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daily kansan
wednesday
1.28.98
ten.a
kičingg cafFθiné
story by anna attkisson illustration by micah laaker
Anna takes a first-hand look at the difficulty and consequences surrounding trying to go cold-turkey off caffeine
SODA & SNACK
SODA & SNACK
Caffeine content per 12 oz.
serving:
Soda
■ Zydekola: 144 mg
■ Jolt: 71.5 mg
■ Mountain Dew: 54 mg
■ Surge: 52.5 mg
■ Mr. Pibb: 50 mg
■ Coke: 45 mg
■ Pepsi: 34 mg
Snack
■ Chocolate: 240 mg
couldn't imagine a day without caffeine. It was
crazy. The thought of it gave me the shakes, I imagined I would become a walking zombie. My grades would fall, and I would have to drop out of school.
None of that happened. I quit caffeine and my worst fears were exaggerated, but dark clouds and dull pain followed me for days.
Legend has it that a priest drank the first cup of coffee in an Arabian monastery so he could stay awake and pray all night. Not unlike many college students. I can remember
many a night that it came down to me,
God, my homework and caffeine, and a prayer to get everything done before dawn.
Now, I am caffeine-free and I worry about what soda can do to my body. Also, I am left wondering why I ever agreed to experiment on myself.
Nearly 80 percent of the world's population ingests caffeine in coffee, tea, soda, deserts and some headache and sinus medication according to the lava.net health web site.
I have been one of that 80 percent since I was very young. I started drinking caffeine as a child, and I began a regular schedule at 14. I drank a can of pop in the morning for breakfast, and another mid-morning. I would drink a can for lunch, for an afternoon snack and with dinner. For dessert, I would go out and have a cup of coffee or two. Each day was followed by a headache the next morning because it had been seven hours or more since I had ingested any caffeine.
I felt it would make a neat story, if I would be able to kick the habit. I might get rid of my head aches, and I thought it would be interesting and compelling to discover what caffeine really does. I discovered kicking caffeine sucks.
One can of Diet Pepsi, my drink of choice, has 35 mg of caffeine; a strong cup of coffee has about 100 mg. I ingested from 250 to 300 mg of caffeine a day.
Ann Chapman, registered dietitian at Watkins Memorial Health Center says caffeine is so popular because it stimulates the central nervous system and raises people's alertness.
"It is a drug and has a drug like effect as a stimulant," Chapman said. "Small amounts increase alertness, but it is still a drug."
Caffeine can cause decreases in blood sugar levels and other problems depending on a person's sensitivity levels, said Tim Brownlee, physician at Watkins. Heavy use can generally cause anxiety, nervousness and insomnia.
"Two hundred to 500 mg may produce headache, loss of coordination, nervousness, sleep disturbance, heart palpitations, nausea and diarrhea," Brownlee said. "If someone is sensitive to caffeine, one cup of coffee may bring on such symptoms. Tolerance (a craving for it in order to 'get going') may develop with daily use over 500 mg."
I am not particularly sensitive to caffeine, but I was a heavy caffeine user, meaning I drank more than 250 mg a day. Sometimes I drank as much as 500 mg a day. This means that the caffeine began to have a reverse affect. Heavy use is often associated with fatigue and is found in people who drink two to three cups of coffee a day.
Also, caffeine drinkers can develop caffeine-induced organic mental disorder, which can be very painful, or even kill. The American Psychiatric Association reported caffeine-induced organic mental disorder to be caused by the recent consumption of an excess of 250 mg and a number of other symptoms including restlessness, nervousness, insomnia, muscle twitching and rambling flow of thought and speech.
When I decided to stop drinking caffeine, my family and friends were behind me 100 percent. One friend asked me if I was crazy, but thought I would be fun to watch.
Caffeine withdrawal symptoms can be very unpleasant, but they are different for each person. I decided to make things easy on myself by cutting back
gradually.
Brownlee said gradual weaning can decrease effects of headache, irritability and nervousness associated with stopping the consumption of caffeine.
I cut out a pop a day, but I couldn't have iced tea, coffee-flavored ice cream, coffee-flavored yogurt or even Excedrin for my headaches. All have caffeine. A Hershey's Milk Chocolate bar contains 10 mg of caffeine. Even Midol, Dristan and Anacin have caffeine. I was very sad.
I found food labels do not generally list caffeine content, and the FDA does not regulate caffeine in foods. Often, the only way to tell something has caffeine is to call a product's 1-800 number and ask the public service department.
Caffeine kicked me around and made me pretty tired for a couple of weeks.
By the 12th day, I felt pretty clear. I was awake. Things were better, but still missed my old habit.
Just in time for finals, the caffeine was long gone from my system. Now it is time to find a new way to stay up and pray.
Diary
Day 1
Today was a pretty normal day.
I cut out one cola and everything is pretty much the same. I had one Diet Pepsi at 8 a.m. with breakfast, as usual. I had a Coke at 11 a.m. and a Diet Coke at lunch at 1 p.m. I had one at 8:30 with dinner. I am awake and motivated to quit, eventually.
There are no significant changes to report.
Day $ ^{2} $
Halloween is one of my favorite holidays, even if I did wake up with a killer headache. I had a Diet Pepsi this morning for breakfast, a Pepsi mid-morning, a Coke with lunch and a Coke with dinner. It is a slow process of cutting back that I am in no hurry to rush. I have had no real side effects except the headache. But, before my mid-morning drink I had a headache and was incredibly sluggish.
Day $ ^{3} $
I had a huge fight with my boyfriend last night. I felt overly agitated and sensitive. I woke up with a headache and had to drive home to see my parents. Family stress sucks. I had a Diet Pepsi on the way and another at lunch. I also had a Coke at dinner. My head hurts and I can't wait to go home. Dad wanted to take me to a party, but I just stayed home so that I could sleep. I am so tired.
Day $ ^{5} $
Today I allowed myself three doses, but I only drank two. Go figure. I had one with breakfast on the way home. Dad came to Lawrence with me to visit some people. I love my Dad, but I just wanted to be alone. When I got home my boyfriend was waiting at my apartment, but he didn't want to talk about our fight. When everyone left I lit a de-stressing candle and sat in the dark. I have no motivation to do anything. I went to my campus job until midnight and took a Diet Pepsi with me. I am so tired and stressed out. I have a project due next week, and I hate my job. People are stupid. When my boyfriend called me at work he said I sounded like the meanest librarian ever. We couldn't remember what we were fighting about.
Day $ ^{4} $
It's Monday and it feels like a Monday. My throat hurts and I can barely talk. I don't want to do my homework, but I will. I had the same speaker in two classes today. How boring, I was so agitated I could hardly keep still and at the same time I kept yawning. I am not only grumpy, but bored. I had a Diet Pepsi
with breakfast, and I needed some kind of carbonation mid-day. I bought a Sprite. I felt cheap. I wanted a Pepsi. I did have one at dinner. I need to clean my house and do my laundry, but I don't want to, so I probably won't.
Day $ ^{6} $
I think I could get to like Sprite. I had one mid-morning, but because I broke my schedule by leaving the house without having a Diet Pepsi, I forgot to eat breakfast. I am hungry, but I feel like I am losing weight. Everything seems so dreary. I had a Pepsi at lunch, and boy, did I have a headache around 9 p.m. I woke up with an hour early and couldn't go back to sleep. It might have been the headache. It sucked.
Day 7
Withdrawal seems to be clouded with sickness. I am very tired and stressed out, but I would feel silly attributing that strictly to caffeine. My co-workers tell me I am better today. It seems I have been a little short-tempered recently. Things are getting easier.
Dav $ ^{8} $
Still drinking Sprite. I have taken to carrying a bottle with me. Headache persists, but the cold seems all but gone. I am still a bit shakty. I just stayed home and watched TV all day long. It was nice. I kind of let everything go. But, I don't have class again until Monday. I keep falling asleep.
Dav 9
I turn 21 at midnight and I plan to go drink a lot of non-caffeinated beverages. I didn't leave the house all day. I laid on the couch and took Motrin for my head. My boyfriend asked me what I wanted to do tonight and I started to cry because I didn't know. I am moody and tired.
Dav $ ^{1 0} $
My boyfriend kept trying to give me Rum and Coke's last night, but I couldn't have them. It is great to be 21. I am happy, even with my hangover. I hate that I have to work today, but I am going to Westport tonight. I am awake and raring to go. Maybe I am over the withdrawal. Now I must decide how much longer this whole thing wi
Dav $ ^{1 1} $
Chocolate has caffeine in it! I learned that last night after having four Ho-Ho's and a chocolate bar yesterday afternoon. It is a minor setback, but now I have a box of Ho-Ho's in the cabinet. I wonder if I was drawn to them because of the sweetness or the caffeine. I miss coffee on cold days.
Day $ ^{1 2} $
I am swamped with work. I can't sleep. I keep waking up before my alarm goes off. I think it must be stress. The caffeine front seems pretty clear. It wasn't as bad as I had feared, but I do want some chocolate.
Postscript
Life without caffeine is different. My eating regimen is changed forever. I drink orange juice with breakfast, and have an apple for a snack. I am even thinking of joining a gym. Going off caffeine has allowed me to include water and various other liquids that are not as bad for me as coffee or soda in my dietary plan. I want to stay mostly caffeine-free for the rest of my life. Although I have suffered a couple of lapses, primarily with chocolate, I am no longer an addict. I have the freedom to have a rum and Coke, but I deal with caffeine one day at a time.
Killer caffeine: Tim Brownlee, physician at Watkins Memorial Health Center, said caffeine packs a kick. "Two hundred to 500 mg may produce headache, loss of coordination, nervousness, sleep disturbance, heart palpitations, nausea and diarrhea," he said. "If someone is sensitive to caffeine, one cup of coffee may bring on such symptoms. Tolerance (a craving for it in order to 'get going') may develop with daily use over 500 mg."
COFFEE
Caffeine content per 7 oz.
cup of coffee:
Brewed: 80-130 mg
Drip-brewed: 115-175
Espresso (1.5-2 oz serving): 100 mg