Got a CAFFEINE WITHDRAWAL headache? It could be caused by dopamine downregulation and blocked dopamine receptors

Ever try to stop drinking your daily coffee for a few days and get that intolerable headache? Do you know why that happens? There are many factors at play there, including the downregulation of dopamine and some constricted blood vessels. Let’s take a look at the science so you can better understand what’s going on, and remedy it with superfoods and supplements, if you so choose.

For millions of people, starting the day without coffee is unthinkable. But skipping that daily caffeine fix can result in an all-too-familiar pounding headache. Neurologists describe caffeine withdrawal headaches as “migraine-like” in intensity — pulsing, throbbing, and sometimes debilitating. Despite how common they are, the exact reason these headaches hurt so much is still not fully understood. What experts do know points to a combination of vascular changes, brain chemistry, and receptor activity.

Caffeine withdrawal headaches typically strike within 24 hours of stopping regular intake (200+ mg/day for 2+ weeks) and can feel like intense, migraine-type pain due to blood vessel dilation and sudden changes in brain signaling.

The pain is partly explained by caffeine’s role in constricting blood vessels and blocking adenosine; when caffeine is removed, vessels swell and adenosine builds up, both of which trigger headaches.

Caffeine is paradoxical: While its absence causes withdrawal headaches, its presence can relieve them and even boost the effectiveness of common painkillers like ibuprofen or acetaminophen.

To reduce headaches, experts recommend tapering gradually (25–50 mg less per day) or substituting lower-caffeine drinks like tea, since quitting suddenly often leads to more severe symptoms....<<<Read More>>>...

Caffeine sabotages sleep by keeping the brain hyperactive, with young adults hit hardest

 That afternoon coffee or energy drink might seem harmless, but new research reveals caffeine hijacks the brain’s ability to rest, even after you’ve fallen asleep. A groundbreaking study published in Communications Biology exposes how caffeine disrupts neural recovery by locking the brain into an overly active, chaotic state during sleep, depriving the body of deep, restorative rest. The effects are especially pronounced in younger adults (ages 20–27), whose brains remain in a heightened "critical" state, mimicking wakefulness.

Researchers from the University of Montreal used EEG monitoring to analyze the sleep patterns of 40 healthy adults after caffeine consumption. The findings confirm what health advocates have long suspected. Caffeine doesn’t just delay sleep; it fundamentally alters the brain’s nighttime function, reducing deep-wave activity and impairing memory consolidation.

Caffeine pushes the brain into a state of "criticality," a term scientists use to describe a hyper-alert balance between order and chaos. "It’s like an orchestra: too quiet and nothing happens, too chaotic and there’s cacophony," said study co-author Karim Jerbi, a psychology professor at Mila-Quebec AI Institute. While this state enhances focus during waking hours, it becomes destructive at night.

The study found caffeine increased beta waves (linked to wakefulness) while suppressing delta waves, which are crucial for deep sleep. "The brain would neither relax nor recover properly," warned Julie Carrier, a sleep and psychology professor involved in the research. Even when participants fell asleep, their brain signals were more erratic, resembling an awake mind rather than one at rest....<<<Read More>>>...

Caffeine has many health benefits; including reducing the risk of common cancers

 Studies have shown the benefits of moderate amounts of caffeine. Caffeine increases energy availability and expenditure, decreases fatigue, increases cognitive and motor performance, and increases the ability to solve problems.

There are also more important reasons why we should embrace our love of a caffeine boost through, for example, drinking coffee every day: reduces the risk of strokes, lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes, reduces the risk of common cancers and helps with weight loss, Dr. Gina Loudon host of Real America’s Voice said.

Most people suffering from “long covid” have been covid vaccinated. “It’s due to the spike protein … The spike protein is installed in very large quantities, with the vaccines. The vaccines actually put spike proteins into the body,” he said.

Coffee is among the most researched food or drink on earth. The net analysis is that regular coffee intake has health benefits in terms of improved cognitive function, lesser risk of diabetes, lower rates of heart disease, and possibly prevention of some neurodegenerative disorders and cancer. The main caveats are to limit intake during pregnancy and be sure drinking ceases before noon so the caffeine can clear out of the body for a good night’s sleep. Over-indulgence can lead to heart rhythm problems and anxiety....<<<Read More>>>...

The DOPAMINE CORRELATION: How alcohol, sugar, caffeine, nicotine, and hard drugs all have one common underlying effect that keeps consumers ‘hooked’

  There are many addictive substances on planet earth, and most consumers never meant to become so hooked that they can’t find a way to quit, or even cut back. As with most addictive substances, the more often the frequency of use, and the more potent the substance, the more dopamine is released in the brain, but over time, this fuels serious mental and physical health issues.

When trying to cut back or quit addictive, dopamine-heightening substances, a person’s dopamine levels are quite low, waiting for the addictive ‘crutch’ to assist, and that’s when stress, depression, and anxiety drag most people right back into their bad habits.

Dopamine is a chemical released in the brain that helps nerve cells send messages that are important for both the brain and body. This ‘feel good’ hormone is regulated by the body, but addictive substances disrupt normal production, causing dysfunction of neurotransmitters, and can create a roller-coaster effect of thrilling highs but intolerable lows....<<<Read More>>>...

The dangers of energy drink consumption

Natural News: Energy drinks contain different stimulants which include caffeine, sugars, vitamins, amino acids, and herbal supplements. Among these ingredients, many people are most concerned about the harmful effects of caffeine. These include anxiety, headaches, insomnia, vomiting, stomachache, hallucinations, seizures, irregular heartbeat, and even death. Over the years, countless studies have looked at the effects of drinking energy drinks on young people but many of these are confined to the short-term effects of the beverage....read more>>>...

Coffee makes your brain younger: Research shows that by normalizing stress hormones, coffee reverses memory deficits

Natural News: Do you start your morning off with a cup of coffee or tea? Many people do – and research continues to show that caffeine can have many great health benefits. 

Beyond coffee’s reputation for offering an instant pick-me-up, scientists have found that caffeine and its analogs may actually help stave off age-related cognitive deficits. While coffee may give your brain a boost in the short term, it seems that the cerebral benefits of coffee are actually quite long-lasting....read more>>>...

5 health benefits of caffeine

[Net Doctor]: While caffeine often seems to attract bad press, sensible amounts are actually good for you. Caffeine is naturally found in everyday food and drinks like tea, coffee and chocolate, but this natural stimulant is also added to performance-boosting products, painkillers and specialist shampoos designed to help slow hair loss - for good reason.

 

Here are five surprising health benefits of working caffeine into your diet and lifestyle...read more>>>...