Bill Asenjo, PhD, CRC, Freelance Writer and Consultant

http://www.newpi.com/
Catalyst
June 2001
Is Caffeine Making Me Tired?

by Bill Asenjo, PhD, CRC

 

It's like this:

7:20AM. You're running late. Gulping coffee or Mountain Dew you head out the door. Once behind the wheel the caffeine kicks in, raising blood pressure, irritability and anxiety.

3PM. Suddenly you've become a paperweight. Energy. Gotta have energy. You stumble to the vending machine. Coffee? Coke? Chocolate?

11:30PM. Report's due tomorrow — and it better be good. Your promotion, job, grade depend on it. So you pour another cup of joe or pop the top on another Pepsi.

Am I reading your mail? Don't have to: Americans drink more than a half billion cups of coffee daily — most drink at least two cups. And according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, teens drink at least twice as much soda today as they did 25 years ago -- many more line up at coffee shops, getting jazzed on java.

Caffeine's Dark Side

Most caffeine consumers don't need to be told, but documented effects include:

  • Nervousness, irritability, headaches, heartburn, anxiety, panic attacks, insomnia, "restless legs," dizziness and fatigue. Children develop hyperactivity and bed-wetting.
  • Caffeine causes adrenal exhaustion, stress, fatigue, and hypoglycemia. It increases blood sugar by stimulating the adrenals. Both stress and sugar weaken adrenal function leading to chronic fatigue, adrenal exhaustion, and inability to handle stress and sugar intake.
  • Increased hydrochloric acid secretion causes ulcers and gastritis.
  • A diuretic, caffeine eliminates essential minerals, as well as B vitamins and C.
  • Caffeine -- particularly coffee -- reduces iron and calcium absorption, especially taken near mealtime. Osteoporosis and anemia increase among regular users. In children and adolescents, caffeine interferes with minerals needed for growth and health.
  • Cardiovascular effects: increased blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides, heart rhythm disturbances, and norepinephrine secretion (causing restricted blood flow). 4-5 cups of coffee daily increase myocardial infarction risk.
  • Women: Fibrocystic breast disease and incontinence may increase -- some are more sensitive to caffeine.
  • Birth defects and spontaneous abortions are associated with caffeine use during pregnancy. Caffeine crosses the placenta affecting the fetus, and seeps into breast milk.
  • Certain cancers increase, including bladder, ovarian, and pancreatic.
  • Caffeine correlates with kidney stones, arthritis, and prostate enlargement.

Caffeine Levels in Common Substances

Coffee and Other
Drinks/6 oz. cup		 Amount of
Caffeine (mg.)		   OTC
Medicines		 Amount of
Caffeine (mg.)
Drip 120-150   NoDoz 100
Percolated 80-110   Vivarin 200
Instant 60-70   Dexatrim 200
Decaf 3-10   Dietac 200
Black tea 50-60   Cafergot 100
Green tea 30   Excedrin 65
Cocoa 10-30   Fiorinal 40
Chocolate milk 10-15   Anacin 30
Cocoa 10-30   Vanquish 33
Chocolate (dry, 1 oz.) 5-10   Aqua-Ban 100
      Midol 32
Soft drinks, per 12. oz. serving      
Colas 30-65      
Mountain Dew 50      

Okay, Now What Do I Do?

Whether you taper off or go cold turkey it's easier with diet and adrenal support. Alkaline foods speed detoxification: fruit, salads, greens, seaweed, whole grains, sprouts, soy products, nuts and seeds. Decrease acid foods: meats, sugar (slows withdrawal) and refined flour. Drink 6-8 glasses of filtered water.

Vitamin C helps during withdrawal and supports the adrenals. Take several grams or more in divided doses daily (preferably in a buffered form) along with potassium, calcium, magnesium, zinc and B complex with extra B5 (250 mg. four times daily) for stress.

Some find it easier to detox over a week or two; others stop fairly easily without problems. Try grain-coffee blends, diluted or smaller amounts of regular coffee, or decaffeinated coffee to reduce caffeine intake. Some substitute teas with less caffeine then taper off tea more easily.

If headaches occur, drink water, take vitamin C and minerals. Apple Computer's Steve Jobs stays energized avoiding caffeine and drinking water.

Roasted herbal roots like barley, chicory, and dandelion are popular. Many drink grain "coffees" like Rombouts, Postum, Pero, Cafix, and Wilson's Heritage. Some favor herbal teas made from lemon grass, peppermint, ginger root, red clover, and comfrey. Green tea contains some caffeine but compensates as a cancer preventive.

How Much Is Too Much?

Some get wired on 250 mgs.; others shrug off triple that. How do you know if you're doing too much? Consider your consumption — and be honest. For example, if your coffee mug is larger than a wastepaper basket, your 2 "cups" exceed the standard (6 oz.). And a quart of Coke is not "one" serving. Some claim they drink pots of coffee and sleep like babies. Beware: studies reveal caffeine creates havoc whether you feel it or not.

Quiz: Do you smile at co-workers one moment and snarl the next? Feel energized but then the bottom drops out? Is your head ever in a vice? Stomach awash in battery acid? Need coffee to make that bathroom visit work? Jaw and shoulders seem like rigor mortis setting in? Is your office nickname "Tom or Tina Tense"? Ears ring? Hands tremble? Fingertips like ice? Before you schedule an MRI or a psych evaluation, try reducing your caffeine.

ENERGY

Exercise boosts energy. T.J. Rodgers, CEO of Cypress Semiconductor replaces lunch with a five-mile run. "Jogging keeps him focused," says a spokesperson. But studies show you don't need an entire exercise session all at once. Two or three brief, brisk walks daily ease tension and rev up metabolism. Added bonus: several brief exercise periods during the day help weight loss.

Trade high-fat, refined foods for raw fruits and vegetables, fresh juices, whole grains and deep-sea, cold-water fish like mackerel, salmon and herring. Replace 3 meals a day with 5-6 smaller ones. Digestion requires energy — more food means you work harder digesting it, draining energy for hours. And the less you eat before bedtime, the better you sleep and the perkier you are next morning.

Bottom line: In spite of the energy illusion, caffeine only stresses your nervous system. And prolonged stress fatigues and harms. You probably have all the energy you need naturally, quit or cut down and discover it.

Can't Quit?

Hypnosis, visualization, detoxification diets, fasting, exercise and nutritional supplements help relieve caffeine habits.

Remember: Caffeine drinking is an acquired habit. Anything learned can be unlearned.

Caffeine Support and Detox Nutrient Program

Water 2½ — 3 qt.
Fiber 15-20 g.
Vitamin A 10,000 IUs   Iodine 150 mcg.
Beta-carotene 25,000 IUs Iron Men — 10-20 mg.
Vitamin D 400 IUs Women — 20-30 mg.
Vitamin E 400-800 IUs Magnesium 500-800 mcg.
Vitamin K 300 mcg. Manganese 5-10 mg.
Thiamine (B1) 75-150 mg. Molybdenum 300-500 mcg.
Riboflavin (B2) 50-100 mg. Potassium 300-600 mg.
Niacinamide (B3) 50-100 mg. Silicon 100 mg.
Niacin (B3) 50-100 mg. Selenium 200 mcg.
Pantothenic acid (B5) 500-1,000 mg. Zinc 45-75 mg.
Pyridoxine (B6) 50-100 mg. Adrenal 50 mg.
Pyridoxal-5-phosphate 25-50 mg. L-amino acids 500-1,500 g.
Cobalamin (B12) 100-200 mcg. Potassium  
Folic acid 400-800 mcg.    
Biotin 300 mcg.    
Vitamin C 2-6 g.    
Bioflavonoids 250-500 mcg.    
Calcium 800-1,000 mg.    
Chromium 200-400 mcg.    
Copper 2-3 mg.    

Herbal Caffeine Substitutes

Roasted barley Rombouts Ginseng root
Chicory root Rosataroma Ginger root
Dandelion root Wilson's Heritage Comfrey leaf
Postum Cafix Peppermint
Pero Miso broth Lemon grass
Pioneer Duran Red clover

Bill Asenjo, PhD, CRC is a freelance writer, certified rehabilitation counselor, healthcare management consultant, and college instructor. Contact Bill at basenjo@avalon.net.

SOURCES

Caffeine Blues. Stephen Cherniske. Warner Books, 1998.

Optimal Wellness. Ralph Golan, MD. Ballantine Books, 1997.

The World of Caffeine. Weinberg, B. & Bealer, B. Routledge Press.

How Some CEOs Get The Energy to Work Those Endless Days. Wall Street Journal; Mar 20, 2001. Carol Hymowitz.

Hidden stimulants. Consumer Reports on Health, Jan. 2001.

3 keys to more energy now! Better Nutrition, Sep. 2000; Elaine Gavalas.

Wide Awake and Ready for More. Wall Street Journal, Jan 30, 2001; Hugh Kenner.

Balch, James, M.D., and Phyllis A. Prescription for Nutritional Healing. Garden City Park, NY: Avery, 1997.

Fox, KR, et al. "The influence of physical activity on mental well-being", Public Health Nutrition 1999 Sep;2(3A):411-8.

Lieberman, Shari, Ph.D., CNS. The Real Vitamin and Mineral Book. Avery, 1997.

Weil, Andrew, MD. Eating Well For Optimum Health. Knopf, 2000.

Bad news for coffee and caffeine drinkers. Patient Care; Oct 15, 2000; Carol Saunders.

Study: Caffeine-miscarriage link. FDA Consumer; Mar/Apr 2001.

Kicking caffeine. Scholastic Choices, Apr 2001. Karen Fanning.

Get up and go. Better Nutrition, Dec. 2000. Brenda Adderly.

Why am I always tired? McCall's; March 2001; Hilary Macht Felgran.

Hold the coffee. Nursing; March 2001.

New findings on caffeine and your health. Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter; March 2001.

Go for the green. Better Nutrition; Dec. 2000; Kathi Keville.

Heliovaara M, Aho K Knekt P, et al. Coffee consumption, rheumatoid factor, and the risk of rheumatoid arthritis. Ann. Rheum. Dis. 2000;59:631-635.

Hartley TR. Sung BH, Pincomb GA, et al. Hypertension risk status and effect of caffeine on blood pressure. Hypertension. 2000;36:137-141.

Griffiths RR, Vernotica EM. Is caffeine a flavoring agent in cola soft drinks? Arch. Fam. Med. 200:9:727-734.

Think before you drink. Scholastic Choices; New York; Feb. 2001; Chana Stiefel.

© 2009 Bill Asenjo

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