To cut coffee from your diet, it might be helpful to learn how to wean off coffee using magnesium. Magnesium assists with energy production in the body and the use of calcium. It may help to reduce possible caffeine-withdrawal side effects of irritability, difficulty sleeping and headaches, including migraine headaches in some people. Magnesium is used as a headache remedy in alternative medicine, although further research is needed. Talk to your doctor about any medical concerns, and as with all supplements, discuss dosage and possible interactions with any medications you take before consuming magnesium.
Step 1
Take magnesium citrate daily, up to 310 milligrams for women and up to 400 milligrams for men, or the dosage recommended by your doctor. Taking magnesium for two weeks before you begin cutting down on coffee might help to offset the magnesium losses from coffee drinking and make the transition easier, but more research is needed. Take the magnesium citrate at bedtime if you're prone to irritability or difficulty sleeping.
Step 2
Cut down on coffee gradually, taking at least a week to reduce your intake from your current level to your target level or to cut out coffee entirely. Gradually weening off coffee reduces the risk of withdrawal symptoms.
Step 3
Replace part of your usual coffee intake with a substitute, such as decaffeinated coffee or a grain-based coffee substitute. Mixing the substitute into your coffee in increasing quantities can help make the transition off of coffee easier. For example, use 1/4 substitute to 3/4 regular coffee and increase the amount of the substitute each day. Alternatively, if you usually drink multiple cups of coffee, use green tea or a non-caffeinated substitute for part of your beverage intake. Green tea has less caffeine than coffee and might make weaning off coffee easier for some people.
Step 4
Keep track of the size and number of the cups of coffee you drink in a notebook or your favorite device to make sure you're consuming less each day. Order smaller sizes when you're out while you're weaning off coffee, especially if it isn't convenient to use a coffee substitute. If you used to order a 16-ounce coffee, start ordering a 12-ounce cup. Drink more water -- even slight dehydration can contribute to fatigue and make you feel worse when you're quitting coffee.
Tips and Warnings
- The longer you've been drinking coffee, and the more coffee you generally drink, the higher your risk for side effects from caffeine withdrawal. Coffee can reduce your magnesium levels, although significant magnesium deficiency is rare, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Cutting out caffeine might help to reduce symptoms of premenstrual syndrome -- and maintaining magnesium intake can help to prevent menstrual cramping, according to the West Virginia University Student's Center of Health website. Foods rich in magnesium include almonds, cashews, peanuts, spinach and brown rice. Magnesium citrate can have a laxative effect. The powder or liquid forms are convenient for adjusting the dose, in consultation with your doctor.
- Always consult with your doctor before taking supplements. Natural remedies, vitamins and minerals can interact with medications, or may not be suitable for your condition. Decaffeinated coffee contains a small amount of caffeine, and green tea contains caffeine. Consult your doctor about using these if you need to eliminate caffeine.
Things You'll Need
- Magnesium citrate, if approved by your doctor
- Green tea, if approved by your doctor (optional)
- Herbal tea, grain beverage coffee substitute or decaffeinated coffee (optional)
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