03 May 2006

Caffeine withdrawal - part two

Regular caffeine consumption reduces sensitivity to caffeine. When caffeine intake is reduced, the body becomes oversensitive to adenosine. In response to this oversensitiveness, blood pressure drops dramatically, causing an excess of blood in the head (though not necessarily on the brain), leading to a headache. This headache, well known among coffee drinkers, usually lasts from one to five days, and can be alleviated with analgesics such as aspirin. It is also alleviated with caffeine intake (in fact several analgesics contain caffeine dosages).


Often, people who are reducing caffeine intake report being irritable, unable to work, nervous, restless, and feeling sleepy, as well as having a headache. In extreme cases, nausea and vomiting has also been reported.

References. Caffeine and Health. J. E. James, Academic Press, 1991.
Progress in Clinical and Biological Research Volume 158. G. A. Spiller, Ed. Alan
R. Liss Inc, 1984.


This is what The Ent sent me today as I go into my second day - and the... thirtieth hour... of my headache. And I didn't imbibe that much. I only had about 3-4 cups of coffee, 1-2 cups of tea a day. Oh, and a semi-serious addiction to chocolate.

I do feel dreadful, LOL... so no writing again today. Ho hum.




posted by Kim Knox at 5:10 pm

2 Comments:

Bless your heart Kim! I hope you feel better soon...

Personally, I'll give up breathing before caffiene, but then, i'd like to keep my friends ;)

Thursday, 04 May, 2006  

LOL. It was an experiment. I just didn't think it would be this bad!

Thursday, 04 May, 2006  

Post a Comment

<< Home