Caffeine Restricts Blood Flow To The Brain
When you are anxious, blood flow to the brain is already reduced and caffeine can reduce it further.
Caffeine restricts blood flow to the brain by as much as 27%.
Blood flow is the delivery system for getting nutrients of all kinds to your brain including oxygen, water, glucose, vitamins, and minerals.
An interesting aside is that many people take brain supplements and nootropics like ginkgo, citicoline, curcumin, and vinpocetine which work, in part, by increasing blood flow to the brain not realizing that the caffeine they drink essentially neutralizes this benefit!
Top 15+ Energy Drink Dangers
The dangers associated with energy drinks are getting a lot of bad press because of the sheer volume of energy stimulating products in the marketplace and the ease of access to these by minors.
While most energy drinks dont have as much caffeine as a Starbucks coffee, they are heavily sweetened, have a host of other ingredients, and are easy to drink which appeals more to the younger demographic.
Therefore, we are seeing increased incidents of those 18 and younger having dangerous side effects from consuming too many energy drinks at one time. We are also seeing health ramifications from consuming too many energy drinks daily over an extended period of time.
Tips For Reading An Energy Drink Label
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Energy dosage
The first thing to watch out for is the amount of caffeine per serving in the energy drink. The energy drink with the lowest caffeine per serving is a much healthier option.
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Sugar
Watch out for the carb content if you are on a diet, or want to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Type 2 diabetics should opt for low carb or zero sugar energy drinks to avoid blood sugar spikes.
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Additives
Sodium, high fructose corn syrup, artificial coloring, artificial sweeteners, are all ingredients to watch out for. They are dangerous in high doses and some are carcinogenic.
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Longitudinal Study Links Energy Drink Consumption To Depression Anxiety And Stress
Energy drinks are potent mixtures of ingredients like caffeine, guarana, sugar, ginseng, and aspartame. They are intended to improve mood, alertness and productivitybut may have long-term secondary effects that are decidedly less beneficial.
A variety of cross-sectional studies has already examined the relationship between energy drink consumption and mental health problems like anxiety, depression, and increased feelings of stress. Few to date, however, have done so longitudinally, meaning that causal relationships have been difficult to determine or demonstrate.
To remedy this, the present study looked at data from 897 individuals who have been followed from birth in the context of the previously published Raine study. Questionnaires were given at age 20 and again at age 22 regarding, among others, energy drink consumption and mood.
After controlling for parental mental health, illicit drug use, dietary patterns, family income, parental alcohol consumption and cigarette use, BMI, physical activity and other factors, the researchers found that changes in energy drink consumption were positively associated with increased stress scores and, in young adult males, depression and anxiety.
Is Caffeine Fueling Your Anxieties
HealthDay Reporter
FRIDAY, July 19, 2019 — If you struggle with anxiety, you might want to skip that second cup of coffee, new research suggests.
For some people, caffeine may help with concentration and provide an energy boost, but it can cause problems for those with general anxiety disorder, said Dr. Julie Radico, a clinical psychologist with Penn State Health.
“Caffeine is not the enemy,” she said in a university news release. “But I encourage people to know healthy limits and consume it strategically because it is activating and can mimic or exacerbate the symptoms of anxiety.”
Low doses of caffeine are in the range of 50 to 200 milligrams . Consuming more than 400 mg at once may lead to feeling overstimulated and anxious, and bring on symptoms such as racing heart, nausea or abdominal pain.
Anxiety is a common problem, but many patients and their doctors don’t think about caffeine as a potential contributing factor, said Dr. Matthew Silvis, vice chair of clinical operations in the division of family medicine at Penn State Health.
“We want people to consider whether there may be a connection between their caffeine consumption and anxiety,” he said.
As well as being a potential problem for people with anxiety, caffeine can interact negatively with medications for seizure disorders, liver disease, chronic kidney disease, certain heart conditions or thyroid disease, Silvis noted.
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Foods And Drinks That Can Trigger Panic And Anxiety Attacks
March 14, 2011 by Russ Pond
In this short series about practical steps on how you can overcome fear, panic and anxiety, I want to include a post about some of the common dietary triggers of panic attacks.
I need to start with a disclosure that I am not a doctor, a dietician nor nutritionist. Im simply someone who has experienced panic attacks first hand, and Ive seen certain foods and drinks trigger those rushes of adrenaline. So, I want to share my experience with you.
Energy Drink Use And Mental Health
Although acute mood effects associated with energy drinks appear often to be positive, chronic use tends to be associated with undesirable mental health effects. Ten studies were identified that examined stress or stress-related outcomes in relation to energy drink use. Of these, two studies investigated PTSD: one reported a significant positive association, whereas the other did not. Three further studies did not include a direct measure of stress, although one of them did report a positive association between energy drink consumption and instances of sleep disruption due to stress. Of the five studies that did provide direct measurements of energy drink consumption and stress, two, reported no association the other three,, each reported positive relationships, as well as null findings, depending on which analyses were evaluated. For example, Hofmeister et al. presented findings from two different samples and also compared between energy drink users and nonusers, as well as between regular users and nonregular users. Some of these analyses yielded significant results, whereas others did not. Quantifying the overall outcome of such studies in relation to those that presented more straightforward analyses was therefore difficult. Similar issues relating to three studies,, were also encountered when discussing findings relating to anxiety and depression.
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What Exactly Is Anxiety
Before jumping into how coffee affects anxiety, its important to define the condition. For that purpose, anxiety can be broken into two categories: general anxiety and generalized anxiety disorder . General anxiety is a natural awareness that comes and goes as your body reacts to everyday stress.
Someone who has GAD, on the other hand, will have chronic anxiety for possibly no reason at all and cant help feeling worried and stressed. This is diagnosed by a doctor.
Symptoms of anxiety include:
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Digestion issues
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Frequent urination
These effects can kick in as soon as 45 to 60 minutes and last as long as 4 to 6 hours, but are rarely dangerous. Side effects can vary from person to person as it depends on their tolerance, sensitivity, and how much caffeine theyre used to. Body mass and genetics also contribute to this.
Be sure to avoid having any caffeine in the evening since this can cause sleep disruption. Other stimulant drugs, like or drugs containing ephedrine, should not be taken at the same time as caffeine as this can make side effects worse and cause high blood pressure. Some antibiotics like and stomach medicines like have a drug interaction with caffeine where they slow down the bodys process of getting rid of caffeine. Taking them together can cause unwanted side effects. Consult with your doctor or pharmacist to prevent any drug interactions.
Types Of Energy Drinks
Here are the energy drink types.
1. Energy drinks
The main stimulating agent in an energy drink is caffeine.
It is recommended that adults consume only up to 400mg of caffeine a day and 200mg per dose. An 8 ounce energy drink contains about 80 mg of caffeine, comparable to the amount in an average cup of coffee.
But then, energy drinks are sold in larger containers, with even more caffeine. Some of the additional ingredients are also natural sources of caffeine, like the guarana seed, which contains about 40mg of caffeine per gram. Hence, it is quite difficult to determine the actual amount of caffeine in an energy drink.
However, thankful to social push in recent times, energy drink manufacturers are producing low sugar, low carb energy drinks suitable for people watching their sugar levels.
Tip: Here are the Best Coffee Creamers for Diabetics.
2. Energy shot
Energy shot is the little brother to energy drinks. They come in small containers but contain a load of caffeine.
For example, a 57 ml energy shot can contain about 200 mg of caffeine.
3. Energy mix
Mixing energy drink with alcohol has become very popular and loved among college students and young adults. Even though warnings have been issued concerning possible health risks associated with this mix, it has continued to gain popularity.
Some clubs continue to experiment and have even invented different cocktail mixes that appeal to young adults.
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The Dirty Truth About Energy Drinks Causing Stress Anxiety And Depression
Energy drinks are caffeinated soft drinks that claim to boost performance and endurance. Consumption of these products has been associated with a number of very serious health complaints.
Considering the idea that energy drink use may cause behavioural problems and negatively impact on mental health and well-being, it is concerning to find that the products are often aggressively marketed at young people.
Children aged between 12 and 17 are among the fastest growing population of caffeine users, with 3050% of adolescents and young adults being known to consume energy drinks.
PubMed and PsycINFO were searched for all peer-reviewed articles published that addressed associations between energy drink use and mental health outcomes. Fifty-six articles were retrieved, the majority of studies examined reported positive associations between energy drink consumption and symptoms of mental health problems.
More research is required, however these studies suggest that regular consumption of energy drinks is correlated with
Anxiety, depression, restlessness, fidgetiness, irritability, difficulties concentrating, problems falling asleep & self harm behaviour.
What Happens When Teens Start Using Energy Drinks
Being drinking is a millennial problem nowadays, a large concern is when teens start to discover that energy drinks can be paired with alcohol. Johns Hopkins found that 27% of college students mix energy drinks and alcohol at least once a month. Each element is bad for the mind and body separately but this mix is extremely dangerous and can create heart arrhythmias and long-term mental health effects of energy drinks on teens.
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How Does Caffeine Affect Anxiety
As we mentioned a little earlier, the side effects associated with caffeine can be very similar to the symptoms associated with anxiety. And although caffeine doesnt directly cause anxiety, it can make symptoms worse.
In fact, one study showed this by providing 72 patients with anxiety disorders and 26 patients without anxiety a mega-dose of caffeine to see if it would cause a panic attack, which can occur in those with GAD or other anxiety disorders. They found that close to 61% of the patients with an anxiety disorder reported a panic attack, where none of the patients without anxiety had a panic attack.
In another small, controlled study, 38 patients were given a 10 mg/kg body weight dose of caffeine and found that up to 71% of patients reported that effects of caffeine were similar to ones experienced with panic attacks . And once again, patients without anxiety did not report any panic attacks.
With all of this in mind, individuals with anxiety should consider minimizing their caffeine intake.
People who do not have anxiety, on the other hand, seem to tolerate caffeine much better, but at the end of the day, everyone is different.
What Is The Alternative
Dr. Hajj-Ali says that, in our society, we try to burn the candle at both ends. So often, when we are fatigued and tired, we think we need more caffeine. But what we really need is sleep, she says.
So the next time youre prowling the coolers for a beverage, forget about grabbing an energy drink look for an alternative, she says, and get some rest.
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How Can I Get Caffeine Without Anxiety
So the trick is to refill on a minimum of 80 mg of caffeine which is equivalent to a cup of coffee after around 48 hours -if you want to avoid anxiety and the negative effects of coffee. However, you can even have a double espresso or a Syphon filter if you prefer what matters is the half-life time frame.
Foods That Can Make You Feel Totally Anxious
If you’ve ever found yourself pouring the crumbs from a bag of potato chips down your throat after a particularly stressful day, you know that emotions can affect what you eat. But did you know that what you eat could also mess with your emotions, exacerbating anxiety and leaving you feeling on edge, worried, and unable to concentrate?
It’s true, says Ali Miller, RD, LD, CDE, registered dietitian and author of Naturally Nourished. While food may not be the main cause of these feelings, it can certainly affect their severity and how often they occur.
“Anxiety can be caused by inadequate brain levels of the neurotransmitters serotonin and GABA, which help reduce the influence of stress hormones, as well as excessive excitatory hormones such as glutamate and epinephrine, which can cause an anxiety and stress response,” says Miller.
And, you guessed it, certain foods help aid in the production of those feel-good chemicals, while others elevate the anxiety-inducing ones. “Processed foods especially tend to perpetuate a vicious cycle of guilt, anxiety, cravings, and overeating, making it hard to stop eating them once you start.”
The good news: Quelling your anxiety may be as simple as knowing your food triggers, then cutting them out or reducing your intake. Here, we’ve identified seven surprising foods that might be throwing your anxiety and sour mood into overdrive.
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Medications Can Trigger An Anxiety Attack
Certain medications have some ugly side effects and can cause anxiety symptoms or an anxiety attack. Prescription medications to watch out for include thyroid drugs and asthma drugs, while over-the-counter decongestants have been known to cause anxiety symptoms in some people. If you suddenly stop taking certain medications sometimes used to treat anxiety, such as benzodiazepines, withdrawal may cause added anxiety.