What food or drink counters the effects of caffeine?

Question

When I drink caffeine my nerves get shot. Usually I avoid it, but once in awhile I'll drink something with it. Is there anything I can eat or drink after that will counterbalance the effects? Thanks.

Answer 1

Joe's answer is good. I would recommend that you go off caffeine. I was basically addicted to it and it was doing nothing for me except to feel "normal." Withdrawl takes about 5-7 days during which you'll have a headache and be irritable.

Answer 2

Short Answer: None.

Long Answer...

First you have to understand that Caffeine is an "ine" based stimulant and works the same as other "ine" based simulants such as Nicotine, Amphetamines, Morphine and Cocaine... although admittedly not nearly as strongly but definately with the same addictive tendencies.

This is because they all work by blocking the reception of adenosine by cells in the brain. Adenosine is a chemical created to slow down and regulate the firing of neurons in the brain and is required in order to relax, sleep, etc. Basically it's your pituitary gland's way of telling your brain to slow-the-frell-down. ;-p

So, all of a sudden this chemical is block adenosine and the pituitary gland see's that instead of the nueron's slowing down they're speeding up and going faster and faster - because they're no longer being regulated - and the pituitary gland starts to FREAK OUT.

The only reason that it can understand why adenosine wouldn't be working is because the body must be in a "Flight of Fight" situation, most likely because we're about to be stomped by a Wooly Mammoth or something. So it starts to issue a legitimate "Flight or Flight" response by secreting Adrenaline which causes a whole slew of physiological responses.

- The pupils dilate.
- Your bronchio tubes dilate to allow deeper breathing
- Your heart beats much faster.
- Blood vessels near the surface constrict to slow blood flow in the case of impending wounds.
- Blood flow to the stomach slows - appetite control, anyone?
- The liver releases stored simple sugars for an extra boost of instant energy.
- Muscles tense preparing for action.

Now, for most people, this would cause anyone to have a rather terrifying sense of impending doom and this is where caffeine is, to a very much lesser extent, just like it's other "ine" brothers in terms of stimulants.

While all that's happening these simulants also signal the release of dopamine in the brain which stimulates all those wonderful pleasure centers in the brain. So your body is stressing out, but you're getting just enough "feel good" to ignore it.

That feeling that your nerves are shot is most likely because caffeine only produces a very small amount of dopamine but can block adenosine for several hours. Actually, the half life of caffeine is technically 8 hours per 100mg (approx. one cup of coffee)

As for the addiction and how it forms, all you have to do is the math and remember that even when you're asleep you're not going to be "resting" if the adenosine is still being blocked. So when you wake up, completely unrested - regardless of the eight hours sleep you had - the first thing you're going to do is self-medicate again with more, what? Coffee... And because it *does* effect dopamine production your brain is more than happy to submit to it's wonderful effects.

Hope that helps, and as always, your results may vary...

Answer 3

Eat nourishing food with plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables being part of it. Chew each morsel at least 32 times. This will activate signal to the brain as soon as u have had enough. Besides this change in eating style, take regular light exercises and brisk walks every day. U will be able to gain/shed all extra weight gracefully and in a reasonable time span. No idea about the antidote for caffeine.