A caffeine detox may be needed for many reasons and some of those could include:
- Caffeine may no longer have the same effects it once had.
- Daily caffeine amounts are out of control.
- Caffeine is leading to health problems.
- Doctor's orders.
Whichever the reason, quitting caffeine is not easy since most people develop a strong dependency on the daily dose; both physically and mentally.
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There are generally two ways to detox from caffeine and we describe each of those methods below.
Two Methods for Quitting Caffeine
1. The Weaning Method (Recommended)
With this method, instead of quitting caffeine at once, a person gradually reduces the amount of caffeine he / she is consuming daily.
This can be approximated by hand, or done precisely with a product like the Wean Caffeine detox kit .
We recommend stepping down the dose about 10-30 mg less every three days until a zero daily caffeine amount is achieved. This can be accomplished by just drinking a little less of your typical caffeinated beverage but with Wean Caffeine it is a much more precise and systematic process.
Practical Examples:
- Coffee should be reduced by a 1/4 of a cup every two to three days. (This is difficult if you do not make coffee at home.)
- Energy Drinks can be reduced by about 1/4 a can every two to three days.
- Soda can be reduced by cutting back to 1/2 a can if three to three days or by a 1/4 a bottle if drinking to 16 fl oz size.
- Tea can be reduced by cutting back 1/2 cup every two to three days.
Pros:
- Withdrawal symptoms are much less severe or can be completely avoided.
- Most people can continue to function and be productive.
- Mild to no caffeine headache to deal with.
- Less shocking to the system.
Cons:
- Can take longer to detox depending on the beginning daily dose amount.
- Requires tracking caffeine and being intentional about what is being consumed and how much.
2. The Cold Turkey Method
With this method, a person simply ceases to consume caffeine all at once. While this can be the fastest way to detox, it comes with a price and a huge shock to your system.
Pros:
- The fastest way to detox from caffeine.
- A realization of caffeine's influence on body functioning.
Cons:
- Can produces severe caffeine withdrawal symptoms .
- A person may be out of commission for 1 to 3 days or even weeks if the addiction was severe.
- Can lead to a loss of productivity.
- Invokes more of a tendency to give up because of how horrible it makes people feel.
" My first four weeks of quitting cold turkey were terrible. I was at the doctor's of the first four weeks because I thought I was sick. I knew caffeine withdrawal was a thing but not like this !! "
Prepare in advance for the cold turkey method!
If you choose the cold turkey method, it's important that you know what to expect and prepare in advance for the weakening withdrawal symptoms that can follow.
- Plan ahead so that the first couple of days of detox fall on a weekend or work holiday.
- Have pain relievers on hand and avoid driving.
- Have plenty of food on hand to avoid the need to drive anywhere for food.
- Prepare some meals in advance like soup or other easy to digest foods.
- Talk with family members about what you are about to do, what they can expect, and how they can help.
- Inform your co-workers and / or your boss about your caffeine detox.
The method of preparation is relative to the amount of caffeine you had been consuming. Those who had been consuming large amounts of caffeine should prepare more than those detoxing from smaller daily amounts.
Either one of these caffeine detox methods will work, but a person has to decide which one will have the least impact of his / her lifestyle and which one is likely to be the most successful given the unique circumstances involved.
A Personal Caffeine Detox Story
Other Tips to Break Caffeine Addiction
HealthyEater.com has a great piece on weaning off of coffee . They think going cold turkey is not a good idea and supplementing higher caffeine items with lower caffeine can really help. They suggest replacing a coffee with green tea.
Another thing to do is take power naps during the detox. However, that is not realistic for most of us. When was the last time your boss was happy with you taking a nap under your desk?