Quitting caffeine has helped me realise anxiety wasn’t this huge problem that it seemed to be, it was just a rational consequence to over stimulating my mind and not taking time to rest. 9. (54, 55), One study found EGCG to be as effective at relieving anxiety as the anti-anxiety medication benzodiazepine. Difficulty concentrating Here are a number of reasons why you should consider quitting caffeine: Anxiety. Caffeine’s effects vary depending on how quickly you process it. Quitting Caffeine Cold Turkey – My Failures Serotonin is the neurotransmitter tied closely to happiness. Money. For many people, in fact, the side effects of caffeine and anxiety are the same. 1. You get headaches; you hate everybody.” -Ellen Vora, MD. (17), Men metabolize caffeine more slowly which makes them more caffeine sensitive than most women, the exceptions being women who are pregnant or taking birth control pills. There’s evidence that quitting caffeine can be even more beneficial for anxiety than taking prescription anti-anxiety drugs! Professional online counseling can help you cope with life. It’s also a mainstay in chocolate, some teas, vitamins, and even some headache medications. Online counseling for mental health issues is effective, affordable, and convenient.See our BETTERHELP review. Caffeine Can Make Your Brain Supplement Useless, 13. Caffeine does increase anxiety symptoms. People who regularly consume caffeine may experience withdrawal symptoms after suddenly quitting caffeine. Sadly, there have been a few deaths caused by caffeine powder overdose. This would be like a person who’s suffering from depression taking downers… Why would one even do that? There’s evidence that quitting caffeine can be even more beneficial for anxiety than taking prescription anti-anxiety drugs! It can take as little as two to as many as ten hours after ingestion to metabolize half of it. (51). Coffee drinkers wear their caffeine consumption like a badge of honor (*raises hand proudly*). (See what I did there?). Fewer Headaches. As per title what effect did quitting caffeine have on your anxiety? One of the most common side effects of both anxiety and caffeine consumption is insomnia. Lastly, don’t be impressed if you see the words “naturally caffeinated” on a product label. Energy drinks are no better even though they may contain some added herbs or vitamins. Hard stop. (14). (56), L-theanine is a relaxing amino acid that causes an increase in alpha brainwave activity, putting you in a state similar to that experienced during meditation. Symptoms of caffeine withdrawal include headache, fatigue, mood changes, difficulty concentrating, and constipation. Caffeine Induces “Panic Attacks on Demand” for Scientific Research, The Worst and Best Caffeinated Drinks If You Have Anxiety, GABA Supplements for Stress and Anxiety (& which work best), Proven Natural Remedies for Anxiety (in-depth guide), 11 Benefits of Tapping for Anxiety Relief, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, How Magnesium Relieves Anxiety & Stress (detailed review), 1/64 teaspoon will give you a subtle boost, 1/16 teaspoon (the amount in 12 oz of coffee) can lead to addiction. Caffeine consumption initially increases serotonin, but there’s evidence that when consumed regularly caffeine may eventually lead to serotonin depletion. You expect to find it in coffee, tea, chocolate, and cola soda, but it’s also hidden in prescription drugs, over-the-counter painkillers, non-cola drinks, vitamin waters, brain tonics, and even in vitamins and herbal supplements. Caffeine stimulates the release of the stress hormones cortisol, epinephrine, and norepinephrine, causing blood sugar levels to drop. (50), Researchers have also used caffeine to induce auditory hallucinations (i.e., hearing non-existent sounds) in test subjects. He reveals that if you drink soda or energy drinks, you’ve almost certainly consumed caffeine produced there. According to the book Caffeinated, here’s what escalating amounts of caffeine can do to you: It’s thought to be virtually impossible to drink yourself to death with naturally occurring caffeine. (18, 19), Caffeine sensitivity can be caused by an allergic reaction to caffeine, although true caffeine allergy is rare. Caffeine can also be a migraine trigger so people prone to migraines should avoid caffeine. After doing more research, and discovering that caffeine is linked to anxiety, I decided to quit completely. Here are 15 ways that caffeine is linked to anxiety … and what you can do about it. Cutting back often means feeling tired and sluggish, an inability to focus, headaches, body aches, nausea, cold sweats, and even temporary depression. Every day I would have about 3-5 cups of green or black tea and most days I also had a cup of coffee. That said, it won’t be a magic cure for everyone. See our Terms of Use for details. Copyright © 2021 Be Brain Fit & Blue Sage, LLC. If anxious thoughts make you restless at night, caffeine can compound the problem. And so on. I’ve since read multiple studies, as well as many anecdotal reports, which link caffeine and anxiety. If this means you want to try cutting out caffeine from your diet, then you should cut caffeine from your diet. Caffeine so reliably induces panic attacks that it’s used for that purpose in studies. Caffeine withdrawal has been recognized as a medical diagnosis. If you have anxiety, you probably aren’t one of them. (6), GABA slows brain activity when needed and has been called “nature’s Valium.”. Caffeine Increases Stress Hormones Cut my daily anxiety levels with like 75% by replacing coffee with tea Here are 15 ways that caffeine is linked to anxiety … and what you can do about it. (58). (53). While more research still needs to be conducted on the relationship between caffeine and anxiety, two separate studies have reported finding higher mean anxiety scores in participants “dependent” on caffeine than their non-dependent counterparts. There are more sources of caffeine than ever before. (31, 32). When you experience anxiety, your nervous system is usually in … You get headaches; you hate everybody.” Dr. Vora said. Caffeine Can Increase Your Anxiety Levels. We provide links to relevant products that may help you achieve your brain health and performance goals more easily and quickly. So you have anxiety, and you drink coffee, you probably drink too much of it. It is usually made in China or sometimes in India or Germany. (46), Caffeine restricts blood flow to the brain by as much as 27%. Caffeine is a major trigger for headaches. Pharmacist Suzy Cohen reveals some alarming interactions between caffeine and prescription drugs in her book Drug Muggers: Which Medications Are Robbing Your Body of Essential Nutrients — and Natural Ways to Restore Them. The potential anxiety benefits of caffeine are mild at best, and people react differently to different dietary changes, so it may be worthwhile quitting caffeine and seeing if your anxiety feels like it is decreasing. I find green tea even more anxiety producing than coffee. (44), Taking extra B vitamins can address imbalances of the brain chemicals GABA, serotonin, dopamine, and epinephrine that contribute to anxiety. But first, (you’ll have to quit) coffee. Anxiety is a commonly reported symptom … Get our Brain PowerUp Guide, free. If you’re more of a coffee-to-go kinda gal, Holmes says to swap out your venti Starbs for a grande, then a grande for a tall. (9). Although quitting or cutting down on caffeine can be tremendously helpful in reducing the symptoms of anxiety, this is easier said than done. The most recent edition is the fifth version known as the DSM-5. The Early Benefits of Quitting Caffeine. GIVE YOUR BRAIN A BOOST! “Nothing should happen cold turkey with caffeine because caffeine withdrawal is very real. (1). But Holmes caveats that if you and your doc decide that caffeine breakup is the best course of action, remember that the stimulant appears in way more than just coffee beans. Caffeine also inhibits the calming neurotransmitter GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid). Getting adequate high-quality sleep is one of the most important things you can do for brain health and mental well-being. (10). That, in turn, develops anxiety. Well+Good decodes and demystifies what it means to live a well life, inside and out. (11, 12, 13), Caffeine consumed even six hours before bedtime can significantly disrupt sleep, so you may find you need to cut off caffeine earlier than you thought. Caffeine consumption can more than double your blood levels of the stress hormones cortisol and epinephrine. This is due to the way caffeine increases the amount of adrenaline in your body. The DSM-5 now lists four caffeine-related disorders: (33). A low blood sugar attack can leave you feeling jittery, sweating, irritable, and confused, with a pounding heart — a lot like an anxiety attack. Green tea will help you stay simultaneously calm and focused due to two unique compounds, EGCG and l-theanine. I’m not a soda drinker. While consuming caffeine can cause feelings of anxiousness, cutting it out can cause this side effect as well. 5-Hour Energy Shot contains a jaw-dropping 100 mg of caffeine per ounce. Caffeine is commonly added in so-called brain supplements, often as part of a proprietary blend which means the label won’t say how much it contains. Why would you allow yourself to feel this way if you can help it? Instead, think slow and steady: “If it’s coffee, turn it into half [caf] and half [decaf], then turn into black tea, and eventually green tea, and eventually nothing,” she recommends. Caffeine Causes at Least Four Recognized Mental Disorders, 10. (27), Natural and synthetic caffeine are technically identical, yet can be told apart by carbon dating. This means you’ll get double the boost and side effects from any caffeine you consume. Caffeine use has been linked to mental disorders of all kinds including anxiety, panic, depression, as well as sleep and eating disorders. But the caffeine found in sodas, energy drinks, energy gel packs, and caffeine pills and powders is rarely extracted from tea leaves or coffee grounds — that would be prohibitively expensive. Any alteration in your normal daily caffeine consumption can result in a caffeine withdrawal headache. Learn what you can do. Not all sources of caffeine are equally beneficial or detrimental. You may be taking medications that increase the side effects of caffeine. Our articles are based on high-quality, widely accepted, research-based information. Cutting back or eliminating caffeine from your diet quickly can lead to withdrawal symptoms, which can also be anxiety producing. It’s essential for feeling happy and relaxed, so it’s not surprising that a low GABA level is associated with anxiety and panic attacks. Convenience Is it possible that something so presumably innocent and overlooked such as habitual daily caffeine use have the potential to ruin your whole life if you suffer from an anxiety disorder? It’s been linked to a handful of recognized psychiatric disorders. 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