How Caffeine Causes Long-Term Fatigue

                                           

Caffeine is often the main drug in many products people consume everyday: coffee, soda, energy drinks, energy supplements, enhancement aids and chocolate.  That’s right, it is a drug and it is addictive.  In fact, caffeine is even an ingredient in some medications like antihistamines.  It does not and never has added energy to your body, but rather it causes your body to burn up your reserves even faster.  Within five minutes of consuming caffeine in your product of choice, this drug begins stimulating your central nervous system, causing your adrenal glands to release the stress hormones epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine in your body.

Epinephrine and norepinephrine prep the body for a “fight or flight” response.  It causes your heart rate to speed up, blood pressure to increase, blood sugar imbalances, muscles to tense and a short feeling of alertness.  These are very useful hormones when you are in a stressful situation where you may need to temporarily fight or flee from a dangerous situation.  However, placing your body under stress while sitting at your desk or reading your textbook is not going to benefit you.  That short feeling of alertness will be quickly followed by feelings of anxiety, irritability, fatigue, confusion and even hunger; which sets you right back up to take more caffeine and sugar in a vicious cycle of artificial highs followed by exhaustion that is harmful to the body.

Habitual use of caffeine to stimulate the adrenal glands can lead to chronic adrenal exhaustion.  Your adrenal glands begin to over-work to keep your body in a constant of stress.  This causes energy crashes to set in even quicker, so that you have to keep taking more caffeine to get the same results.  Your body becomes addicted, and exhibits withdrawal symptoms if you do not continue to consume some caffeine because it thinks that it cannot function without it.

Caffeine makes you exhausted because it also affects the body’s ability to relax.  Many people who use caffeine regularly experience jitters, chronic insomnia and sleep disturbance, which also contributes to the feeling of fatigue. One of the best ways to take action to restore adrenal health is by stopping the use of stimulants like caffeine and by getting rest via normalization of lifestyle and nutritional balance.

Physically, our bodies need a steady source of energy to accomplish our daily tasks.  If caffeine has been a regular part of your diet, you will likely have withdrawal symptoms that may temporarily worsen when you stop taking it.  Learn to provide your body with a sustainable energy boosts and mood elevation by switching to fiber-rich carbohydrates and starchy vegetables. Dietary supplements like Biomaxx Energy Nutrition can also help.  The good news is that caffeine withdrawal will pass in a few days and you should experience a noticeable improvement in your energy levels and sleep patterns by discontinuing this addictive drug.


Informational links: 

This is Your Brain on Caffeine: Images Reveal Startling Mental Effects 

Your Brain On Coffee