How to recognize coffee addiction and what to get rid of it

THE MOST POPULAR DRUG IN THE WORLD

Thecaffeinein coffee is known for its psychoactive effect. Like other psychostimulants such as cocaine and amphetamine, caffeine has similar activating and reinforcing properties. However, these effects are milder for caffeine.

What also makes caffeine a drug is the fact that it can be addictive. The way to become addicted to caffeine, or coffee for that matter, is to drink large quantities of coffee on a regular basis. The susceptibility to caffeine addiction is mainly determined by the continuous drinking of high volumes of coffee and caffeinated beverages and partly by genetic predisposition.

A CUP OF COFFEE AS A REWARD FOR THE BRAIN

Caffeine affects the so-called "reward centre" in the brain. This effect is much smaller than for other addictive substances such as cocaine. Nevertheless, it is responsible for the increase in dopamine, which functions mainly as a motivator in our body .

It gives us the pleasurable feelings that are often associated with addiction. With the desire to obtain these feelings ,we try to repeat what brought us pleasure. The drugs mentioned above work on this principle, although the effect is less with coffee.

SPECIFIC CAFFEINE ADDICTION

Interesting then is the result of a study that describes the effect of caffeine abstinence on changes in cerebral blood flow, EEG and subjective sensations, but without affecting the specific reward and dependence circuit.

From this perspective, caffeine dependence is not taken as a substance use disorder. Caffeine addiction is only supported by its stimulant effect and our desire for wakefulness.

ARE YOU ADDICTED TO CAFFEINE?

Whether a person is addicted to caffeine is based on their withdrawal symptoms. According to the Diagnostic and Static Manual of Mental Disorders, the following symptoms characterize problematic coffee, or caffeine, consumption:

When you constantly crave caffeine, use it uncontrollably, and fail to cut back,
youcontinue to use caffeine despite physical or psychological problems that are likely to be associated with drinking coffee,
drinking more coffee and more often than you intended,
yourcaffeine intake is limiting you at work or in your school or home duties,
you experience an increased tolerance to caffeine, so you need an increasing supply of caffeine.

RISKY AMOUNT OF COFFEE

People who indulge in more than 400 mg of caffeine per day, which is about 4 cups of coffee ,are usually likely to develop a caffeine dependence . If you are one of these heavy coffee drinkers, you may experience some of the negative effects of coffee, such as sleep disturbances, headaches, irritability, increased heart rate, nervousness, and possibly nausea or muscle tremors.

WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS

These side effects of coffee are a side effect of withdrawal - stopping caffeine. If you decide to cut down on caffeine, withdrawal problems such as adrop in energy and drowsiness, difficulty concentrating and depressionmay bother you . A typical symptom of caffeine withdrawal is headache. Caffeine constricts blood vessels and once its effects wear off and the blood vessels in the brain relax, this change causes migraines and pulse headaches.

Due to caffeine's ability to block adenosine receptors, so as to prevent fatigue caused by the natural trapping of adenosine at these sites, our body will increase the number of receptors. After caffeine withdrawal ,adenosine then has more sites to be trapped, thus enhancing the feeling of drowsiness.

GRADUAL CAFFEINE REDUCTION

We can reducethese unpleasant conditions if we start to reduce caffeine gradually over a few days, rather than suddenly banning coffee and caffeinated drinks. Most of the withdrawal symptoms then disappear, usually within 7-12 days of reducing caffeine consumption, and our body essentially 'resets' to its baseline, non-caffeinated state.

When reducing caffeine, it is recommended to replace some coffee with a non-caffeinated beverage, or reduce caffeine intake by replacing coffee with tea. The basic approach to coffee abstinence is to use natural means to relieve drowsiness. A glass of cold water or a short walk can help in this regard.

GENES AND THE BODY'S ABILITY TO PROCESS CAFFEINE

Coffee is first and foremost our favourite habit. However, our body's ability to adapt to caffeine can lead us to consume too much coffee at a higher volume than our body can process without negative effects. The prevention against caffeine addiction is moderate consumption with occasional fasting.

Ideal coffee consumption is partly determined by our genetic disposition. The enzymes CYP1A2*1A and CYP1A2*1F thus determine how we are able to metabolize coffee. The stated limit of 4 cups of coffee per day can be far beyond the limit for a "slow coffee metabolizer", i.e. a person with the CYP1A2*1F gene, and the negative effects of coffee dependence or abstinence can be felt even with regular lower doses of caffeine per day.

IDEAL COFFEE CONSUMPTION

You can spreadyour optimal coffee dose throughout the day by microdosingfor best effectiveness. Also take into account your circadian rhythms, which determine sleep patterns, wakefulness and cortisol production.