Reduce coffee intake


How Long it Lasts, How Much & Withdrawals

What is caffeine?

Caffeine is the stimulant in your coffee, tea, chocolate and soda that reduces tiredness, increases alertness and gives you a boost of energy. It can also cause insomnia, headaches, dehydration and high blood pressure, if you’re not careful. For many, caffeine is a tool to help them wake up, perk up and concentrate. Hack its benefits, and it can help you get through the day.

Caffeine is a white, bitter substance that’s found naturally in over 60 plants, including coffee beans, tea leaves and cacao pods that are used to make chocolate. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) considers caffeine to be both a food additive and a drug.

The amount of caffeine in your food and drink varies. For coffee and tea, the amount of caffeine per cup depends on the brand, the type of beans or leaves used, how it is prepared and how long it steeps. Coffee can have as little as two milligrams of caffeine (decaf coffee) per cup, and as much as 200 milligrams per cup. Your typical tea has about 40 milligrams of caffeine, but it can range from nine to 110 milligrams. Twelve ounces of soda pop/soft drink usually has 30 to 60 milligrams of caffeine. Eight ounces of an energy drink has between 50 and 160.

What effect does caffeine have on the body?

Caffeine passes into your bloodstream from your stomach and small intestine. Once in your bloodstream, caffeine stimulates your central nervous system – your nerves, brain and spinal cord – to make you feel more awake and alert. Caffeine reduces fatigue and improves focus and concentration. It also causes the release of acid in the stomach, and you might have heartburn or indigestion after consuming caffeine.

When you drink or eat caffeine, the dopamine signaling in your brain is enhanced. Dopamine is a chemical that helps with controlling motivation, emotions and movement. You feel more alert and awake when the signaling increases.

How much caffeine is too much?

The average American adult consumes 200 mg of caffeine a day. This is the equivalent of two five ounce cups of coffee or four 12 ounce colas. Consuming up to 400 mg or four cups of coffee does not cause problems for most people. But, caffeine affects people differently, depending on their size, gender and sensitivity to it. If you’re sensitive to caffeine, even moderate amounts can cause insomnia (trouble sleeping), rapid heart rate, anxiety and feelings of restlessness. Health and nutrition experts agree that consuming more than 600 mg of caffeine a day (equivalent of four to seven cups of coffee) is too much.

What are the symptoms of having too much caffeine?

Symptoms of having too much caffeine may include:

  • Headache, nervousness, dizziness.
  • Having “the jitters” or feeling shaky.
  • Insomnia or sleep that is “on and off” throughout the night.
  • Racing heart or abnormal heartbeat.
  • Increase in blood pressure.
  • Dehydration.

Who should avoid caffeine?

It’s not safe for everyone to have caffeine in their diet. Ask your healthcare provider how much is ok for your unique body. You may want to avoid caffeine if you:

  • Have any sleep disorder, like insomnia.
  • Have ulcers or GERD.
  • Are pregnant.
  • Are breastfeeding.
  • Have migraines or chronic headaches.
  • Have high blood pressure.
  • Take certain stimulants, antibiotics, asthma medicines and heart medicines. These medications can have interactions with caffeine.
  • Are a child or teenager.
  • Have anxiety.
  • Have a fast or irregular heartbeat.

Is caffeine addictive?

Many people develop a tolerance for caffeine. This means that your body adjusts and gets used to having caffeine every day. Over time, you might find that you must keep increasing your caffeine intake to achieve the desired effects of alertness and ability to concentrate.

Your body can have a dependence on caffeine, but it’s not technically an addiction. It raises dopamine, but the level is small. Illegal stimulants like methamphetamine (“meth”) and MDMA (“ecstasy” or “molly”) cause a huge surge that messes with the reward circuits in your brain. You get “addicted” to ecstasy, and “dependent” on caffeine.

How long does caffeine last in the human body?

The effects of caffeine can be felt as soon as 15 minutes after it is consumed. The level of caffeine in your blood peaks about one hour later and stays at this level for several hours for most people. Six hours after caffeine is consumed, half of it is still in your body. It can take up to 10 hours to completely clear caffeine from your bloodstream.

How is caffeine used in medications?

Caffeine is a common ingredient in many prescription and over-the-counter headache remedies, pain relievers and cold medicines. Through caffeine’s effects on your central nervous system, it helps these drugs act more effectively. It helps your body absorb headache medicines quicker.

If you are concerned about your caffeine intake, read the product label on over-the-counter medications or the information sheet that comes with your prescriptions to determine whether a medication contains caffeine. The FDA requires that the medication labels list the amount of caffeine they contain.

Caffeine is also found in some herbal products that people take as supplements, including guarana, yerba mate, kola nut and green tea extract. These products are not required by law to show their caffeine content on the label, and there is no set standard for caffeine content.

What are some tips for quitting caffeine?

Cut down slowly on the amount of caffeine in your diet. Don’t make the mistake of stopping totally. You’ll likely experience withdrawal symptoms and go back to drinking coffee or soda or taking a headache medication with caffeine in it to make the symptoms disappear. This starts the dependency cycle all over again. Avoiding the withdrawal symptoms is one of the most common reasons why people continue their caffeine habit.

To successfully reduce your caffeine intake, gradually reduce the amount of coffee, tea, soda and energy drinks you have each day. Begin to substitute cold caffeinated beverages with water. Water is a healthy choice and satisfies the need for drinking a liquid. Water also naturally flushes caffeine from your body and keeps you hydrated.

If you are a coffee drinker, gradually switch from regular coffee to decaf. First alternate between decaf and regular, then slowly change to more decaf and taper off regular coffee. Gradually reducing your caffeine consumption over a period of two to three weeks will help you successfully change your habit without causing withdrawal symptoms.

What are the symptoms of caffeine withdrawal?

If you have developed a dependence on caffeine, an abrupt cutback can cause withdrawal symptoms that may include:

  • Headaches.
  • Tiredness.
  • Difficulty concentrating.
  • Nausea.
  • Muscle pain.
  • Irritability.

In general, the more caffeine you are used to consuming, the more severe the withdrawal symptoms are likely to be. Symptoms of withdrawal begin 12 to 24 hours after the last caffeine intake and can last two to nine days.

Caffeine can be a useful tool for an adult who needs help waking up and concentrating. But, it can also cause problems if you’re not careful with it. Don’t use caffeine too much or you could become dependent or have insomnia or headaches. Otherwise, enjoy that coffee or chocolate!

Caffeine 'detox': How and why to cut back on your daily fix

Story highlights

90% of the US population regularly consumes caffeine

Withdrawal may cause severe headaches, difficulty concentrating, and irritability

CNN  — 

Are you one of those people who can’t get your day started without a cup of coffee?

Perhaps you need an espresso at work to keep you alert in the late afternoon. Maybe you grab energy drinks when cramming for an exam or late-night work project. Or maybe you have a habit of drinking caffeinated soft drinks.

Regardless of the form, an estimated 90% of the US population regularly consume caffeine, a stimulant and ingredient that has been enjoyed for thousands of years. It’s not hard to do so, as caffeine is ubiquitous in our food supply, found in beverages, chocolate and pain medications, to name a few.

“Caffeine is the most commonly consumed psychoactive drug,” said Mary M. Sweeney, an instructor who researches caffeine’s effects on individuals in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. “When we consume caffeine, it has positive effects on mood and alertness, and people like these beneficial effects.”

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Is coffee healthy?

Although we know it can be counted on for a pick-me-up, more and more research is revealing other upsides of caffeine, including improved memory, enhanced athletic performance, beneficial effects on liver health and possible protection against Parkinson’s disease. For some, caffeine may have the unintended consequence of staving off hunger, and it may even make foods seem less sweet, though few professionals would endorse it as a diet aid.

But can there be too much of a good thing when it comes to caffeine? And if so, how much is too much? When might it be wise to cut back on caffeine consumption?

A recent systematic review involving nearly 400 studies looked at adverse health effects associated with caffeine consumption, including general toxicity, cardiovascular effects, effects on bone and calcium, behavioral effects, and reproductive and developmental effects. The research evaluated caffeine intake from any source and was supported with grants from the American Beverage Association and the National Coffee Association, though neither association participated in any aspect of the review.

The researchers concluded that healthy adults can safely consume up to 400 milligrams of caffeine daily, the amount in about four 8-ounce cups of coffee. (Depending on the source, an 8-ounce cup of brewed coffee can contain 75 to 165 milligrams of caffeine.)

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What that energy drink can do to your body

The review also revealed that healthy pregnant women can consume up to 300 milligrams of caffeine daily, an amount that is “generally not associated with adverse reproductive and developmental effects,” though the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists cautions pregnant women to limit caffeine to 200 milligrams daily.

Researchers also recommend that children and adolescents not exceed an intake of 2. 5 milligrams of caffeine per kilogram of body weight per day, though they state that the available literature for these groups was “scant.” For a child weighing 55 pounds, this translates to a daily limit of 62.5 milligrams of caffeine.

Though caffeine recommendations are based on a specific amount of milligrams, the effects can vary from person to person, and different individuals may be able to tolerate different amounts.

“People vary in their tolerance to caffeine,” Sweeney said. “Many people consume caffeine without negative consequences, but for some individuals, either regularly consuming too much caffeine or consuming too much at once can cause distress.

An individual’s tolerance to caffeine may depend on body size and how they metabolize caffeine, which can be related to genetic differences. “Some break it down quickly and may be less likely to experience negative effects,” Sweeney said.

Lifestyle factors also affect caffeine metabolism, including pregnancy and the use of oral contraceptives, both of which slow caffeine metabolism in the body, according to Sweeney.

Research shows that most Americans consume less than the daily 400-milligram limit, and stronger effects of too much caffeine are typically seen at much higher doses, according to Sweeney. Still, too much is any amount that leads to gastrointestinal problems, trouble sleeping, nervousness, anxiety, irregular heartbeat or excessive urination, she said. It’s also a red flag if one’s caffeine consumption is causing a meaningful impairment at work or at school.

“Caffeine is so ingrained in our day-to-day habits that we don’t of think of it as a source of a potential problem,” Sweeney said. “It’s not to say everyone will have the same effects, but it’s important to be aware that it has psychoactive effects, and it can interfere with things in ways that we don’t expect.”

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How to wake up at work in the afternoon without coffee

As caffeine can aggravate and accelerate one’s heart rate, it can be a problem for those with an existing heart condition, according to Dr. Vince Bufalino, a spokesman for the American Heart Association and senior vice president and senior medical director of Cardiology-AMG, Advocate Health Care, in Naperville, Illinois. For example, if you have atrial fibrillation (commonly known as irregular heartbeat) or hypertension, he recommends limiting caffeine intake to one to two cups daily, but if you are sensitive to caffeine, you should cut it out completely.

Other research points to the fact that caffeine may become indirectly harmful if its consumption provokes other unhealthy habits, such as when coffee drinking promotes doughnut eating or cigarette smoking, or when energy drink consumption promotes alcohol intake.

For some, the idea of dependency in and of itself, along with its associated symptoms of withdrawal, can be enough of a reason to cut back.

CULVER CITY, CA - SEPTEMBER 08: A cup of Caffè Macchiato is made at The Conservatory Coffee, Tea, and Cocoa, a family owned roasting coffeehouse on September 8, 2010 in Culver City, California. On Wednesday, the price of coffee hit a 13-year high. The price has risen 43 percent since June. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

Health effects of coffee: Where do we stand?

“Withdrawal symptoms can interfere with day-to-day functions and can include severe headaches, difficulty concentrating, irritability, depressed mood or even flu-like symptoms,” Sweeney said. Symptoms of caffeine withdrawal have been observed after discontinuing doses as low as 100 milligrams per day, though in general, the higher your daily dose of caffeine, the greater your severity of withdrawal symptoms, she said.

So whether you think you’re a little too dependent on caffeine or you have a medical or other personal reason to cut back (perhaps you’re planning on becoming pregnant, and that triple shot venti latte will be on the “do not drink” list), here are some tips to help you get started.

1. Keep a caffeine diary. It can inform you of how much caffeine you are consuming, and it may be more or less than what you may think, Sweeney said. This strategy was a helpful intervention for people seeking treatment to reduce their caffeine use in a study conducted by Sweeney and other researchers at Johns Hopkins University. (In the study, which also involved brief counseling, people reduced their caffeine intake from an average of 600 milligrams per day to 50 milligrams during a six-week period.)

2. Know all of the sources of caffeine in your diet. Remember, caffeine is found in coffee, tea, soft drinks, energy drinks and shots, as well as cocoa and chocolate. It’s also present in fortified snack foods, some energy bars (like Clif Bar’s Cool Mint Chocolate and Peanut Toffee Buzz) and even some pain medications, including some forms of Excedrin and Midol. (For a more extensive list of caffeine content from various sources, check the chart from the Center for Science in the Public Interest.)

3. If you drink coffee, gradually cut back on the number of cups per day. “The key recommendation we have suggested to people looking to cut back is to gradually reduce caffeine consumption over a period of days or weeks,” Sweeney said. “If you’re drinking four cups of coffee per day, you may reduce it by one cup per week. You might also substitute one cup with decaf, or blend in some decaf with each cup,” she said.

4. Try coffee alternatives, such as green or black tea. Tea can still give you a boost but has less caffeine than coffee. An 8-ounce cup of black tea contains about 47 milligrams of caffeine, and green tea has about 25 milligrams per cup, compared with 75 to 165 milligrams in an 8-ounce cup of brewed coffee.

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    • 5. Anticipate when caffeine cravings may occur. As part of the counseling component in the Johns Hopkins study, and as part of the unit’s ongoing work, individuals identify situations or moods in which they are most likely to crave caffeine. The unit advises avoiding situations that trigger cravings, especially during the first few weeks of modifying caffeine use, and having a plan for when cravings occur, like taking a five-minute relaxation break involving deep breathing exercises.

      Remember to always discuss any major lifestyle or dietary changes with your health care provider first, as changes may affect your mood or medical conditions.

      Lisa Drayer is a nutritionist, an author and a CNN health and nutrition contributor.

      What will happen if you reduce coffee consumption to 1 cup a day - answers from experts | Health

      Drinking a cup of coffee to feel energized is one of the most popular rituals on the planet. Some people become so addicted to coffee drinks that they buy or brew several cups every day. But if you reduce coffee consumption to one serving per day, then interesting changes will occur in the body.

      What the study says

      Trained people have taken the time to research the effects of coffee on humans. And the first thing they found out is that if you can’t feel invigorated without caffeine, then it’s time to think about reducing the number of servings of the popular drink.

      According to a study published in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition (2018), an adult should consume no more than 400 g of caffeine per day in the form of a drink. This volume corresponds to about four standard cups.

      According to Dr. David Cutler, many people exceed their recommended daily intake of coffee. At the same time, he, being a family doctor in the United States, claims that approximately 2/3 of Americans drink coffee drinks in large quantities. And it's not very good.

      You need to understand that when you taste the next portion of an invigorating drink, the body begins to be affected not only by caffeine, but also by other chemicals. What exactly - depends on the specific manufacturer. But often there are such elements, and their impact on the body is negative.

      More than 100 different compounds are used in the industry and end up in a cup of coffee. Two of them can be cited as an example:

      • antioxidants;
      • 3,5-dicaffoylquinic acid.

      Also consider the effects of other ingredients that are often added to coffee. For example, sugar and cream.

      Just avoiding the use of sugar will significantly improve the condition of the body. By the way, the desire to taste something sweet can be satisfied with the help of honey.

      Dr. Anita Scaria states that some people are particularly sensitive to the effects of caffeine and should definitely reconsider their daily intake of refreshing beverages.

      If you have made a choice in favor of a healthier lifestyle by eliminating large doses of coffee, then you should be prepared for not very pleasant sensations. The body, accustomed to the stable intake of certain substances, will require them again for some time. During this period, a person may feel some discomfort.

      Withdrawal

      How severe the symptoms will be depends on the amount of caffeine the body has previously received. The bigger it was, the harder it would be.

      Dr. Scaria says that abruptly and completely giving up coffee can lead to severe discomfort. Withdrawal syndrome is accompanied by different symptoms. Here are the most common:

      • loss of previous energy level;
      • rapid fatigue;
      • difficulty focusing attention;
      • headache;
      • decrease in the level of pleasure from pleasant things and processes;
      • drowsiness;
      • reduced vigilance;
      • depressed mood;
      • feeling of vagueness in thoughts;
      • irritability.

      One must be prepared for such signs to appear. But to avoid their increased manifestation, it is worth reducing the daily amount of coffee gradually.

      If there was no heavy use before, you can immediately switch to one cup a day. The body will still receive caffeine and this will reduce the symptoms to a minimum level.

      Changes in the functioning of the urinary tract

      Be prepared for the fact that after reducing the amount of coffee during the day, the bladder will begin to empty more frequently.

      But there is no need to worry, because such symptoms will disappear when the body switches to a new regimen.

      Reducing coffee consumption during the day has an overall positive effect on bladder function. This interesting observation is voiced by Dr. Cutler.

      He says a 2013 study found that consuming more than 20 grams of caffeine a day increases the risk of urinary incontinence in women. If you reduce the dose, then the desire to go to the toilet will appear significantly less often. But only after the end of the withdrawal syndrome.

      Improved digestion

      Dr. Cutler states that frequent coffee drinkers experience heartburn much more often than those who minimize their intake of invigorating drinks.

      Scientists have already established that the problem of heartburn (acid reflux) is often caused by high concentrations of caffeine. But they still cannot explain why this is happening.

      The obvious conclusion is that with more infrequent tastings of coffee, the symptoms of heartburn will be weaker or even disappear altogether.

      But if the signs of acidity are strong, then you should not rely on avoiding caffeine - it is better to go to the doctor right away.

      Changes in the gut microbiome

      Scientists discovered this relationship not so long ago. The gut microbiome is made up of millions of bacteria and many other living cells. Its main function is protection against diseases and stabilization of the process of digestion of food.

      In 2019, a study was conducted in which caffeine was added to the food of rats. As a result, it was found that this alkaloid changes the state of the microbiome in the rat intestine.

      Based on this information, the following conclusion was drawn: caffeine can change the functioning of the intestines and not for the better. For this reason, you should not get carried away with coffee drinks, especially if their quality is questionable.

      Another extremely convincing argument in favor of minimum coffee doses comes from another study conducted in 2016. Its results confirmed that frequent coffee consumption may increase the risk of colorectal cancer in women.

      Deterioration of sleep

      If you often drink coffee, you may notice that the presence of this drink on weekdays does not help you feel invigorated. The habit of drinking it remains, but the energy does not increase, and on the contrary, it becomes less.

      All due to the fact that the quality of sleep is deteriorating. If the body could not fully rest at night, then a couple of cups of coffee will not noticeably improve the situation.

      Caffeine metabolites can remain in the body for a long time. Therefore, even after reducing the daily dose, a loss of energy will be felt for some time.

      After switching to 1 cup a day, there may be a buzzing in the head that interferes with sleep. But this symptom will pass.

      Mood changes

      If you give up large daily doses of coffee, you can see how the level of anxiety decreases. According to Dr. Sakaria, many of her patients see these changes.

      This observation is supported by a 2015 study. More than 3 thousand teenagers took part in it. As a result, it was found that excessive consumption of caffeine leads to increased levels of stress, anxiety and depression.

      People with anxiety disorders are not uncommon among coffee drinkers. Usually such results are recorded in those who are especially sensitive to caffeine.

      If there are signs of an anxiety disorder, then you need to go to the doctor and discuss with him the features of the process of quitting caffeine.

      Benefits

      Despite the disadvantages of drinking coffee, drinking it in moderation can even be beneficial.

      If you limit yourself to one cup a day and no more, you can get the beneficial effects of caffeine, the essence of which is to reduce the risk of developing:

      • stroke;
      • certain cancers;
      • diabetes mellitus;
      • multiple sclerosis;
      • ulcerative colitis;
      • various autoimmune diseases.

      Obviously, a small amount of coffee is good, the main thing is not to increase the dose.

      Scientists have found out how many cups of coffee a day you need to drink to live longer

      According to a new study, ground coffee brings the greatest benefit to the body.

      Related video

      Scientists from the Baker Institute, Australia, presented the results of their new extensive study. These results show that drinking a moderate number of cups of coffee per day increases life expectancy and reduces the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. What about ground coffee, instant coffee and decaffeinated coffee. But it is ground coffee that has the best effect on health, writes SciTechDaily.

      Australian scientists presented the results of a 12-year large-scale study in which more than 400 thousand people took part, of which 55% were women and 45% men.

      Nearly 80% of respondents indicated that they drink coffee every day, with 44% of the total participants drinking instant coffee, 18% ground coffee and 15% decaffeinated coffee. Almost 20% of respondents indicated that they do not drink coffee at all.

      Almost 80% of respondents indicated that they drink coffee every day, with 44% of the total participants drinking instant coffee, 18% ground coffee and 15% decaffeinated coffee. Almost 20% of respondents indicated that they do not drink coffee at all

      Photo: Guardian

      The study involved people aged 40 to 69 years, with some of them drinking an average of less than one cup of coffee per day, others - from 2 to 3 cups of coffee per day, and there were those who drank from 4 to 5 cups of aromatic drink daily.

      The ideal daily dose of coffee to live longer

      In the course of long-term observations, scientists took into account the health status of the respondents and the incidence of cardiovascular and other diseases. The results of the study show that all types of coffee reduce the risk of premature death and increase life expectancy. But the best results were shown by respondents who consumed 2-3 cups of coffee per day.

      Accordingly, scientists believe that just this dose of coffee daily can be beneficial for health and increase life expectancy. However, as the data show, the best result can be achieved when using ground coffee in such doses. Although instant coffee and decaffeinated coffee also provide, albeit smaller, health benefits.

      Scientists believe that 2-3 cups of coffee daily can be beneficial to health and increase life expectancy.

      Photo: ScienceAlert

      It is better to drink ground coffee

      Drinking two to three cups of ground coffee a day will help reduce the likelihood of early death by 27% and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by 20%. The risk of early death is reduced by 14% when drinking 2-3 cups of decaffeinated coffee per day and by 11% when drinking instant coffee, the study says. With regard to the occurrence of cardiovascular diseases, the risk of their occurrence is reduced by 6% for decaffeinated coffee and by 9% for instant coffee.


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