn't ever imagine feeling normal again, but I did make it. I say all this in case other people read this and need to feel hopeful that the withdrawal symptoms aren't going to last forever.
It did seem to help when I started to take a multi-vitamin along with extra zinc supplement and extra vitamin C. The only thing from which I varied in helping my adrenal glands to heal was that I put myself on a diet to lose weight. I had started to lose weight while going through the initial depression, but decided to maintain that weight loss and lose more. I lost 15 lbs. in 60 days. I don't know if this slowed my recovery or actually helped by forcing the pituitary and thyroid glands to be more self-reliant and efficient. In any case, I helped me to resist eating more food and sugars to compensate for less caffeine. I don't know if that's how it works, but in my mind it sounds right.
I do sleep more than when I drink caffeine. I feel myself getting wore out and needing rest. However, I think that before caffeine stopped me from feeling how tired I was; thereby, preventing me from getting the rest that I need. I just kept going and going until I crashed from fatigue. This might also explain why I only could run 1.5 miles before. Now 60 days later, I run 5 miles on a good day and 3.5 miles on an easy day. In addition, I walk 30 minutes everyday, stretch, and lift weights 3 to 4 times a week.
I'm so thankful to have reached the 60 day mark. All the comments on here really helped me understand what was going on and have faith that what I was experiencing wasn't fatal. 🙂
User says
re: I am glad you got something
I am glad you got something from the book, I thought that was interesting too.
Re the lemon juice, because I am allergic to sulfites (and cannot therefore use vinegar etc), I am awash with lemon juice AND I drink water with lemon juice (by the way, it is wise to eat a small piece of cheese after drinking lemon juice or it destroys the enamel on your teeth).
I am trying to do as much exercise as I can, and my muscles are gradually getting stronger although nowhere near back to normal (I'd say I am at about 20 % of normal at the moment).
I do envy you finding out about caffeine so early, at 72 it isn't easy!!!!!
Michael says
re: DAY 54
I'm still noticing improvement. While my energy level still isn't 100% all of the time, it's roughly 85% most of the time. I'm happy with that. There haven't been any doom and gloom thoughts for at least 10 days. Yay! I'm really happy with that.
@60 year habit: I got that book that you suggested, "Welcome to the Dance". I find it interesting that she says that it takes 3 years of total abstinence from caffeine to experience a total detox of caffeine from every organ in the body. Hang in there! The 60 day mark that I've read on this forum and other places on the internet, seems to be a reliable milestone for me based on my progress. I did read in this book that exercise helps to speed up the detox process. Coincidentally, I exercised hard and on a regular basis no matter how bad I felt. This might have helped me. Plus, last summer I had kidney stones (another caffeine related illness) for the first time in my life. The urologist suggest that I started drinking lemon water and drop coffee. While I didn't listen to his suggestion to drop coffee, I did start drinking 2 full glasses of lemon water every morning when I first wake up. I wanted to rehydrate my body and prevent the return of the kidney stones. It turns out that lemon water helps to detox the body. I did not read this in the book, but I'm thinking that the lemon water (in addition to the exercise) might have help speed up the detox process. I'm not a doctor, but it sounds logical. I don't think this could hurt you 60-year-habit and it might actually help... maybe. 🙂
In retrospect, I can see symptoms of my caffeine addiction and how it all fits into place. I'm glad that caffeine is all I did: no smoking, no drugs, and no drinking. It made it easier to figure out what my problem was even when the doctor sent me away saying there's nothing wrong with me. I feel fortunate.
Pieces of the puzzle that make sense now include the kidney stones, fatigue, and vertigo. The vertigo I was previously able to connect to aspartame. If there was aspartame in anything even without my knowledge, I would experience vertigo. Now I'm thinking that caffeine contributed to the vertigo by pushing my endocrine system to the point where it was especially sensitive to aspartame. Again, it's a guess on my part, but it seems logical.
In conclusion, I'm pretty optimistic about the future. And I'm confident that detoxing off of caffeine will be one of the best things I've ever done!
User (60 year habit) says
re: Hi michael, I am so glad you
Hi michael, I am so glad you are getting your energy back - that is good news. Yes I am making steady progress, although the fatigue seems never ending. I think you will get longer and longer periods of having energy, so you might be back to "normal" very soon.
I often think of John C, Mandy, Dave and all the others (and Jackie) and wonder how they are doing, I am in touch with Lisa and I know she is still struggling and having a hard time, although she too is very gradually improving. I hope they are all getting or are already better.
Michael says
re: Day 45
I think it was wise to not mention that you had those symptoms for the past 14 months after coming off caffeine. They may not have tried as hard to find a cause. I would find it reassuring that they didn't find anything. That reinforces your knowledge that it is the caffeine withdrawal and someday it will come to an end and you will recover. After 60 years, it is going to take a good while longer that someone like me that was only on it 6 years. I'm assuming that you're still making slow, but steady progress??
My back still hurts between my shoulder blades today, but I do have upbeat news. My energy level has felt pretty good for the past 3 days. The energy level has come and gone ever since I stopped caffeine 45 days ago, but this is the longest stretch of a normal energy level that I've felt. I'm expecting to still cycle through ups and downs of having energy and not having energy, but I'm hopeful that the having energy will continue to be longer and longer and the not having energy will be shorter and shorter.
User (60 year habit) says
re: "Step 1
Practice patience and
"Step 1
Practice patience and start slowly. One of the biggest challenges that you may face while attempting to rebuild muscle is overcoming the realization that your body is not physically capable of the feats it used to be prior to atrophy. You will have to gradually work up to your fitness goals again"
a quote from a site I got when I googled "how to build up muscle after wasting away" (on azcentral).
It is going to take me a very long time, because I have to wait for the fatigue to improve as well……….
User (60 year habit) says
re: Hello Michael,
I am also
Hello Michael,
I am also unable to do what I used to be able to do on caffeine, I used to walk incredibly fast everywhere (I was known for it, nobody could keep up), now I feel as though I am wading through water and feel as if I am walking incredibly slowly but when I compare myself with other people on the street, I am in reality walking at the same pace as them ie a normal walking pace.
I have tried exercise with no success, it makes my back ache incredibly bad and the fatigue becomes a thousand times worse, I found a useful link will try and post it later. I do walk for at least half an hour a day though and more usually.
You say "Now the pain is slightly higher between my shoulder blades." exactly like me so it MUST be caffeine induced.
I have just got back from hospital because I took Jayson's advice and got my chest and arm pain checked out, after I went to the ER, they kept me in for x rays blood tests and I was hooked up to machines all night for tests, it was stressful and exhausting but thank goodness, there is nothing wrong with my heart, they were mystified but I didn't mention that I had had these symptoms for the past 14 months after coming off caffeine!! Too much for them to believe…….
Michael says
re: DAY 42
Thank you 60 year habit for suggesting the book. I've ordered it today. Sounds really interesting! I also appreciate you interacting with me and everyone on this website. It helps hearing from someone who has gone through the withdrawals and still working on recovery.
You asked me how I'm doing?
I think the pancreas has stopped hurting. Now the pain is slightly higher between my shoulder blades. I've read scary stuff about back pain between the shoulder blades like cancer and I've read that it can be just stress. But, I prefer to think it's a symptom of my caffeine withdrawal.
Overall, I don't have the energy that I once had when I was hyped on caffeine, but I guess that's to be expected. I'm hoping more of it returns in the next month or so. I do work out at the gym for a couple of hours per day on most days. The exercise actually seems to help my energy level. And 2 hours is actually more than I did before while on caffeine. I'm going to guess that since caffeine masks my fatigue that I was really tired before, but didn't know how tired I was. Now I'm more rested and my body can actually do more when called upon to do so. I just can't do it constantly in a state of near mania like I did before.
I haven't read anything on hear much about people's sex drive during the withdrawal. Mine was pretty high before stopping caffeine, but now it's pretty low. Not gone entirely, but pretty low. My wife and I both hope that soon returns. lol. She's being very supportive and patient with everything.
Still, the biggest concern that I have right now is the back pain between the shoulder blades. I'm having faith that it will soon lessen and pass. I'm starting to take Glucosomine Chondroitin twice a day like I did before. Started that 2 days ago. I'll let you know how it goes.
No depression for a good while. I'm keeping in pretty good spirits and I'm not having the negative thoughts that I was having. Overall, I keep making progress.
You mentioned that you still have fatigue and muscle weakness. Have you tried exercise? When I was experiencing the worst of my fatigue, I actually did the opposite of what my body wanted me to do and worked out. I pushed myself beyond the point where my body was screaming for me to stop. I was trying to build serotonin up with exercise to offset my depression and produce cortisol to offset energy symptoms caused by cortisol deficit. I don't know if it helped me or not, but I did it. Also, did you go to an endocrinologist? I cancelled my appointment for now. I decided to wait until after the 60 day mark and see how I feel.
Hang in there!
Michael
User (60 year habit) says
re: No I didn't get back pain
No I didn't get back pain when I was on it either, but I certainly do now. If you get the chance to read "Welcome to the Dance"by Ruth Mor, it is very interesting on the side effects of caffeine and why we don't all experience them when we are still ingesting it. (see her short article below)
I think you are v fortunate too, if only I had known about caffeine earlier too….
How are you doing now?
Michael says
re: Wow! Very interesting
Wow! Very interesting article. Thanks for sharing that. I did not experience back pain while I was drinking caffeine, so I'm hoping it's not the case with me. Plus, I've only been drinking caffeine for 6 years. I'm hoping there's not too much irreversible damage to my body. Still, it's amazing how tough it is getting off a 6 year habit. I feel fortunate to find out when I did.
Thanks again 60 year old habit!
User (60 year habit) says
re: Hello again, when I first
Hello again, when I first came off the worst part of the back pain was in that area around the adrenals, luckily I didn't know it was the pancreatic area, or I might have been even more worried, since then it has moved around and I now get it in the hips, and in the middle of my upper back and neck, I don't know whether it is muscular or not, it is definitely very very painful and any activity makes it worse, apart from first thing in the morning when It is actually better when I have been moving around a bit. try googling liquid stress, caffeine cup of pain.
Michael says
re: Hello User (60 year old
Hello User (60 year old habit), Thanks for your encouragement. Can I ask if your back hurting was your muscles? I'm sure that mine is not my muscles. Mine feels more like the pancreas because it only hurts if I press on that spot in my back. I'd like to hear from anyone that has anything of value to share concerning the back pain. Since it didn't start until a couple of weeks ago, I'm going to think positively and trust it's just a withdrawal symptom. The timing of it makes sense. And the fact that the pancreas is attached to the adrenal glands and both are part of the same endocrine system, it makes sense. But I've only found two references to "pancreas" in this forum. And, I haven't found anything very descriptive about the back pain.
Thanks for responding!
User (60 year habit) says
re: Hello Michael, I just wanted
Hello Michael, I just wanted to tell you that now I have been off over a year (and I am sure it won't take you this long), I have started to lose some of my other allergies ….. I think they were caused by caffeine, so perhaps the same will happen for you.
My back ache hip ache everything ache does not go on all the time now, it comes on at the end of the day or as soon as I start doing too much, which doesn't take long as I am still wiped out with fatigue and muscle weakness. I too have times when I think my symptoms are all sinister, but as you say, this seems to be part of the process, as does the changing and waxing and waning of symptoms. Anyway, I hope your rapid improvement continues.
Michael says
re: By the way, it was just
By the way, it was just regular Claritin 24 hours. Not Claritin-D.
Michael says
re: Day 35
The comments on this site has helped a lot. I quit caffeine on April 04, 2014. Things are getting better. Sometimes I feel 100%, but then tiredness settles back in. But, I'm not as tired as I once was. Depression is gone. Reading everything on this site has helped me be patient until at least the 60 day mark. The pain in my back is my pancreas, I'm sure. Considering my mother died of pancreatic cancer, it has freaked me out a little bit. This site has helped me tell myself that this is likely not a real concern, but a concern that is a symptom of my withdrawal.
The events leading up to me stopping caffeine started in December 2013.
December 2013
Out of the blue, I felt extremely fatigued. It surprised me because I'm usually so high energy going non-stop from the time I wake up until bed time. (Now I realize that was caffeine induced mania.) I went to the doctor and he ran blood tests. Everything came back fine. By the time I got the results, I also felt normal again. Coincidentally I had stopped caffeine for a few days. I just figured that I had been going to hard for too long. I started caffeine again and was fine.
February 2014
Out of the blue, I experienced partial blindness for 25 minutes. Then twice more over the next 3 days. I researched what was going on and then confirmed it with an eye doctor visit. I had experienced aura migraines which are pain free, but does interfere with my eyesight. These are very common as it turns out and the source is stress. At the time from October 2013 to February 2014, I had been trying to buy a house much more expensive than the one in which I currently live. The guy from whom I was trying to buy it was flipping the house. He kept promising it would be done in November, then December, then January, etc... I really wanted the house, but I felt constant non-stop stress. I'm sure that coffee didn't help. Anyway, I gave up on buying the house and immediately felt all my stress melt away.
April 2014
Out of the blue, I felt extremely fatigued again. I had started taking Claritin a couple of weeks before for some extreme allergies that I was experiencing. I was trying to ride out the fatigue by just resting again, but this time I wasn't getting any better. I was actually getting worse. I was having trouble breathing. My right lung actually hurt. I had researched where this could be a rare allergic reaction to Claritin. It seemed odd to have an allergic reaction to allergy medicine, but it is possible. I immediately stopped Claritin and coffee and went to the doctor. The doctor told me there was nothing wrong with me. Just to be safe, stay off the Claritin. Now come on. I knew there was something wrong with me. Being off the Claritin and caffeine slowly allowed my breathing to come back.
May 2014
In hindsight, I find it interesting that instinctively, I quit caffeine with each fatigue episode. I didn't think about caffeine causing it. My body just knew it needed rest and subconsciously my mind had me give up coffee. Since giving up caffeine 35 days ago, I have experience most of the symptoms that I've found on this website.
01. Fatigue
02. Depression
03. Weakness / lack of energy
04. Weight loss
05. Back pain which I think is my pancreas hurting
06. Headaches
07. Foggy thinking
08. Dizziness
09. A little nausea
10. Constipation
More and more frequently I'm having more energy and thinking clearly. At day 35, I'm having an off day with a lack of energy. But, I now trust that's temporary and my energy level could come back at any moment. My weight loss has stopped and leveled out. My back actually didn't start noticeably hurting until last week and it's gradually gotten worse. It hurts today. Not significantly, but enough for me to know it's there. I'm guessing that maybe it's part of the process of my endocrine system rebooting. I hope so because my mother died of pancreatic cancer, so it freaks me out a little. This site is helping to ignore those thoughts for now. Lastly, I still struggle with the constipation as of today. Never never had that problem before. I mention my symptoms as of day 35 in case it helps anyone else on day 35.
I'm starting to look at the house buying stress as pushing me over the edge (the straw that broke the camel's back) as a blessing helping me see what stress the caffeine was putting on me. I didn't even realize it. I'm just looking forward to 60 days!!
User says
re: Thanks Daniel. I will check
Thanks Daniel. I will check before posting anything else. I have also ordered her book about caffeine "Welcome to the Dance" and am wondering if anyone else on this site has read it.
CAFFEINE ALLERGY: Past Disorder or Present Epidemic?
by Ruth Whalen, Medical Laboratory Technician
Cape Cod, MA USA.
With the upswing of "chemical imbalance" disorders that surfaced in the latter twentieth century, many researchers frantically attempt to unravel the brain's intricate clockworks. In turn, as the number of persons suffering with mental issues mount, it seems that doctors, pressed for time, are quick to refer patients to psychiatrists. Failing to request a medical physical, many psychiatrists hand out medications, often masking the underlying physical problem.
People have overlooked two simple but deleterious factors: 1,3,7 trimethylxanthine and allergy. Simply put: caffeine allergy. It is medical knowledge that the longer a person is exposed to a drug, the higher the chances are for developing a tolerance, and an allergy to the substance. Once this happens, caffeine allergic persons can't properly metabolize caffeine, which is rapidly absorbed by all organs, and distributed into intracellular compartments, and extracellular water.
Mentioned in a 1936 article by Drs. McManamy and Schube, a young woman, allergic to caffeine, presented with alternating states of delirium and mania, resembling schizophrenia (1). After the recorded case, allergy documentation becomes rare. And not surprisingly.
The drug's stimulating properties masks its allergic symptoms. Circulating adrenaline (epinephrine) increases in caffeine consuming persons (2,3). In its synthetic form, epinephrine is the drug of choice for anaphylactic reactions, halting allergic reactions. But added to a stimulant reaction, excess adrenaline may induce delusions. And the breakdown of some adrenaline byproducts mimics symptoms of schizophrenia (4).
Brain levels increase proportionately with dosage (5). In allergic persons, each cup of coffee, cola, tea, every piece of chocolate, and any ingested caffeine products, intensifies toxic psychosis. Half-life increases. Subsequent doses, including minute amounts, act as a bolus. Cells are poisoned, including neurons.
Symptoms of cerebral allergy can range from minimal reactions, such as lack of comprehension and inability to focus, to severe psychotic states, such as delusions, paranoia, and hallucinations (6). It's known that amphetamine psychosis can't be distinguished from schizophrenia (7,8). With a caffeine allergic person's inability to eliminate, continually ingesting caffeine, neurotransmitter levels, including dopamine and adrenaline, quickly increase. Cells rapidly absorb the drug.
Dopamine increases proportionately to the amount of stress (9). The higher the adrenaline level, the greater the increase in dopamine. Serotonin also increases. Dopamine and serotonin decrease during partial, toxic withdrawal states. But as long as caffeine remains in the toxic body, neurotransmitters never adjust to the victim's natural state.
Toxicity is known to cause excitement, agitation, restlessness, shifting states of consciousness, and toxic psychosis (10), mimicking amphetamine psychosis. Allergic individuals may be erroneously diagnosed, medicated, and lost in a dark disturbed world, until death.
Adenosine receptors are blocked by caffeine (11,16), maintaining neuronal firing. Persons remain excited and often euphoric.
Caffeine toxicity may be mistaken for bipolar disorder (1,12). Symptoms include: chattiness, repetitive thought and action (resembling obsessive compulsive disorder, OCD), restlessness, psychomotor agitation, alternating moods, anger, impulsiveness, aggression, omnipotence, delirium, buying sprees, lack of sexual inhibition, and loss of values.
Allergy can mimic Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) (13). As far back as 1902, T. D. Crothers noted that many caffeine consuming children "exhibit precocity" and "functional exaltation" (14).
Caffeine poisoning may also resemble schizophrenia. One woman's conversational topics wandered from subject to subject. She screamed, and believed that she was in prison. Natural judgement was impaired (1). In 1931, a truck driver brought to the hospital in a confused and irritable condition, complained of being attacked by flies. Flies were never present. Examination revealed that he'd consumed large amounts of cola (15). One gentleman ended his political speech with predictions and threats, out of the ordinary for his personality, stunning the audience (14). Another case describes a man, who imagined himself very wealthy, and assumed that his mental state was normal (14).
Caffeine toxicity may also masquerade as depression, and anxiety. In 1925, Powers described nervousness, visual problems, and dizziness, in patients he discovered suffered from caffeine toxicity (16). In 1974, caffeine toxic patients, experiencing the same symptoms, were erroneously admitted to a psychiatric hospital, for treatment of anxiety (16,17). In other studies, depression and anxiety are also correlated with caffeine intake (18,19,20,21).
In several reports, patients diagnosed with anxiety disorder experienced panic attacks with ingestion of caffeine (18,19,20). One study reveals that six persons improved with caffeine cessation and remained improved for at least six months (21). Other reports reveal that some persons not afflicted with panic disorder, experienced panic attacks with intravenously EspressoCoffeeGuideistered caffeine (22, 23).
Written materials on panic disorder symptoms and anaphylactic symptoms do not clearly differentiate between the two. Parasthesia (pins and needle sensations), a feeling of choking, hyperactive symptoms, chest pains, and hyperventilation, amongst other symptoms, are common in both conditions. They're also common in many caffeine consuming persons.
This suggests that caffeine allergy may be responsible for many cases of panic disorder. In which case, panic attacks in allergic individuals are suppressed anaphylactic reactions - mimicking ADHD, and panic disorder. They're "have to get up and run" and "I think I'm losing my mind" feelings, brought about by increased neurotransmitter levels, associated with the "fight or flight" syndrome.
Dr. William Walsh connected anxiety and severe allergic reactions. Dr.Walsh maintains that allergic anxiety stems from a choking sense, and loss of air; not a psychological deficit (24).
Caffeine converts into many byproducts, including theophylline. Theophylline keeps the bronchial tubes open. Allergic individuals are less likely to suffer respiratory collapse, during an anaphylactic reaction.
A proficient Boston neurologist mentions that sixty-six percent of elevated CPK MM (creatine phosphokinase of muscle) levels are of an "unknown origin" (25). Innumerable mid to late twentieth century studies reveal that a high number of persons diagnosed with mental disorders, including personality disorder, mania, BPD, depression, catatonia, and schizophrenia, exhibit elevated CPK MM levels (26,27,28-38,39,40-50).
The high majority of these studies, and others, attribute elevated CPK levels to a commonality between patients with mental disorders. Not one focuses on caffeine allergy as a contributing factor of mental disorders.
CPK MM, a muscle enzyme, increases with severe muscle trauma, burns, inflammatory states, and poisoning. This may stem from drugs (36,37,38,39), including cocaine, alcohol, amphetamines, heroin, and stimulants (37,40). Antihistamines, salicylates, cyclic antidepressants, theophylline, and others also cause this disorder (37).
This condition, called rhabdomyolysis, stresses and inflames tissues, including brain cells, breaking down muscle fibers, and discharging potentially toxic cellular matter into the bloodstream (37). Caffeine poisoning can cause rhabdomyolysis (10,37,41).
Myoglobinuria is a symptom of rhabdomyolysis, but often urine myoglobin disappears early in the course of the disorder, or is absent altogether (37). Generalized muscle cramping (associated with rhabdomyolysis) (14,37) may also be absent, or subside early on. Accumulation of caffeine acts as morphine, alleviating pain and discomfort, often inducing muscle rigidity.
With toxins leaking into the bloodstream, the CPK increases. The higher the CPK, the higher the neurotransmitters, and the deeper into psychosis a person spirals.
In the late 1960's, Bengzon et al proposed that the leakage of CPK and aldolase might explain schizophrenia (26). Studies on patients with non-restrictive diets, concentrated on various factors, including medication, but failed to include caffeine as a possible factor (26). More recent studies have also overlooked caffeine allergy as a factor in any mental disorders, including schizophrenia.
A study theorized caffeine as a possible, psychosis inducing agent. Researchers eliminated patients' caffeine for a short duration. It was decided that caffeine aggravates symptoms of thought disorder and psychosis (42). Caffeine was reintroduced-never allowing for sufficient withdrawal times-and significant improvements.
Proportionate to toxicity, physical withdrawal may take up to 12 months, or longer. Recovery symptoms include memory loss, confusion, tremors, agitated states, insomnia or somnolence, and nightmares associated with amphetamine withdrawal. Following physical recovery, residual mental symptoms, primarily confusion and mood alterations, may exist for several months.
Evidence suggests that caffeine, and synthetic neurotransmitter altering medications, merely balance one another, and that upon cessation of caffeine, medication is no longer needed. Several reports indicate that upon caffeine cessation, tremors increased in lithium consuming individuals (43). In some patients, caffeine withdrawal increased lithium levels (44). After experiencing a 10-year course of seasonal BPD, a woman eliminated caffeine from her diet. She no longer needed BPD medication (45).
Caffeine may compete for benzodiazepine receptors (5). In which case, benzodiazepines reduce caffeine's effects and vice versa; balancing each other.
Chronic toxicity may affect functional aspects of every organ (14). Allergic persons may become sensitive to bright light, and resort to sunglasses. It's not uncommon to find dilated but reactive pupils on examination (14). Toxic persons usually present with a whitish, or grayish coated tongue (14, 46). Other findings imply that caffeine inhibits anaphylaxis, by suppressing histamine release (47,48). Due to caffeine's antihistamine properties, a skin test for caffeine allergy may be negative.
Several laboratory tests may be used as markers for allergic toxicity. A detectable Theophylline level in a patient not receiving Theophylline therapy, and an elevated CPK level are indicative of caffeine toxicity. Along with these, an increased glucose level (10,49) and an elevated white blood count (1,49) may also be significant of toxicity, as many patients assumed afflicted with mental disorders present with elevation of these (1,50). An elevated sedimentation rate, indicative of inflammatory processes, might signify rhabdomyolysis.
It's highly probable, that millions of consumers developed an allergy to caffeine, especially since availability and production increased rapidly mid- twentieth century. In which case, natural insights, and physical and mental health, have been sacrificed to chronic toxicity, resulting in organic brain, silently posing as ADD, ADHD, anxiety, BPD, depression, OCD, panic, and schizophrenia. Physical ailments resemble amphetamine poisoning, and include drug eruptions, masquerading as "rosacea."
Back in 1936, McManamy and Schube maintained that in all probability, many people of that era might have already been erroneously diagnosed with some form of mental illness. The doctors further predicted, that in the future, with lack of time, and proper medical insight, many doctors would not be able to diagnose simple disorders such as caffeine allergy, and would label many patients as psychotic (1).
Well, here we are. Welcome to the future.
(Copyright 2001 © Ruth Whalen M.L.T., ASCP, BA. Tenpaisleypark@hotmail.com Reprinted with permission.)
REFERENCES:
1. McManamy MC, Schube PG. Caffeine Intoxication: Report of a Case the Symptoms of which Amounted to a Psychosis. N Eng Journ Med. 1936. 215:616-620.
2. Cherniske, Stephen. Caffeine Blues: Wake Up to the Hidden Dangers of America's #1 Drug.New York: Warner. 1998.
3. James, Jack E. Understanding Caffeine: A Biobehavioral Analysis. California: Sage. 1997.
4. Huxley, Aldous. THE DOORS OF PERCEPTION and HEAVEN AND HELL. New York: Harper & Row. 1954.
5. Spiller, Gene A., ed. The Methylxanthines Beverages and Foods: Chemistry, Consumption, and Health Effects. New York: Alan R. Liss Inc. 1984.
6. Sheinken, David, Schachter, Michael, Hutton, Richard. The Food Connection: How the Things You Eat Affect the Way You Feel-And What You Can Do About It. New York: Bobbs-Merrill Co. 1979.
7. Arieti, Silvano. Interpretation of Schizophrenia. New York: Basic Books, Inc. 1974.
8. Lukas, Scott. The Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Drugs: Amphetamines: Danger in the Fast Lane. New York: Chelsea House. 1985.
9. Ruden, Ronald. The Craving Brain. New York: Harper Collins. 1997.
10. Fisher Scientific Corporation. Material Safety Data Sheet: Caffeine. NJ: MDL Information Systems. 1984. (Rev. 1995).
11. Nehlig, A. Are We Dependent upon Coffee and Caffeine?: A Review on Human and Animal. Neurosci and Biobehav Reviews. 1999. 23:563-576.
12. American Psychiatric Association. Caffeine-Induced Organic Mental Disorder. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual III-R (DSM III-R). 1987 and 1994. http://www.drowning.com/caffeine.html.
13. Rapp, Doris. Is This Your Child?: Discovering and Treating Unrecognized Allergies in Children and Adults. New York: William Morrow & Co. 1991.
14. Crothers, T.D. Morphinism and Narcomanias from Other Drugs. Philadelphia: W. B. Sanders & Co. 1902.
15. Shen WW, D'Souza TC.Cola-induced psychotic organic brain syndrome: A Case Report. Rocky Mountain Med Journ.1979. 76: 312-313.
16. Snyder SH, Pamela Sklar. PSYCHIATRIC PROGRESS: BEHAVIORAL AND
MOLECULAR ACTIONS OF CAFFEINE: FOCUS ON ADENOSINE. J. Psychiat. Res.1984. 91-106.
17. Greden JF. Anxiety or Caffeinism: A Diagnostic Dilemma. Amer Journ Psychiatry. 1974. 1089-1092.
18. Lee MA, Flegel P, Greden JF, Cameron OG. Anxiogenic effects of caffeine on panic and depressed patients. American Journ Psychiatry. 1988. 145: 632-635.
19. Clementz GL, Dailey JW. Psychotropic effects of caffeine. Amer Fam Physician. 1988.37: 167-172.
20.Boulenger JP, Uhde TW, Wolff EA 3rd, Post RM. Increased sensitivity to caffeine in patients with panic disorders. Preliminary evidence. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1984. 41:1067-1071.
21. Bruce MS, Lader M. Caffeine abstention in the management of anxiety disorders. Psychol Med. 1989. 19: 211-214.
22. Lin AS, Uhde TW, Slate SO, McCann UD. Effects of intravenous caffeine EspressoCoffeeGuideistered to Healthy males during sleep. Depress Anxiety. 1997. 5: 21-28.
23. Nickell PV, Uhde TW. Dose-response of intravenous caffeine in normal volunteers. Anxiety.1994-1995. 1: 161-168.
24. Walsh, William E. The Complete Guide to Understanding and Relieving Your Food Allergies. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 2000.
25. Neurology Department. New England Medical Center. Boston. 2001.
26. Meltzer, H. Muscle Enzyme Release in the Acute Psychosis. Arch General Psychiatry.1969.21: 102-112.
27. Meltzer, HY. Neuromuscular Abnormalities in the major mental illnesses .I. Serum enzyme studies. Res Publ Assoc Res Nerv Ment Disor. 1975. 54:165-188.
28. Crayton JW, Meltzer HY. Serum creatine phosphokinase activity in psychiatrically hospitalized children. Arch Gen Psychiatry.1976. 33: 679-681.
29. Meltzer, HY. Serum creatine phosphokinase in schizophrenia. Amer Journ Psychiatry.1976. 192-197.
30. Cohen DJ, Johnson W, Caparulo BK, Young JG. Creatine phosphokinase levels in children with severe developmental disturbances. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1976. 33: 683-686.
31. Faulstich ME, Brantley PJ, Barkemeyer CA. Creatine phosphokinase, the MMPI, and Psychosis. Amer Journ Psychiatry. 1984. 141: 584-586.
32. Balaita C, Christodorescu D, Nastase R, Iscrulescu C, Dimian G. The serum creatine-kinase as a biological marker in major depression. Rom Journ Neurol Psychiatry. 1990.28: 127-134.
33. Swartz CM, Breen KJ. Multiple muscle enzyme release with psychiatric illness. Journ Nerv Ment Disor.1990. 178: 755-759.
34. Nastase R, Balaita C, Iscrulescu C, Petrea A. The concentration of serum-kinase in manic attacks of primary affective psychoses. Rom Journ Neurol Psychiatry. 1993.31: 97-103.
35. Blumensohn R, Yoran-Hegesh R, Golubchik P, Mester R, Fluhr H, Hermesh H, Weizman A. Elevated serum creatine kinase activity in adolescent psychiatric inpatients on admission. Int Clinic Psychopharmacol. 1998. 13: 269-272.
36. Berkow, Robert , ed. Sixteenth Edition. The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy. NJ:Merck Research Laboratories. 1992.
37. Craig, Sandy. Rhabdomyolyis. Emergency Medicine. May, 2001. http://www.emedicine.com/Emerg/topic508.htm.
38. Davidson, Israel, and Henry John Bernard, eds. Todd-Sanford Clinical Diagnosis by Laboratory Methods. 15th Edition. Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders. 1974.
39. Widmann, Frances K. Clinical Interpretation of Laboratory Tests. Philadelphia: F. A. Davis Co. 1983.
40. Richards, Jr. Rhabdomyolsis and Drugs of Abuse. J Emerg Med. 2000.
19: 51-56.
41. Wrenn KD, Oschner I. Rhabdomyolysis induced by caffeine overdose. Ann Emerg Med. 1989. 18: 94-97.
42. Lucas PB, Pickar David, Kelsoe, John, Rapaport Mark, Pato Carlos, Hommer, Daniel. Effects of Acute Administration of Caffeine in Patients with Schizophrenia.
Biol Psychiatry.1990. 28: 35-40.
43. Jefferson, JW. Lithium tremor and caffeine intake: two cases of drinking less and shaking more. Journ Clin Psychiatry. 1988. 49: 72-73.
44. Mester R, Toren P, Mizrachi I, Wolmer L, Karni N, Weizman A.Caffeine withdrawal increases lithium blood levels. Biol Psychiatry. 1995. 37: 348-350.
45. Tondo L, Rudas N. The course of a seasonal bipolar disorder influenced by caffeine.Journ Affect Disor. 1991. 22: 249-251.
46. Headlee, Raymond, and Wells, Bonnie Corey. Psychiatry in Nursing. New York: Rhinehart & Co. 1948.
47. Shiozaki T, Sugiyama K, Nakazato K, Takeo T. Effects of tea extracts, catechin and caffeine against type-I allergic reaction. Yakugaku Zasshi. 1997. 117: 448-454.
48. Shin HY, Lee CS, Chae HJ, Kim HR, Baek SH, An NH, Kim MH. Inhibitory effects of anaphylactic shock by caffeine in rats. Int J Immunopharmacol. 2000. 22: 411-418.
49. Massachusetts Poison Control System. Caffeine. Clinical Toxicology Review. Nov. 1994. http://www.mapoison.org/ctr/9411caffeine.html
50. Hatta K, Takahashi T, Nakamura H, Yamashiro H, Endo H, Fujii S, Fukami G, Masui K, Asukai N, Yonezawa Y. Abnormal physiological conditions in acute schizophrenic patients on emergency admission: dehydration, hypokalemia, leukocytosis and elevated serum muscle enzymes. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci. 1998. 248: 180-188.
Daniel Owen says
re: go ahead and post it
go ahead and post it
User (60 year habit) says
re: Here is Ruth's answer:
Dear
Here is Ruth's answer:
Dear ,
Feel free to post any of my articles. I work for God, not the governments, so I ignore copyright "laws."
Ethically,
Ruth Whalen
Unless you object, I will repost the article, it is such an interesting and important piece of information……...
User (60 year habit) says
re: Thanks again Jayson, I think
Thanks again Jayson, I think I will assume that it is caffeine wd after reading your post…...
User says
re: apologies, I misunderstood
apologies, I misunderstood the small print at the end of the article. I have emailed Ruth to apologise and to ask for her permission.
Again, many thanks for this site.
Daniel Owen says
re: Please do not post copyrighted content unless you own the copyri
I heavily redacted the comment above because it appears to be a copy-past from another site. If you want to refer people please use a URL or the title of the article.
Ruth Whalen if you were the poster please accept my apologies and repost. I'll email you to confirm your allowance of the re-post. Based on the original post that didn't appear to be the case.
Thanks
Daniel Owen
Jayson says
re: Link/Website
Not sure if this has been posted already, but this is a helpful website. I go back to this every once in a while. Try to navigate through the entire site.
http://www.pe2000.com/self_help_techniques/caffeine/
I also recommend the book The Attention Revolution for those whose withdrawal symptoms include major anxiety and other mental shenanigans.
Jayson says
re: @Anon (60 year habit)
No, I never had those, especially chest pain. The major symptoms I had and the ones I remember most clearly are anxiety, phobias, OCD like behavior, muscle fatigue and brain fog/memory problems. I had other ones as well, but they're petty compared to the ones I just mentioned, such as trembling and shakiness, a ringing sound in my ear, problems with my appetite, etc..
If you're overweight and have a big belly, heart attack/stroke becomes extremely relevant. If not and you're in shape, I'd say it's pretty safe to assume that the chest pain and such are withdrawal symptoms, especially since caffeine was a 60 year habit for you.
Also, heart attack is a symptom of what's about to happen, which is cardiac arrest. People normally complain of chest pain that radiates through their arms and jaw. My auntie was complaining about the pain in her left arm one day and dismissed it as the outcome of having slept wrongly. Turns out she was having a heart attack.
Withdrawal symptoms sucks. I became suicidal at one point (I posted about it here some hundreds of pages back. Around 2010/2011), but I endured it and here I am, literally stoked! =)
User says
re: Here is the article:Caffeine
Here is the article:
CAFFEINE ALLERGY: Past Disorder or Present Epidemic?
[EDITED to remove probable copyright issue]
User says
re: From the Livestrong site:
From the Livestrong site:
Chest pains may occur in some people after drinking caffeine. Caffeine is a stimulant drug that affects the central nervous system and helps you feel more awake. Chest pain from caffeine consumption is the result of inflammation and tightness in your airways and lungs.
User (60 year habit) says
re: plus chest PAIN
plus chest PAIN
User (60 year habit) says
re: That sounds really
That sounds really interesting, I have read a similar article by Ruth Whalen.
I am interested to know that it took 2 years for your ocd behaviour to go, that gives me even more hope. I had not realised what a negative impact caffeine had had on my mood, because (as I said in my last post) I feel so "well`'now, in spite of all the lingering symptoms.
I had another bout of strange cramps in my legs and feet last night, but they are so much milder now, but it certainly proves to me that my symptoms are still directly related to caffeine withdrawal. I have also developed a sort of mild dry cough and have a feeling of constant inflammation and/or irritation in my lungs, plus chest - do you remember if you had any similar symptoms? (I am worried about heart attack/stroke).
If only I had known what I know now, I would have come off caffeine years and years ago.
I hope your finals go well(what is your subject) and I am so glad you managed to come off caffeine at a early age, your life will be so much better!!!!
Jayson says
re: Hi Anon (60 year habit)
Hi there. Glad to hear about your progress!
And yeah, I'm doing really great. I've been caffeine-free since 2011!
I also wanted to say that I chanced upon a scholarly article published by California State University, Long Beach (where I currently attend) about the dangers of caffeine and how it can lead to serious mental illnesses and disorders. I'm gonna try to upload it online and post the link here sometime after finals, as the article was a hardcopy. It's worth a read and definitely will cement your decision of staying caffeine-free.
Amidst my withdrawal symptoms back then, I remember having "OCD" like behavior and thought process. And it went away completely after a couple of years of being caffeine-free. =)
User says
re: Hi Jayson,
I am the anon (60
Hi Jayson,
I am the anon (60 year habit) that you helped so much a few months ago, and at last I feel that I am beginning to recover - my energy is gradually coming back, as is my sleep, my mood is gradually getting better and the aches and pains are slowly fading too. Muscle weakness is still a big feature, I used to have big biceps but they and all my other muscles have gone, shrunk, I hope I can get them back eventually when the fatigue finally goes, but it is still bad enough to prevent my normal levels of activity. I feel so well everyday though - even with all those symptoms, i still have bad days, but not so often. This is after a 4 month or so taper and 13 months of being caffeine free. It has been so worth it, just to feel so great even though I still have a lot of symptoms. I can't wait to be fully recovered!!!
Thanks again for your past encouragement.
How are you now, still feeling great I hope?
Jayson says
re: stupidity and blank mind
I know what you mean. I had major brain farts as well. And it was really pronounced too.
Running helped clear up my brain fog. The more intense the faster I got rid of it.
User says
re: update from Lisa
Have a
update from Lisa
Have a little anxiety and adrenaline of course. I just feel like it's taking so long to heal. And I have days where I have terrible symptoms still. I do see something starting to change like I'm getting more fatigued like I said and less anxiety but I still have some scary head symptoms.. I get fear once in a while still as well.. It's been 6 1/2 months already actually think it's like six months and 20 days about 10 more days I'll be at seven months already.. I been waking up a lot more calm than I used to probably about two months ago that started.. I do have a lot of muscle and joint pain very bad actually sometimes. I still also get akathisia but it's very mild now it's not his horrible as it used to be.. Knock on wood of course I did have a pretty bad about twice last month for the whole entire day.. It's one of my most hated symptoms of course.. I still think I have a mild case of akathisia though every day because I can't keep still and I have to constantly move my legs.. But it is getting better.. I do get a lot of headaches and head pressure and still I get some sinus pressure and weird burning in my ears just weird stuff... I keep getting this really scary feeling sometimes that everything is just to come back to me again like it did seven months ago and put me back in the cold turkey again.. I pray that never happens .. Lisa
User says
re: I found the weird head
I found the weird head feelings the worse as well, they changed as the weeks went by, but I was having them at three months caffeine free, nearly four months free now and they have gone but I still have a fuzzy foggy brain feeling and am starting to wonder if ill ever feel clear headed again, I have just finished with a sudden bout of insomnia as well which was horrible, any way hang in there guys.
Mark says
re: I can relate to everything on
I can relate to everything on these posts.. These crazy head feelings are the worst.. Still have them after a month.. Along with an awful Constant feeling of stupidity and blank mind.
Jeffery says
re: caffeine overdose
I think I had a caffeine overdose when I was stuck at home with double vision after having a concussion. I had half a cup of a medium coffee which is probably close to a real cup with breakfast and had a lindt truffle about six hours later with no food and I started getting nauseated with slight perspiration and then my heart rate skyrocketed to 180 bpm and I know this cause I had the squad called on me. I also experienced extreme tremors and weakness associared with this episode. I went to the hospital and my heart rate continued to go up and down several more times and they seemed to think I have some kind of heart condition but after reading the acute symptoms of caffeine overdose on this site I am now convinced thats what it was cause I have always had high sensitivity from caffeine and other drugs. Since that experience I have only had caffeine a few times but a few times too many. I have experienced hot flashes, tremors,twitching muscles,irritability,etc from caffeine withdrawls and I am not going to ingest it ever again just like so many more of my old vices long since left in the wind lol. It really sucks being a recovering aaddict to know that one cant even enjoy a little caffeine here and there. Congratulations to all those who have stayed clean and I hope I can follow in your footsteps.
Mark says
re: I can relate totally..
I can relate totally..
Years ago I quit caffeine due to anxiety.. I got my emoions under control for years..I felt wonderful in everyway.. Its almost like I forgot that caffeine causes anxiety for me.. Then .. I started drinking a cup of coffee in the morning again , I would drink unsweetened tea all day long out of a homebrew pitcher.. Next thing you know I'm chugging a second coffee right before my evening workout and still chugging tea all day long.. Then , because of the efffects of the caffeine, I suddenly feel that I am superman and can take on more tasks than emotionally able to .. This goes on for about 6 months to a year.. Chugging tea all day long and Overworking myself to the point of craziness.. During this year period where I feel as though my stress levels were at their peak.. I would experience asthma attacks which I never had before, I was allergic to almost everything it seems, I was constipated, and just didn't feel liike myself. Then I started having this dizzy feeling all day long, and intense feeling that something downright awful was about to happen at any second.. It was like I was stuck on high alert and could not relax.. I was irritable and angry all the time for no reason.. If I would see someone I know I did not want to talk to them.Social anxiety... Then I started noticing that I couldnt remember anything ..
At last , I decided to quit caffeine.. It has been a month so far and I can already feel a difference.. The first week of withdrawal is the roughest physically.. Headaches, tiredness and just a general feeling of let me the hell alone... Also , I will add all asthma and constipation symptoms faded within the first 2 weeks of quitting caffeine and lowering my work hours.. The biggest issue for me in the withdrawal period so far is Insomnia.. at first I would go to sleep at 10PM and wake up wide awake by 2pm .. I was extremely freaked out by this, I have always been a deep sleeper. Another part of the withdrawal for me for the first month is depression.. I feel as though my mind is obsessional from time to time now and I get crying spells and guilt spells.. My mind just wasn't functioning for the first couple of weeks also. I was not able to remember anything, There was no train of thought at work or at home, It felt like someone made me stupid all of a sudden..I could not focus or concentrate ..
Bottom line is.. while caffeine alone and in itself may not "harm" you... I beleive from my experiences with it that long term use should be avoided at all costs... I beleive that long term daily use causes stress, and anxiety and a sense of false energy that will eventually lead you to overwork and burn yourself out to the point of mental/physical exhaustion.. I would be willing to bet that alot of ailments, both physical and mental that people end up with out there could be eliminated or improved with caffeine detox..
Rob says
re: A month clean....
A month in and I thought I’d give a little update on my detox. It can only be a little update as there’s not a huge amount to say ! Just over 4 weeks ago I (finally) decided (again) that I needed to drop caffeine from my life altogether. I had 2/3 days of feeling awful, a further 2/3 days of not feeling quite right, then it’s been pretty much OK since. I don’t feel 100% but I know from previous experience withdrawal has a long tail before feeling completely better – most of the benefit comes quickly, then a long, slow improvement over the final stages. I’ve previously been caffeine free for 4 months, but I really plan this time to be for good. I’m not thinking about it, or craving it at all, so I’m hopeful. Just need to watch out for those out-of-the-blue cravings that hit from nowhere and have caught me in the past.
Overall though, I feel great. I’m calmer, thinking more clearly, more productive, sleeping better and saving a small fortune by not visiting coffee shops !
That said, I have eaten chocolate a couple of times. The caffeine content is tiny (it was milk chocolate and not much of it), but I feel uncomfortable about it so need to be on my guard. I’m also realising (again) that sugar is a big issue for me and really affects how I feel. Whenever I eat something very sweet, I very quickly start to lose focus and feel mentally foggy, similar to when I drank coffee. I wonder if maybe that’s why I didn’t feel great with caffeine – that it was messing with my blood sugar ?
I may have to do a little experiment and drop the sweet stuff for a month or so and see what difference it makes….
User says
re: Jackie, how are you doing? I
Jackie, how are you doing? I read Sam's blog and wished it was that easy for me, but am hoping it is working for you.
Mandy says
re: I'd vote it was the caffeine
I'd vote it was the caffeine personally as dizziness was my worse withdrawal symptom after the weird head feelings which have now become headaches incidently, any way i was two and half months caffeine free and the dizziness had gone, when i stupidly impulsively had a handful of chocolate buttons, just to see, and ive had a re emergence of all symptoms including dizziness, isnt that incredible, but not as bad at least as it was during my original withdrawal, alas even chocolate is deffo out now. anyway thats what i think. well done on coming off the anxiety meds by the way.