Skipping your regular morning cup of coffee can unleash a host of unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. Caffeine withdrawal is recognized as an official medical diagnosis because it can produce significant discomfort and impairment. Headache is the most commonly reported withdrawal symptom. Approximately 50 percent of regular healthy caffeine users report headaches upon abstaining from caffeine for 24 hours.
Symptoms
Caffeine withdrawal may cause headaches that range from mild and diffuse to severe and debilitating. Other common symptoms of withdrawal include fatigue or drowsiness. You may have difficulty concentrating and you may find it difficult to perform well on mental or physical tasks. Depression and irritability are common side effects. Some people experience flu-like symptoms of nausea, vomiting and muscle pain or stiffness.
Causes
A research group at the University of Vermont investigated the effect of caffeine withdrawal on the brain. They measured brain electrical activity using an electroencephalogram or EEG and looked at blood flow in the brain using ultrasound imaging. Withdrawing caffeine form daily caffeine users caused an increase in brain blood flow, a likely explanation for the withdrawal headache. It also changed the electrical activity of the brain, producing more theta rhythm. This electrical signal has previously been linked to fatigue.
Duration
Headache and other withdrawal symptoms usually begin 12 to 24 hours after abstaining from regular caffeine intake. Your symptoms may worsen after but will probably peak by 20 to 48 hours after abstinence. Expect withdrawal symptoms to fade within 2 to 7 days. Rarely, symptoms may last longer than one week.
Prevention
If you wish to reduce your caffeine consumption, you may be able to avoid withdrawal headaches completely by cutting back gradually. Start by eliminating or reducing the size of one serving of caffeine. You may decide to replace it with a decaffeinated version or a smaller cup size. Wait a day or more and then cut out one more serving. Continue making slow changes until you reach your desired level.
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