Rapid blood flow and changes in brain activity as the cause
Coffee is the most socially accepted drug
Kiel (pte/05.05.2009/06:10) – Caffeine stimulates the body, but can also be addictive and causes headaches and fatigue when the usual daily dose is missed. Psychiatrists from the University of Vermont College of Medicine in the scientific journal Psychopharmacology. They investigated which physical processes are triggered by a sudden cessation of caffeine intake. Test subjects who had taken caffeine capsules over a longer period showed clear reactions after stopping intake, similar to the typical withdrawal symptoms of addictive substances. The speed of blood flow in the brain and also the theta rhythms in the EEG increased, which the researchers see as the main causes of the headaches. The subjects also reported feeling particularly tired, exhausted, listless, or lethargic during withdrawal.
“Caffeine constricts blood vessels, which leads to faster blood flow and, in the short term, also to high blood pressure. At the same time, the oxygen supply to the cells increases,” explains Hartmut Göbel, head of the Kiel Pain Clinic , in a pressetext interview. The active ingredient, found in coffee, tea, cola, energy drinks, and also cocoa, targets the receptors that otherwise signal the cell to rest, thus preventing fatigue. “The problem is that the brain notices a constant dose of caffeine and becomes accustomed to it. Therefore, the more caffeine you consume, the less effective it becomes,” says Göbel. If you deprive the body of caffeine after this habituation, it can lead to headaches, nausea, fatigue, and depression. “This was clearly demonstrated by the finding that most people have headaches on Saturdays because they don't consume their usual dose of coffee on the weekend.”
Medically and pharmacologically, caffeine is a drug, Göbel emphasizes. However, the addiction that develops with regular consumption is so well-organized in society that it's hardly noticeable. "Coffee is part of everyday life and is consumed constantly. It's always available at work or at events, or people simply take a coffee break." Opportunities for coffee consumption also exist in all urban shopping areas, while in England, the traditional tea time at five o'clock in the afternoon serves the same function: to counteract the usual fatigue at that time of day. "Strongly brewed tea contains the same concentration of caffeine as coffee," the pain specialist explains.
Because caffeine's stimulating effect temporarily relieves headaches, it has long been used as a medicine. "Coca-Cola was originally developed as a therapy for headaches," says Göbel. However, the pain specialist criticizes the use of the stimulant in medications. "This is the case, for example, with the most common analgesics for headaches. These combination drugs combine painkillers with caffeine, which carries the risk of addiction. There are patients who regularly take 30 painkillers a day for this reason." Instead of combinations, monotherapy, which uses only one active ingredient and omits caffeine, is more sensible, the pain specialist emphasizes. Coffee can then be consumed independently of the painkiller if the caffeine effect is desired.
According to Göbel, coffee, when consumed in moderation, is a socially acceptable drug because it enhances performance. Furthermore, there is no medical reason to avoid up to four cups of coffee per day. "Depending on the strength, a cup contains between 30 and 100 milligrams of caffeine. However, caffeine is harmless up to a dose of 200 milligrams." Those who enjoy drinking a lot of coffee should prepare it as weakly as possible, recommends the Kiel-based physician. "However, it is important to give body and mind sufficient balance."
Caffeine tricks brain cells into thinking they are active and have energy
Sender: pressetext.deutschland
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I've been giving up my morning coffee for a week now, and from 1 p.m. onwards I get a severe headache and feel completely drained. In the afternoon I drink my usual two cups of coffee, but I don't feel any better afterwards. I want to continue giving up coffee in the mornings because it's the biggest diuretic. I'm a delivery driver, and the associated problems (like finding a toilet) were very stressful for me. Now I can manage my entire workday without needing a toilet.
I've now completely cut out coffee and am going cold turkey. I've had headaches and trouble sleeping for the past three days. But I'm going to stick with it. Fifteen years ago, I also quit smoking cold turkey. I'm confident I can do it. But experiencing these kinds of side effects really makes you realize what you're dealing with.
Generally speaking, coffee is quite taxing on the liver. My last attempt at caffeine withdrawal resulted in three days of headaches that started after 30 hours of abstinence. This time, I let them run their course, with the result that I completely lost my appetite for coffee. Instead, I drink a glass of water with freshly squeezed lemon in the morning: this replenishes some of the water lost through perspiration during the night. The lemon is good for the liver and the immune system. And drinking water in the morning has exactly the same effect as a cup of coffee.
Hello Volker,
Questions of this kind can be asked here: http://netz.schmerzklinik.de/
Kind regards,
Bettina Frank
Since my coffee consumption – I sometimes cover my daily fluid requirement (1.5 liters) with it – is rather "concerning," I had a similar experience a few years ago when I drank only decaffeinated coffee for several weeks. However, what interests me most about the above post is the statement regarding the effects of caffeine, particularly on blood circulation, blood vessels, and oxygen uptake. I have suffered from episodic cluster headaches since 1997 (only diagnosed in 2006). In every list circulating online that cites pain-inducing foods and beverages, coffee usually ranks second, right behind alcohol. Given the mechanism of action described above, shouldn't caffeine actually have a positive effect on cluster headaches? Where does this contradiction come from, or what causes it?
I've had the same experience. When my children were small, my morning coffee often got cold. So I decided to give up coffee every day. I tried it three times. Each time, I got a migraine attack around 1 p.m. Since then, I've been very careful to drink at least one cup of coffee in the morning.
In reality, withdrawal can only work the same way as with any other drug: by tapering off very slowly.
Kind regards,
Bettina Frank