Caffeine Dependence Tied To Physical, Emotional Problems

[BCSpace]

It's 4 in the afternoon, and Adam Sandoval, a San Francisco handyman who starts work very early most mornings, is finishing up his second 16-ounce tumbler of black coffee for the day.

 

"I've tried to quit it, but I get headaches," Sandoval, 47, said with a shrug. "So I stopped using sugar and cream. That's the bad stuff. Now I just drink it straight, and it feels like I'm getting more caffeine somehow."

 

Sandoval may be dependent on his daily coffee buzz, but it's not something he worries about. Like millions of Americans, he doesn't see much of a downside to the regular shots of caffeine.

 

But for some people, that dependence can be so strong, physically and emotionally, that it becomes problematic. There's even a medical term to describe it: caffeine use disorder.

 

"Caffeine has caused significant problems for some people," said Laura Juliano, a psychology professor at American University in Washington, D.C., and part of a team of researchers studying the harmful effects of caffeine use disorder.

 

"We have people who say caffeine is interfering with their life. They keep saying they're going to stop, but they can't," she said. "I've seen people who have gone to great lengths to get caffeine when it was unavailable. I knew one woman who pretty much ruined her husband's tropical vacation because she spent half the day looking for caffeine."

Ubiquitous substance

Juliano and her team - which includes behavioral science experts from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and the University of Vermont - wrote a lengthy report late last year about caffeine use disorder and the need for more research in the field.

 

Caffeine may be ubiquitous in American culture - some reports suggest up to 90 percent of people in the U.S. regularly consume it - and the idea that caffeine can be addictive is hardly new.

 

Most of the research into caffeine involves its potential health benefits and risks as a drug. For the most part, evidence suggests that caffeine is probably benign in moderate doses. But multiple studies have shown positive health benefits associated with regular caffeine consumption - it may protect against diabetes and Alzheimer's disease, for example, or help treat depression.

 

But when it comes to misuse of caffeine, astonishingly little data exist about how widespread the problem is, Juliano said.

That may be in part because most people - from the Blue Bottle fanatics to addiction specialists and laboratory chemists - don't see caffeine as an especially dangerous drug. It's certainly safe in small doses, and even in excessive amounts, the worst effects usually are symptoms like headaches, anxiety and jittery hands.

 

"We're not talking about cancer here. It's a quality-of-life issue," said Dr. Robert Cowan, director of the Stanford Headache Program.

 

When he sees patients with chronic headaches, one of the first questions he asks is how much caffeine they consume. The caffeine doesn't necessarily cause the headaches, but the withdrawal can, and even going a few hours without a cup of coffee can cause some people intense pain.

 

"I tell patients, 'If you'd rather have daily headaches than give up your caffeine, you can make that choice.' It's not a life-or-death situation," Cowan said.

Difficult to cut back

Other doctors report having similar conversations with patients. Cardiologists have told patients to cut back on coffee because they're having heart palpitations, and psychologists have warned people that their caffeine habit may be adding to their anxiety problems. Yet some people have trouble letting go of the caffeine - or even cutting back - because it feels like a necessity.

 

Even sleep experts say patients will complain of insomnia but shudder at the idea of quitting caffeine.

 

"There are people who have chronic reflux, stomach acid pain, bleeding, hemorrhoids - all because of coffee. They're suffering a lot," said Keith Humphreys, a Stanford addiction expert. "But they try and they fail to stop."

 

Those people may be addicted to caffeine, he said. But he's loath to apply that label to most people who regularly use caffeine, even those who are physically dependent on it. For something to be considered an addiction, it needs to truly disruptive - causing problems in personal relationships, for example, or interfering with the ability to work.

 

Plus, most people can usually cut back on their caffeine consumption without quitting altogether, unlike truly addictive drugs such as alcohol or heroin.

Still, Juliano said, for some people caffeine overuse can be disruptive. There's very little research into the subject, but one study found that roughly 1 in 10 people met the most important diagnostic criteria for caffeine use disorder.

 

Those people said they wanted to cut down on their habit, that they were using the drug despite knowing that it was causing them harm, and they suffered withdrawal symptoms when they tried to quit. All three criteria together suggest disordered consumption, according to researchers in that study, which was done in Vermont.

Treatment programs

Even if only a small minority of caffeine users are having problems controlling their habit, that still could be a large number of people, Juliano said. If just 1 percent of the millions of caffeine consumers are in trouble, that's still thousands of people, she pointed out.

 

Now, Juliano and her colleagues are developing treatment programs specific to caffeine, addressing issues such as counseling, coping strategies and consumer education. Their first study of a new treatment technique may be published this year.

 

In the meantime, she'd like to make consumers - and doctors - better aware of the role that caffeine may be playing in their daily lives.

 

Most people don't even know for sure how much caffeine they're drinking, because amounts can vary widely among beverages. A mug of coffee brewed at home may have 100 milligrams of caffeine, while a 16-ounce beverage at Starbucks can have more than 300 milligrams.

Caffeine headaches

People often are so used to their daily fix that when they accidentally go without, they don't understand why they suddenly feel fatigued and headachy, Juliano said. Studies have even found that patients who have surgery sometimes wake up with headaches that aren't from the anesthesia, but from missing a morning cup of coffee.

 

"My wife has to prep for Yom Kippur," the Jewish holiday that involves a day of fasting, said Dr. Daniel Saal, psychiatrist in the chemical dependency recovery program at Kaiser Santa Clara.

 

"There is a legitimate withdrawal phenomenon, and it's not rare. It's extremely common," Saal said. "But I would not think of caffeine as an addiction in most patients. It's not on the top of my list of concerns."

 

http://www.sfgate.com/health/article/Caffeine-dependence-tied-to-physical-emotional-5288887.php?cmpid=twitter#page-1

 

I've always considered caffeine to be a gateway drug.  Still do.  So while I realize that it's not specifically part of the WoW (the doctrine though is that habit forming substances are to be avoided), my family is being raised to be caffeine free in terms of soda pop.

 

For those who would like to remind us of chocolate, are we affected by that as much as say regularly drinking Coke or Mountain Dew?

[Calm]

Since sleep disorders run in my family, caffeine is an out except for my husband and he is moderate usage.

[thesometimesaint]

It true that that the amounts of caffeine are much less in chocolate than in caffeinated soft drinks. However if you are sensitive to caffeine even that Hersey's Bar is a no go.

 

Anything used to excess is excess.

[Rock_N_Roll]

I couldn't help but notice this little piece in your post...

 

"For the most part, evidence suggests that caffeine is probably benign in moderate doses. But multiple studies have shown positive health benefits associated with regular caffeine consumption - it may protect against diabetes and Alzheimer's disease, for example, or help treat depression."

[Gray]

Caffeine is probably more beneficial than it is harmful. It doesn't do anyone any favors to post these kinds of things while ignoring the benefits of caffeine. 

[frank_jessop]

For those who would like to remind us of chocolate, are we affected by that as much as say regularly drinking Coke or Mountain Dew?

If you assertion is that chocolate is ok, but not soda because of caffeine, then you have built upon an utterly ridiculous foundation. If caffeine is bad, then caffeine is bad.

If you are trying to justify your gate-way drug of chocolate, here is something to consider from Nephi:

8 And there shall also be many which shall say: Eat [chocolate], be merry; nevertheless, fear God—he will justify in committing a little sin; ... there is [less harm] in this [than a caffeinated soda]; and do all these things, for tomorrow we die; and if it so be that we are guilty, God will beat us with a few stripes, and at last we shall be saved in the kingdom of God.

[3DOP]

This guy says coffee gets rid of his headaches. I have never tried coffee to get rid of a headache, but I am skeptical. Some tired mornings I have wished coffee would give me a "buzz". It doesn't. I am warned that at night coffee will keep me awake. It doesn't. I tend to think that people think coffee is going to do all these things, and so it does. If you could give them black water with coffee flavor, it would be interesting to see if they didn't get the same benefits that they claim come from coffee use.

[BCSpace]

I couldn't help but notice this little piece in your post...

 

I noticed it too.  However, there are also studies showing alcohol to be similarly beneficial yet the WoW requires complete abstinence.

 

If you assertion is that chocolate is ok, but not soda because of caffeine, then you have built upon an utterly ridiculous foundation.

 

 

Not asserting that.  However, anecdotally, I freely admit don't perceive the same negative caffeine problems among the chocolate addicted.

 

If caffeine is bad, then caffeine is bad.

 

Maybe.  But I can be nuanced. Caffeine in combination with something else might not be as harmful or dangerous or harmful and dangerous in the same way.

 

If you are trying to justify your gate-way drug of chocolate, here is something to consider from Nephi:

8 And there shall also be many which shall say: Eat [chocolate], be merry; nevertheless, fear God—he will justify in committing a little sin; ... there is [less harm] in this [than a caffeinated soda]; and do all these things, for tomorrow we die; and if it so be that we are guilty, God will beat us with a few stripes, and at last we shall be saved in the kingdom of God.

 

I think we all suffer at least a little from that.

 

[BCSpace]

Caffeine is probably more beneficial than it is harmful. It doesn't do anyone any favors to post these kinds of things while ignoring the benefits of caffeine.

 

Buyer beware.

[Gray]

Buyer beware.

 

Let's just put it this way - caffeine is somewhat likely to extend your life and quite unlikely to shorten it. 

[thesometimesaint]

This guy says coffee gets rid of his headaches. I have never tried coffee to get rid of a headache, but I am skeptical. Some tired mornings I have wished coffee would give me a "buzz". It doesn't. I am warned that at night coffee will keep me awake. It doesn't. I tend to think that people think coffee is going to do all these things, and so it does. If you could give them black water with coffee flavor, it would be interesting to see if they didn't get the same benefits that they claim come from coffee use.

 

Caffeine is a known stimulant, the exact extant of stimulation is dependent on concentration and personal sensitivity. 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1356551

[thesometimesaint]

Let's just put it this way - caffeine is somewhat likely to extend your life and quite unlikely to shorten it. 

 

Depends. The overuse of caffeine can result in narcolepsy like symptoms. Fatal if occurring while operating heavy equipment like cars and trucks.

[The Nehor]

Do we have to micromanage everything? If you insist on rules they are eventually going to ban porn and heroin in the church. Is that what everyone here wants?

[Gray]

Depends. The overuse of caffeine can result in narcolepsy like symptoms. Fatal if occurring while operating heavy equipment like cars and trucks.

 

Source?

[teddyaware]

This guy says coffee gets rid of his headaches. I have never tried coffee to get rid of a headache, but I am skeptical. Some tired mornings I have wished coffee would give me a "buzz". It doesn't. I am warned that at night coffee will keep me awake. It doesn't. I tend to think that people think coffee is going to do all these things, and so it does. If you could give them black water with coffee flavor, it would be interesting to see if they didn't get the same benefits that they claim come from coffee use.

The reason why he gets headaches without caffeine is because of caffeine withdrawal. When I was using caffeine (I stopped 10 years ago), I would get caffeine withdrawal headaches if I stopped using for a day or two. The following is a top ten list of caffeine withdrawal symptoms:

1 Headache. A caffeine headache usually starts behind the eyes and then moves up the front of the head.

2 Sleepiness. This just isn’t your normal tiredness, this is sitting up straight but still can’t keep your eyes open tiredness.

3 Irritability. Everyone and everything gets on your last nerve. It’s best just to lock yourself in your room during this stage.

4 Lethargy. Forget about productivity at this stage because you’ll be unmotivated to do anything.

5 Constipation. Caffeine stimulates the bowel, so without its daily does the colon gets a little cranky too.

6 Depression. Caffeine withdrawal can take away all hope for living. Temporary blues are one thing, but if you already struggle with depression this could be a big issue.

7 Muscle Pain/Stiffness. If you normally have some caffeine prior to exercise then during caffeine withdrawal you could feel as though your muscles have weights strapped to them.

8 Lack of Concentration. Forget school, studying, brain surgery, or jet engine repair during this stage of withdrawal.

9 Flu-like symptoms. Stuffy nose, blocked sinuses and even vomiting have been reported by people withdrawing from caffeine.

10 Insomnia. Some people are strange and actually can’t sleep when going through caffeine withdrawal. (Caffeineinformer)

[Calm]

This guy says coffee gets rid of his headaches. I have never tried coffee to get rid of a headache, but I am skeptical. Some tired mornings I have wished coffee would give me a "buzz". It doesn't. I am warned that at night coffee will keep me awake. It doesn't. I tend to think that people think coffee is going to do all these things, and so it does. If you could give them black water with coffee flavor, it would be interesting to see if they didn't get the same benefits that they claim come from coffee use.

I think a lot has to do with individual sensitivities and how an individual metabolises a substance. For caffeine I am one of the extreme. It takes about twice as long to clear my body and in significant amounts can negate my routinely taken medications. Otoh, my dad needs to use it to increase the effectiveness of his pain meds (such as in excedrin and a number of prescription stuff) nd it has no effect on him in regards to sleep or negating his meds...we take different drugs for the same disorder, his kind actually makes it worse for me....one of the strange characteristic of our disorder. For ADHD kids, coffee is suggested as a cheaper version of official drugs if you can't afford them.

Overall I don't see caffeine as a problem if used wisely, I think articles like this help people make informed choices and help them identify if they are part of the small group with sensitivities.

[DarkScythe]

i love Caffeine with a passion. It keeps me very sane and very rational.

[thesometimesaint]

Source?

 

http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/narcolepsy/detail_narcolepsy.htm

[Buzzard]

Best quote about caffeine I ever read was in a National Geographic article on it I read several years back: "Most caffeine in this world is consumed to fight the effects of sleep deprivation, which is caused by excessive consumption of caffeine." 

[Gray]

http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/narcolepsy/detail_narcolepsy.htm

 

Thanks! Seems pretty rare though

[cinepro]

I do wish food labels told you how much caffeine was in the product.

 

The chart here would indicate that a 16oz coffee has about ~170mg or caffeine (depending on the brand and flavor).  The article said the guy was having two 16oz mugs per day, so that's over 300mg!

 

A Hershey's Milk Chocolate bar has 9mg of caffeine.  So the guy would have to eat about 33 chocolate bars to get the same amount of caffeine.  So anytime someone brings up chocolate as being somehow equivalent, keep the dosage in mind.

 

Coke has 35-50mg in a 12oz can, so it's still not even close.  Although I have known a fellow ward member who claimed to drink about 6 cans of Diet Coke per day...

[Bikeemikey]

I've always considered caffeine to be a gateway drug. Still do. So while I realize that it's not specifically part of the WoW (the doctrine though is that habit forming substances are to be avoided), my family is being raised to be caffeine free in terms of soda pop.

For those who would like to remind us of chocolate, are we affected by that as much as say regularly drinking Coke or Mountain Dew?

If it's a gateway drug it's exceptionally bad at it. Given the article reports that 90% of Americans use it obviously it's not acting as a gateway for the vast majority of them.

[Calm]

I bet it is a gateway to more calories....If not while it is working, when it wears off and energy drops.

(Coffee is an appetite suppressant, but likely not solely because of the caffeine and decaf appears to work even better).

https://www.precisionnutrition.com/research-review-coffee-hunger

[strappinglad]

I know a gentleman who had 60 cups of coffee a day( the small espresso type). He dropped to 30 cups in one week and to none the second. He claimed very bad headaches for those 2 weeks but then they were gone.

[Calm]

Not surprising.  Even if the body is used to caffeine,  most people I know can wean off of it pretty quickly.  I'd have to go back and do some research about what the headache specialist taught though *in regard to rebound headaches from painkillers with caffeine in them.