Caffeine is a widely used central nervous system stimulant. The main natural sources of caffeine are coffee, tea leaves, cocoa beans and colas. Synthetically produced caffeine is an additive in some medications, such as maximum strength pain relievers. In addition to the perceived benefits gained from a cup of coffee, too much or too little caffeine causes headaches.
Excess Amounts of Caffeine
Caffeine is a highly addictive stimulant that increases wakefulness and alleviates fatigue. A moderate daily consumption of 200 to 300mg of caffeine or the equivalent of 2 to 4 cups of coffee generally is not harmful. However, the staff of MayoClinic.com warns that excess caffeine use of more than 500 to 600mg or the equivalent of four to seven cups of coffee a day causes side effects. One side effect is headaches. A person's level of sensitivity to caffeine as well as body mass, age, smoking habits, stress, health conditions and drug and hormone use impact the chances of having side effects.
Caffeine Withdrawal
A headache is a symptom of caffeine withdrawal. According to the Cleveland Clinic, caffeine withdrawal headaches occur when a person, who has a long habit of drinking over 500mg of caffeine or the equivalent of more than five cups of coffee daily, suddenly stops drinking that much. Caffeine withdrawal headaches can be avoided by limiting daily intake, awareness of additional sources of caffeine and gradually decreasing consumption rather than stopping abruptly.
Researchers at the University of Vermont College of Medicine and the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine wanted to identify the biological mechanism responsible for caffeine withdrawal headaches. They found that stopping daily caffeine consumption increased cerebral blood flow. Stacey Sigmon, Ph.D. and her fellow researches believe this finding may account for the commonly reported headaches associated with caffeine withdrawal. The paper is entitled, "Caffeine Withdrawal Headache Explained: Your Brain On-And Off-Caffeine," University of Vermont, May 4, 2009.
Rebound Effect
A rebound headache is caused by the overuse or misuse of caffeine-containing medications. The risk for developing this type of headache increases when caffeine-containing beverages such as coffee, tea and colas are consumed in combination with this type of medication. Commonly used over-the-counter pain medications contain 32 to 65mg of caffeine per dose. Certain prescription medications contain 30 to 100mg of caffeine per dose.
Member Comments