7 things that happen when you quit caffeine

Do know these side-effects of going java-free before you take your chai and coffee out of commission

Caffeine is a diverse assortment of goodies. There are benefits associated with consuming it, such as improved memory function and greater levels of vigilance, but then you hear from people who quit it say it changed their life. As compiled from Women’s Health and Prevention magazines, know these side-effects of going java-free before you take your chai and coffee out of commission.

You’ll feel temporarily sluggish

If you’ve ever gone a couple of hours without a caffeine fix, you’ve probably gotten a taste of withdrawal and it’s not pleasant. Symptoms include lethargy, headaches and some pretty heavy mood swings, says Wesley Delbridge, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. He recommends telling your friends and family that you’re cutting out caffeine before you start, so they know why you’re moody to be around. These effects typically last a week but you can minimise them by weaning yourself off caffeine, rather than quitting it altogether.

Read: Four cups of coffee daily may cure colon cancer

You’ll lose weight

“I don’t think the average person realises how many calories they’re consuming with their caffeinated drinks,” says Delbridge. It’s common knowledge that soda is loaded with sugar and blended coffee drinks encourage weight-gain. Even just a bit of full-fat milk and sugar in your chai easily means 200-plus calories per serving. One can of soda packs around 200 calories as well. Have a few cups of green tea throughout the course of the day instead of your sugar-packed cold coffee, and watch how forgoing caffeinated beverages can help you lean down.

You might gain weight

Caffeine is quite a powerful temporary appetite suppressant. “You’re going to naturally feel hungrier when you go off caffeine,” says Delbridge. Plus, according to the Mayo Clinic, caffeine definitely speeds up your metabolic rate. The effect is likely small but, if you drink your coffee black, it’ll burn more calories than it contains, meaning it’ll help you lose weight in the long run. Take that away and you could notice some fluctuations on the scale.

You’ll sleep and have more energy

A caffeine boost through your evening chai or a glass of cola, even six hours before bedtime, can disturb sleep later on that night, according to research in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. Result: you wake up exhausted and in need of more caffeine. The cycle continues. That’s why people, who are completely off caffeine, sleep more deeply and clock in more snooze time than those who drink even a little coffee, says Delbridge. In the long run, you’ll have more energy than you’d get from any shot of espresso.

Read: 6 health tips for corporate employees

You’ll feel calmer

Caffeine is a stimulant, meaning it hits your nervous system’s gas pedal. It triggers a release of adrenaline, unnecessarily putting you into ‘fight or flight’ mode. Plus, since caffeine is a vasoconstrictor, narrowing your blood vessels, it raises your blood pressure, says Delbridge. Get rid of caffeine and you’ll feel less anxious and stressed. Another side-effect of overdoing caffeine is a speedy heart rate. If you feel all charged up despite ditching coffee and chai, avoid hidden sources of caffeine, such as chocolate, energy drinks, some pain relievers and breath fresheners.

Your workouts will suffer

That ‘fight or flight’ side-effect from your daily java does help a great deal if you’re about to run miles on the treadmill or hit up a boot-camp workout, says Delbridge. The American College of Sports Medicine has even come out and said that caffeine improves exercise performance and intensity, thereby increasing the number of calories you burn after a workout. And, as you know, hitting it hard is key to getting results from your workouts. So, perhaps, try black coffee before your next gym visit.

You’ll miss out on antioxidants

Coffee is the number one source of antioxidants in the average diet, according to research from University of Scranton. This may be why a study published in Breast Cancer Research found that women who drink five or more cups of coffee a day are 57 per cent less likely to develop estrogen-receptor-negative breast cancer than those who drink less than a cup a day. A recent American Journal of Epidemiology study found that drinking three to five cups of coffee or strong chai per day could cut your risk of dying from heart disease by 21 per cent. Meanwhile, green tea is one of the richest sources of antioxidants, says Delbridge.

By Umnia Shahid

Published in The Express Tribune, August 22^nd, 2015.

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