If you’re a regular coffee drinker, you may have experienced the dreaded caffeine withdrawal headache.
It’s a painful reminder that caffeine is a drug you can become dependent on — that it doesn’t just perk you up, but changes your brain in the process.
“It is addictive,” says Llew Mills, a drug and alcohol researcher at the University of Sydney.
“And it has a well-established withdrawal syndrome, as most people who have tried to stop for a little while would know.”
Not everyone gets a headache from caffeine withdrawal, but if you do it’s likely to set in 12 to 24 hours after your last cup of coffee.
And caffeine acts fast. Just three days of continuous coffee consumption is enough to give you withdrawal symptoms when you stop.
Caffeine withdrawal can cause more than just headaches.
In some people, it leads to impaired cognition, poor coordination, tremors and flu-like symptoms.
It has even been recognised as an official diagnosis in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5).
Unlike other addictive substances, Dr Mills says when taken in recommended amounts, caffeine is generally safe. Those amounts differ depending on age, health conditions and pregnancy.
But that doesn’t mean regular coffee drinking doesn’t have its downsides.
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Inner workings of withdrawal headaches
Caffeine has a vasoconstrictive effect, meaning it narrows blood vessels and reduces blood flow to the brain.
It does this by stifling the effects of a brain chemical called adenosine.
Normally, adenosine helps widen or dilate blood vessels. But caffeine blocks these effects by latching onto the receptors adenosine binds to.
Because of caffeine’s vasoconstrictive effect, it can help get rid of headaches caused by a surge in blood flow to the brain. It’s even used in pain medications to increase their effectiveness.
But when you stop drinking caffeine — and stop dosing yourself daily with this vasoconstrictor — there is a rebound effect.
That’s because while caffeine has been busy blocking adenosine, your brain has been busy creating more adenosine receptors.
A simple cure for withdrawal headaches is … a cup of coffee.
“There’s nothing that cures withdrawal faster than taking the drug you’re addicted to,” Dr Mills says.
But if you aren’t planning on running right back to the espresso machine, these headaches can last anywhere from two days to more than a week.
Giving up caffeine
If you’re looking to give up caffeine for good, there are ways to ease the discomfort of this withdrawal period.
You can lower your dose over time, rather than stopping cold. The amount of caffeine you drink can determine the severity of your withdrawal symptoms.
Choose a replacement drink. Research suggests drinking decaf instead of your regular coffee can help.
