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
Gina says
I have been 6 months caffeine free and had the usual awful symptoms. My period has changed and its not as regular. I always have a regular cycle till i gave up caffeine. Since February i have had 3 periods. Is this normal or am i going through the menopause?
Marcela says
Have any of you experienced acid reflux after quitting caffeine? I’ve experienced is a few times after eating, feels like I have a sore throat. Thanks in advance.
Jackie says
I would like to apologise to everyone for any worry I've caused. I am an addict and have struggled to stop it for 6 or 7 years. I don't know why I thought it COULD take years - I was going on what Viv has said and someone I know. I think my anxiety and fear controlled me and I always posted, having had caffeine, which made me manic. The only thing I feel is unfair is that I have always said I've been on and off it. I've always talked about the battle/conflict etc. I'm sure I've never claimed to have been free for 4 years. That is Viv. I was caffeine free for 2 years about 13 years ago. But I am sorry if I've mislead people and I have never deliberately lied or meant to upset people. I won't post again as wouldn't want to cause any more problems for anyone. Thanks to Robin for 'waking me up' to how I've been. I think I needed it. I hope Daniel will allow this post on the forum and I apologise to him, too.
Julie Bogden says
Years to recover from caffeine withdrawal? No, sorry. That just isn't impossible. I'm going through caffeine withdrawals again and the first time read all of the comments on this site, Reddit, Menprovement. I was good after about 6 months, unfortunately I have to go through it all again.. I have only seen no more than 3-4 people that said it lasted years and your name and Viv's name happened to be two of those people. I also saw your names pop up on the 15 withdrawal symptoms website. Viv even suggesting/hinting that people may have parkinson's. I'm shocked the owner of this site has allowed comments like this. Based on your previous comments you're clearly an addict that sporadically revisits caffeine - you then get withdrawals symptoms and the process continues. Why would she ask if you were still having caffeine if you quit almost 3 years ago? Do yourself and everyone thats going through this a favour and take your issues elsewhere.
ShaunNYC says
People experience withdrawals differently but suggesting it takes years to recover from caffeine withdrawal is an absurdity. I’m a qualified biochemist and I’m married to a neurologist I know that on a physiological level this is impossible. Psychological addiction is not the same as withdrawal and homeostasis. If you’d been off this drug for a few years why would the user ask if you were still on it? I agree with Robin, users like you are incredibly irresponsible. I too have read many stories and have never come across people taking more than a year. Viv saying that she only experienced a window of feeling normal after 4 years of abstinence is comical. She’s either lying about quitting, being impacted by other factors, or she’s lying about the experience. Either way her comments are as disingenuous as yours are.
Robin says
I've just taken another look at your comments over the years and you're clearly an addict that either drinks coffee or decaf still on and off and can't drop your habit. Your comments, along with viv's and robs are RIDDLED with inconsistencies and constant revisits to caffeine. There's a reason why Viv asked if you're still on caffeine - she wouldn't have phrased it like that if you weren't or she thought that you weren't despite you claiming to have been caffeine free for years.
Please don't respond to this. This is no longer a discussion because discussions can't be had with liars.
Robin says
I believe it can take months for your brain to return to normal but Jackie has suggested it could take 4 years plus which is literally impossible. I have been on reddit and other sites and only ever heard it from these same culprits everyone else is cool now. Viv wrote above that she had a window of feeling like herself and this is only after 4 years? That's completely ridiculous. These two don't know whats causing their problems/are still consuming caffeine (Viv even asked ''are you still on it'' which is a comment riddled with guilt/or are just here for attention. So unfair on people that are here for help. Somebody below said that they had fatigue issues a couple of years after quitting caffeine and viv immediately said ''Oh you're just like us!'' these type of people attract one another.
Robin says
The only comments I've seen about it taking years are from you and Viv. I've read literally hundreds of posts about withdrawals and experiences on every single site and forum available and you two always seem to pop up suggesting that withdrawals take years - funny huh. Even anecdotally your claims aren't supported. *Also viv was suggesting on other posts that users should eat dark chocolate for magnesium and admitted to taking it herself. You do realise that has caffeine in it?* So viv still consumes caffeine lol and is saying it takes 5 years to recover. How selfish. Again I've been on multiple sites and providing people stay away from caffeine in all products they are all good now. The longest take around 6-9 months -and this from people of all ages, and all lengths of consumption. I have NEVER read it taking years other than from you and Viv or from people that went back to eating chocolate, green tea etc occasionally. Strange isn't it? That most people stop posting at that point or they come back and say that they are all cool. You should be ashamed of yourself for suggesting withdrawals can take years with zero evidence. I dread to think how many people you've scared. You're a prime reason of why people should stay away from health sites. Viv blaming her hip issues, fatigue and anxiety from quitting caffeine 4 years ago? On a biochemical level that is completely absurd and quite literally impossible. You're here for attention Jackie, just like Viv is. You don't know whats causing your ailments, you're most probably on loads of different medications just like Viv is and you're blaming caffeine because you don't have answers. Truly shameful.
Dave says
The problem is there's no medical basis for caffeine withdrawals extending beyond a week. People are terrible at gauging their own mood and problems and the culprit behind issues. Look at the mayans from thousands of years ago who sacrificed people to the gods for some rain.
There's a thousand reasons that you could feel "bad" after the withdrawal period has ended, not the least of which are dietary issues. Gluten, dairy, chemicals in water, other medications, other changes in diet, or simply getting old.
I bet you I could find more people that believe the earth is flat than people who believe caffeine withdrawal extends into months. Just because a couple people have a crackpot theory doesn't mean it's real.
Paul field says
You're blaming your malaise and full head feeling on caffeine despite being off it for a year??? No wonder sites like this scare people with users like you. I'm surprised a mod hasn't commented.
Jackie says
Robin
Please remember that your experience is not the same as everyone else's. Withdrawal time depends on your age, how long you've been using and how well you tolerate caffeine. There is no 'set' time for recovery, particularly from long-term usage. There have been enough comments on here and on other forums) for people to realise that the withdrawal period can be anything from weeks to years (yes, years) - again, depending on length of usage, age etc.
Robin says
Your comments have done nothing but scare people. I hope everyone ignores you and and lies you tell. Suggesting it takes 5 years for caffeine withdrawals to end? You should be ashamed of yourself.
Alex says
Coffee may have been keeping him healthy?
Do yourself a favour and keep your mouth whilst people use this site for all its good for.
Robin Spencer says
REALLY IMPORTANT THAT YOU DON'T RETURN TO CAFFEINE AS A WAY OF GETTING FREE FROM THE ADDICTION. I FINALLY QUIT CAFFEINE. YES MY LEGS ARE ACHING BUT THE LITTLE CAFFEINE MONSTER THAT NEEDS FEEDING IS DYING....I WILL BE PERMANENTLY FREE FROM THIS DEPENDENCY FROM NOW ON. ANYONE WHO SUGGESTS YOU REDUCE SLOWLY OR WORSE STILL SUGGESTS THAT YOU HAVE A SMALL COFFEE TO GET OVER THE WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS IS NOT YOUR FREIND! I QUIT AFTER READING ALLEN CARR'S BOOK, QUIT CAFFEINE THE EASYWAY.
WISHING YOU ALL THE FREEDOM I NOW HAVE FROM THIS DRUG. THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF COFFEE IS A LIE PROPOGATED BY CAFFEINE COMPANIES TO KEEP YOU HOOKED.
ChrysocollaDawn says
I’ve only just found this page, but the comments left here are fantastic, especially this one! In the office, I found that I was always gossiping and nit-picking others, and later I’d be ashamed and embarrassed of it. I’m only on day 6 of going cold turkey, but I can already feel things are starting to get a bit brighter.
It’s been scary at times, but it’s going to be so fantastically worth it in the end!
MSH says
I can definitely relate to everything you've written. Hope you are doing well now.
MSH says
60 YH,
I'm not sure if you still check out this forum or not, but this is the first time I've been here in a while and saw this post asking for an update on my condition. Thanks for your interest in my health!
Well, I guess it has been about 5 years total now since I decided to quit caffeine. Though, my symptoms aren't as frequent or severe as they were the first couple of years when I quit CT I am still riding on the struggle bus 🙁
For the most part over the last five years I didn't have any caffeine. When I did have something that wasn't supposed to have caffeine I knew it did because I am still very sensitive to it. I'd research the product and sure enough I'd find it would have trace amounts of caffeine, and for me that's all it takes.
Having said all of that, like an idiot I did an experiment with coffee this last fall. I was sick and tired of feeling fatigued, brain dead, etc..., and was persuaded by a nutritionist that caffeine was what I needed to feel well ( should have know better!!!). That the problem was my thyroid and liver and that coffee and a few diet changes ( which included more sugar!) would set my health straight once and for all. Dummy me, out of desperation gave it a shot, and initially to my surprise I felt FANTASTIC!!! Then, after a very short period of time i didn't. But this time I developed a new problem. I am now on blood pressure meds.
So, I'm off caffeine again and have been riding that roller coaster, thankfully not as severe as a few years ago, but discouraging enough where I needed to come back here and read through the threads for some encouragement. I think the hardest part of going through all of this is that nobody believes that all of my health issues started as a result of me quitting caffeine 5 years ago. I feel very misunderstood and alone much of the time. I gave up on any doctor figuring it out, and I've seen more than a few! It is like my life stopped 5 years ago. I have had on occasion had some great days. These are a mixed blessing; they give me hope on one hand that I can feel like myself again one day, but also remind me that for the last 5 years I haven't been me 80%+ of the time. I feel like I've missed so much quality time with my kids.
Anyway, time to just put one foot in front of the other and move forward best I can.
Shane
Seamus Darling says
It takes many months for some. Caffeine is an underestimated drug. Its scary how these stories go untold.
viv says
I wish I knew how Jackie and Rob are doing, where are you? I hope you are both ok, whatever you are doing and whether or not you are still on caffeine... Just let me know!
Miguel Lahunken says
Here is the withdrawal buffer secret: Hydrophilic (water loving) substances clear out of the system fast so that if that substance has effects, the body reacts against those effects like a pendulum swinging the opposite way, and that is called withdrawal. But, if a substance is lipophilic (fat loving), or part of a lipophilic compound, that substance will linger in the system for a very long time. For example, the common miserable dopamine blockers are lipophilic, and their miserable effects last for months. So, if a pleasant substance is lipophilic, or in a lipophilic compound, its pleasurable effects will also last for months, wearing off very slowly when it is unavailable, so there will be no unpleasant withdrawal symptoms.
Lynne says
Great for you! I'm just restarting my no caffeine journey but cutting caffeine by half to start with the hopes that I'll be completely back off of caffeine in 2-3 weeks. Encouraging to think about how good I'll (eventually) feel.
Lynne says
I've quit caffeine before. Now I'm hoping to do it again after being back on it for the past 5 years. Ugh. Not looking forward to the withdrawal symptoms one bit. Looking for some advice and maybe a pep talk!
viv says
I woke up this morning and felt like myself again, it was wonderful, and thinking I was better I started making plans, but a few hours later I’m feeling crap again, was this a”window’, can a window only last a few hours? has anybody else experienced anything like this?? it’s so horrible being back in the doom and gloom, and the bad mood and the aches and pains…. It MUST have been a window!!
Matt says
My energy levels are great, 9 weeks today since quitting. This is now easy, I don´t even think of it (coffee) anymore. I wonder why it took so long to quit. But when looking back, the first weeks were like crap, and at least in the first month coffee was in my mind every day. Now it´s a totally different situation. So all well,
Matt
CoffeeFAQ says
I completely understand that you "feel" a certain way, but medical literature says otherwise.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1663116/pdf/bmj00183-0030.pdf
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/8266257_A_critical_review_of_caffeine_withdrawal_Empirical_validation_of_symptoms_and_signs_incidence_severity_and_associated_features
It's impossible to say that caffeine consumption was the only thing that changed in the 4 months (120 days) since you say you quit. Here's your timeline:
- Quit 16 weeks ago
- Standard withdrawal 1-2 weeks - lets say you're special and needed 3-4 weeks
- Nothing happens for 8 weeks
- New symptoms 4 weeks ago
That's just not how withdrawal works - it gets severe within days and your body re-regulates and gradually improves as time goes on, not spontaneously gets worse. It's more likely that these are entirely unrelated to caffeine.
Coffee actually has a number of health-beneficial properties, which may have been keeping you healthier for those 7 years. Now that you've stopped consuming anti-oxidants and other compounds, perhaps your body isn't getting the protection it requires, as is more susceptible to other problems.
But as you pointed out, this is "the web", and you should consult a doctor for your specific case.
CoffeeFAQ says
Hey Paul!
Muscle tightness is typically more related to posture and tension (anxiety), which could be related to stopping the caffeine habit. Physical symptoms typically peak at 7-10 days and resolve within 3-4 weeks - longer than that, and I'd start looking at other causes.
The posture could be related to a change in habits - not getting up as much to grab a cup of coffee and sitting for longer periods in the same position (eg. no reaching over to grab a cup, adjusting yourself in your seat, taking a moment to relax while you sip). As for the anxiety, just spend some time physically relaxing yourself and stretching, set a timer to do this once an hour for 5 minutes if you need to.
You can't just stop habits altogether - they need to be replaced with new (healthy) habits.
Paul says
Thanks, but I don't feel this is true as I'm still having headaches, trouble sleeping and finally, after nearly four months, have my bowels been returning to normal. In other words, physical symptoms can last much longer than the "norm/average" stated on the web.
Paul says
Looking for some help/encouragement here. I'm at day 120 of a 7 year habit.
I've experienced much of what others said here but for the past 4-5 weeks, I've had this bizarre muscular reaction... all of my back/neck muscles are incredibly tight/stiff/painful. It seems very migratory as it moves around from muscle to muscle... example: yesterday, my neck was so tight I could hardly turn my head and today, my shoulder blades are killing me.
It is very painful and very frustrating and I'm hoping this is just a stage in withdrawal as I don't know what else it could be.
Help?
CoffeeFAQ says
Great job Matt! How's the energy levels?
CoffeeFAQ says
Yes - though the anxiety would be primarily caused by the effects of caffeine on the nervous system rather than the circulatory system, the increased blood pressure may make it worse.
Clay says
Can increased blood pressure be caused by caffeine withdrawals due to increased anxiety?
Matt says
Now 6 weeks, 2 days without caffeine.
Rove says
Jaysus, are you describing a caffeine or a heroine addiction?
Rove says
Same here - did it ever stop for you?
Rove says
Beware of dark chocolate, the 60% one has 109mg of caffeine for every 100g, 72% has 128mg/100g, 86% has 152.45mg/100g, not too far from a Grande Mocha in Starbucks (175mg).
viv says
Rob, nothing was going on, i was and am just simply fed up with the process.
Micheal says
Hi Viv!
That sounds terrible, and not at all like caffeine withdrawal. You should get checked out by a doctor for something else that may be causing that. Coffee itself has a number of health-enhancing properties that may have been keeping some more serious issues at bay, and stopping with drinking it may have triggered a flare up in other conditions.
Charlene says
I had about 5 cups of coffee today' and about half an hour ago' I had the withdrawal symptoms' cos I went for a walk too shops and back' and when I came back' I felt dizzy and weird in the head' my heart was beating fast' so I got myself glass of water' sat down & took some deep breaths' after a while it was starting to ware off'
(Those may be helpful tips if it helps) but not having as much as that today again for a while!
It was scary' but ok now (touch wood)
Matt says
I reread my last post and I want to add that I didn´t have coffee in that situation (when wanted caffeine desperately), if I was unclear...
It´s now 3 weeks since quitting caffeine. The symptoms are mostly away, only my mind is a bit numb still. I haven´t have such strong desire to get caffeine, that I had a week ago. I have exercised almost daily and that makes me feel much better, and I´m getting fitter. I hope that will speed up the healing process too. But I just have to be patient and remember that it can take up to 90 days or so to really start to get better. I go through a benzo (klonopin) w/d too, I´ve dropped from 2mg a day since january 15th to 0,75mg on the last two days. A benzo w/d isn´t a walk in the park either, it´s much slower process to wean off than caffeine. What goes up, must come down.
All well,
Matt
Matt says
Just a quick update, it´s now 15 days since quitting and at the moment; I feel great. But just yesterday I was in deep depression and my brains wanted to get some (a lot of...) caffeine. Remember people who are in doubt, when the bad wave comes, do not think too far away, just concentrate and fight. It will pass.
viv says
Jackie, how is your withdrawal process going? Mine is slowly carrying on, but I still (at 4yrs to the day) feel really crappy. I can almost walk with a straight back at last… But all the other symptoms, bad mood, aches and pains are still an everyday problem. stomach issues have almost gone… if I had known what was ahead I would have tapered off over 2 years not 4 months…
Matt says
Thank you Jackie! Today has been much better day than the days before, tomorrow it`s
10 days since quitting. All well,
Matt
Jackie (JSL) says
Great news, Matt! You seem to have the determination to stay caffeine free, despite the withdrawal symptoms and, as you said, that is exactly what you need! It will definitely get better as time goes by, even if you have the odd bad day so I hope you can keep your mind going in the right direction. Everything will gradually improve, as I'm sure you know. 🙂 I hope you enjoy your holiday and, by the way, I thought your English was very good! Good luck. Jackie
Matt says
Hi Jackie! Thank´s for asking, everything is okay! That means that I haven´t have caffeine since quitting.. My mood is now a bit better although I have the mood swings still. Today I haven´t have any headaches at all, I´ve had mild headaches from time to time throughout the first week without caffeine. I stopped last week on thursday morning, so it´s now 8 full days without caffeine. But as expected, my head is numb, no motivation to do anything etc. But it´s getting better. Yesterday morning was very crappy, but today it was a lot better, still quite far away from normal though. But I know that my body will get used to this. I´ve jogged and walked when I have felt really bad. I sleep okay in some nights although it varies, and the sleep is shorter.
You´re right about caffeine. I have had panic attacks, anxiety, heart rhythm problems, worsening depression, and sleeping problems thanks to it. Now I just need to go day by day to heal and get rid of the habit. I´m looking forward our coming family weekend vacation next week. It´s then 2+ weeks without caffeine, and hopefully I feel better then. But I realise that it´s a long road to be at 100%. I just have to stay strong and keep in mind that the recovery is not linear. I am a scandinavian by the way, so my writing is quite slow and I have rather small vocabulary (found that word from a dictionary:).
I wish the best all of you! I´ll be back...
Jackie (JSL) says
Hi, Matt, I am genuinely pleased that you've managed to stop drinking coffee and I hope you're still managing to stay off. How are your withdrawal symptoms? As you may have gathered, I found caffeine to be very damaging drug (confirmed by many studies) to both body, mind and brain - and I believe it should be illegal. It is a vast money making business, though, and the pleasure-seeking effects of the drug create even more spending so, not much chance of that! Oh, and I agree with you in that the mind and having the right attitude are the tools for stopping. Good luck and let me know how you're doing. Hope everyone is OK. Jackie (JSL)
Matt says
Just wanted to thank for the stories and info that made me understand the effects of caffeine to human brains. The info from JSL and others has been a lot more knowledgeable than all of this stuff in the internet that says "you can dink x much of coffee without negative effects". From my experience and understanding now; to people like me the safe amount is zero caffeine at all. I´m 35 years old male and started drinking coffee about 5 years ago, and reached my limits during the years, I got sleeping problems, panic attacks, depression, anxiety, and my use of coffee was slowly increasing. If I would´ve been able to use less, in some day I would have still been in the same situation. I stopped 2 days ago and this is my second caffeine free day since quitting. I weaned off gradually the last 2 weeks, from 6-10 cups per day to 4,5 cups for a week and 3 cups/day in the last week. 2 days ago I drank only 2 cups in the morning and that was it. I had planned to continue the gradual weaning longer, but 2 days ago I just got enough of it, I was struggling to keep on track and wanted to stop as fast as I can - so I just stopped. Yesterday I had some headaches which were surprisingly mild, and last night I woke to the bathroom at 1am and felt quite terrible, but still caught sleep until I had to go to urinate again (usually never happens) at 3.50am...got almost 7 hours of sleep though, I went to bed early.
To put my 2 cents in, to get rid of caffeine successfully, the most important thing is your mind. You have to be determined and KNOW why you have to stop, and understand why you never cannot go back to it again. This forum has increased my understanding on the subject greatly. Luckily I drank coffee "only" 5 years and was 30+ years old when started, so I know that I can live without it, and now I know that I can´t live with it.
AK says
re: Coffee withdrawals
I was only able to quite coffee for a week hoping to regrow hair on my top of my head, which it started to do. However not drinking coffee caused severe stress/anxiety/headache/nausea so the hair on back of my head fell (allopecia Areata) and continued to fall so I had to start drinking coffee. After a week it started to regrow again, but still not fully.