In this article I am going to talk about Caffeine side effects, but this is the most common psychoactive substance on the planet and regularly consumed by most people in one form or another.
The major sources of Caffeine today are coffee, tea, cola drinks, cocoa, chocolate and some medications and supplements. Some of these products, such as coffee and tea, have been shown to have health benefits along with some minor harmful effects.
This post is part of a series:
- What is Caffeine?
- Is Coffee bad for you, or is it good?
- Caffeine Side Effects
A lot of us have experienced the stimulating effects of caffeine, and this is often the main reason we drink coffee. However, there are some side effects often experienced, and they are especially evident for those who are not used to caffeine, and when taking a higher dosage than is usual.
Possible Caffeine Side Effects
- Anxiety
- Insomnia
- Nausea
- Irritability
- Headaches
- Dehydration
- Elevated Blood Pressure
- Elevated Heart Rate
- Heartburn
- Tremors
Caffeine Addiction
It is a known fact that caffeine causes addiction. A lot of people have real trouble quitting coffee or sodas, and they do experience withdrawal symptoms and cravings.
Its primary effects are in the brain, affecting neurotransmitters like other psychoactive drugs. Caffeine doesn’t, however, have any negative social consequences and you could say that the addiction is not nearly as strong as with things such as nicotine.
A lot of us have some form of addiction in our lives, and when you compare caffeine addiction to something much worse such as alcohol addiction, nicotine addiction or junk food addiction, it really doesn’t seem that bad.
Caffeine Withdrawal Symptoms
For habitual caffeine users, such as coffee drinkers, quitting can be very unpleasant. It is a fact that quitting caffeine causes some very real, uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms.
I would say that headaches are the symptom that is most evident, along with fatigue, lack of concentration, irritability and even full-blown depression.
These symptoms are probably caused because the brain has an excessive amount of adenosine receptors after chronic caffeine use, due to up-regulation, causing excessive effects of adenosine when caffeine’s inhibitory effects are removed.
Caffeine also restricts blood vessels in the brain, and when quitting they tend to dilate and cause headaches.
It’s important to realize that these symptoms are only temporary, most people get rid of them within a few days. However, It can take weeks for the brain to fully adapt so if you plan on quitting caffeine then be prepared to be under full mental capacity for a while.
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