Many people rely on caffeine to get them going in the morning, push past those late afternoons blues when they feel exhausted and want to take a nap. Some fitness enthusiasts even supplement with caffeine before their workouts to provide an extra metabolic boost. CNN Health estimates that an average of 80 to 90 percent of adults and children consume caffeinated products daily. While the stimulating effects of caffeine make you feel alive and energized, the crash that often ensues when you miss that morning cup of coffee can lead to extreme fatigue and in some cases severe headaches.
Withdrawal
Caffeine effectively blocks certain neurotransmitter receptors in the brain that can dilate blood vessels, causing headaches. Headaches can begin anywhere from 12 to 20 hours after your last caffeinated beverage and can last as long as a week. While this withdrawal symptom can be bothersome and painful, endocrinologists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology state that the temporarily increased sensitivity to this neurotransmitter will not cause any serious damage.
Blood Vessel Dilation
Adenosine is a chemical messenger that circulates in the blood and dilates blood vessels. Dilated blood vessels are one of the primary causes of headaches, and caffeine is often used as a remedy to restrict the dilation of these blood vessels and reduce painful headaches. When caffeine is consumed on a regular basis, the body will produce more adenosine due to the caffeine's effect on blocking the already present and circulating adenosine.
Increased Adenosine
An excess of adenosine builds up in the body when caffeine is consumed on a regular basis. There are no side effects or symptoms of this excess buildup of adenosine until the body experiences a depletion of caffeine. In just 12 short hours, the body will become extremely sensitive to the additional amounts of adenosine that have been produced as caffeine is no longer blocking the receptors. Blood vessels will become very sensitive and dilated, and headaches can ensue.
Avoiding Headaches
The headaches are easily remedied by either consuming a caffeinated beverage immediately to restrict the dilated blood vessels, or discontinuing caffeinated beverages altogether, which will allow your body to normalize its adenosine levels, and help to alleviate headaches specifically induced by caffeine. Researchers at John Hopkins University suggest a bit of a different approac: Instead of stopping caffeine consumption all at once, slowly decrease the amount of caffeine you have each day until you are down to consuming zero milligrams, which will lessen some of the symptoms of caffeine withdrawl including headaches. One 6 oz. cup of coffee contains about 100 mg., so scaling back by an ounce a day will have you off that cup of coffee in no time.
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