There are some people out there that won't do anything before they get their morning cup of coffee. Caffeine is a stimulant drug that can affect everything from your heart rate to your mood. Although caffeine does not directly cause depression, side effects of caffeine may contribute to its development. Lost sleep caused by caffeine as well as withdrawal from caffeine may lead to depression.
Caffeine
Caffeine is a stimulant, it is a drug. It has no odor and no flavor but may be a part of many of your favorite food or drinks, such as coffee, tea and chocolate. It is even added to many common medicines and pain relievers. As a stimulant, caffeine excites your nervous system increasing your alertness.
Caffeine and Fatigue
Caffeine may contribute to depression because it is a stimulant. One of the side effects of caffeine is that it keeps you awake. Caffeine works by manipulating the nerve cells in your brain that trigger you to sleep. These nerve cells bind with a chemical, adenosine, that stimulates your brain to sleep. Caffeine is the same kind of chemical as adenosine, so when caffeine enters your body, it binds with nerve cells, instead of the adenosine, which keeps your brain awake. Fatigue and lack of sleep can lead to depression. If you know you have trouble sleeping and are feeling depressed, reduce your intake of caffeine toward the end of the day.
Caffeine Withdrawal
Quitting caffeine is enough to lead to depression, if you are used to consuming caffeine regularly. A study published in the "New England Journal of Medicine" in 1992 studied the effects of caffeine withdrawal on individuals against a placebo. Individuals whose caffeine level was mild to moderate, about 2.5 cups of coffee per day, were placed on caffeine-free diets and given either a caffeine capsule or a placebo. Those people receiving no caffeine had higher rates of both depression and anxiety. Other symptoms of caffeine withdrawal include irritability and fatigue.
Recommendations
Caffeine is safe for most people to consume. Caffeine does get into the brain, but it is not stored by your body. Once circulated, it is excreted in the urine after just a few hours. About 250 mg of caffeine, the amount found in three 8 oz. cups of coffee is considered to be the average amount consumed, according to the National Institutes of Health, and is safe. Excessive intake of caffeine is considered to be ten 8 oz. cups of coffee.
References
- CNN Food Central; Caffeiene; November 23, 1998
- Mayo Clinic.com; Caffeine and Depression; Daniel K. Hall-Flavin, M.D; October 16, 2009
- University of Minnesota; How Does Caffeine Work in the Brain?; Mandy Lind
- New England Journal of Medicine; Withdrawal Syndrome After the Double-Blind Cessation of Caffeine Consumption; K. Silverman, et al.; 1992
- Medline Plus; Caffeine in the Diet; David C. Dugdale, III, MD; May 2, 2009
