Caffeine-related Headaches

Caffeine is widely consumed in coffee, tea and sodas. It has a number of attractive side effects such as stimulating the central nervous system, alleviating fatigue, increasing wakefulness and improving your concentration and focus. However, more than four cups of coffee per day may cause undesired effects such as insomnia, restlessness, stomach upset and irritability, according to the Mayo Clinic. In addition, one common cause of headaches is caffeine withdrawal.

Caffeine Withdrawal

Caffeine is an often overlooked cause of headaches. However, if you consume low to moderate amounts of caffeine, you may experience a headache with the abrupt withdrawal of caffeine from your diet. Those who experience caffeine-withdrawal headaches generally consume more caffeine and report more symptoms of anxiety and depression than those who do not, according to Dr. John Greden, medical director of the Clinical Studies Unit Inpatient Program and director of neural and behavioral sciences at the University of Michigan Medical Center.

Symptoms

Caffeine-related headaches tend to have consistent presentation. It begins with a feeling of fullness in your head approximately 18 hours following the time you consumed caffeine. Next it diffuses into a throbbing headache that is exacerbated by exercise. In a caffeine-related headache, discomfort will peak at three to six hours after onset. Some people also experience mild nausea or stomach upset, according to Dr. John Greden and colleagues.

Research

Abstinence from caffeine consumption in regular coffee drinkers results in measurable changes to your cerebral blood flow--this is the blood flow to your brain. In addition, you may have more feelings of fatigue, weariness and sluggishness than those who do not drink coffee on a regular basis, as reported in a study published in the February 2009 issue of "Psychopharmacology."

Considerations

Some people are more sensitive to caffeine than others. Men seem to be more sensitive to the effects of caffeine than women, according to the Mayo Clinic. In sensitive individuals even one cup of coffee or tea may prompt unwanted effects, such as restlessness and sleep problems. In addition, sensitive individuals may experience withdrawal headaches more easily.