Black coffee. He is loved and drunk by millions of people on the globe. Most experts agree that there is a connection between caffeine use and headache, but not everyone agrees that this is so in all cases. Let's analyze the opinions and find out exactly what you need to know about the headache problem from caffeine, find out if coffee dilates or narrows the vessels of the brain.
Caffeine is what makes you!
You probably already know that caffeine is a natural stimulant. It contains coffee, tea, cola and other soft drinks. Caffeine is part of some drugs, such as Citramon, Coficil, Askofen (75 drugs in total).
As a stimulant, caffeine acts on the central nervous system and makes you more alert. But that's not all. It also acts as a vasoconstrictor (constricts blood vessels), a diuretic, plus it can increase blood pressure.
Reflecting on whether coffee dilates blood vessels or narrows it, do not forget that it acts differently on different people. Although generally not classified as a drug, caffeine happens to be addictive, in the sense that you may experience withdrawal symptoms if you stop taking it.
The good news: caffeine relieves headaches
Does coffee dilate or constrict blood vessels? People have been asking this question to each other and doctors, probably since coffee appeared. It is known that caffeine has long been used as a remedy for headaches (be it ordinary pain or migraine). Did you know that in the initial stages of the distribution of Coca-Cola was sold as a means "from the head"? Why does this help? What happens to blood vessels when drinking coffee (caffeine)?
Migraine sufferers are particularly attracted to the fact that caffeine constricts blood vessels. Vasodilation is one of the most common causes of seizures in those who have this neurological disease. When searching for an answer to the question of whether coffee dilates blood vessels or not, pay attention to the fact that many medications for migraine are aimed at achieving the effect of returning blood vessels to normal sizes in order to reduce the compression of nerves around them.
Some migraine sufferers find that coffee in the early stages of pain alleviates the condition. It is believed that caffeine contained in drugs enhances the analgesic effect. This is why pharmacological corporations include it in many cold remedies.
The bad news: caffeine makes headaches worse
It may turn out that the effect of caffeine as a stimulant turns out to be a small psychological trick, allowing for a while to reduce susceptibility to headaches. The effect is enhanced by sugar added to coffee or contained in cola.
Many things that can help are also harmful. This postulate contains an indirect answer to the question of whether coffee expands or narrows blood vessels. As a stimulant, especially in combination with sugar, caffeine can invigorate you, but can quickly lead to a sluggish state. You can’t imagine anything worse when people who are prone to migraines take large amounts of sugar and caffeine on an empty stomach.
This entails a jump in blood sugar levels, which can lead to terrible consequences, contributes to the development of a headache attack. In other words, if you decide to drink tea, do not forget about the bun!
Removes beneficial trace elements from the body
Does coffee dilate blood vessels or constrict? The question, of course, is interesting. But it’s equally important to know that as a diuretic, caffeine can lower the level of vitamins your body needs. For example, studies show that migraine sufferers require an increased amount of magnesium. But each caffeine intake “takes away” (washes) it, reducing the level of an important element to a minimum, even if you are trying to take Mg additionally.
What caffeine does with your blood vessels can be viewed positively or negatively. It can both narrow blood vessels and reduce or even stop a headache, and begin to expand them! Yes, coffee dilates and constricts blood vessels. Such a paradox!
A headache on weekends is often a consequence of someone drinking a couple of cups of coffee at work each morning and then sleeping throughout the weekend. Since sleep causes a break in the use of the stimulant, the body responds with an outbreak of migraine.
Stress intensifies
Taking medications only exacerbates the problem: a combination of aspirin with coffee or caffeine-containing drugs can exacerbate the bad effects. The stimulant can cause undue anxiety, especially if taken in large quantities on an empty stomach and in the absence of sleep of sufficient duration.
Stress reduces the body's resistance to the negative effects of the environment and diseases, exacerbates the situation, exhausts the person. Studies have been conducted to establish a relationship between drinking cola and headache to prove that caffeine is an enemy of blood vessels.
Each participant drank an average of about 1.5 liters of cola per day. All of them experienced chronic headaches, although none of them had a history of migraine. Over the course of 1-2 weeks, they gradually reduced the amount of drink they consumed, and in more than 91% the pain subsided by itself over the next 24 weeks! The rest had occasional migraines instead of daily chronic headaches.
What to do with it ...
Although for some this may seem an exaggeration, many people consume too much caffeine daily and then wonder: “Does coffee dilate or constrict blood vessels?” Some experts believe that this depends on many factors. In addition, it is important not so much the amount of substance or its concentration as the regularity with which you drink coffee (or other caffeinated drinks).
Although one step from love to hate, after reading the information, you should not immediately abandon your favorite drink. Any changes in the diet should be done gradually. Try to reduce the amount of caffeine consumed. By the way, you can save money by not buying an "extra cup".
Check the amount of caffeine in your medicines and foods. An average cup (small) of coffee contains about 135 mg, black tea - 35 mg. Many experts suggest keeping the daily intake of the stimulant at the level of 200-600 mg. By keeping your intake stably low, you can avoid a headache-caffeine ligament.
Summarize
- Analyze how much caffeine you take per day.
- Try to make your daily coffee expenses lower.
- Try to make your daily servings as small as possible.
- Avoid drinking sugar without any other food.
- Keep a diary to track the relationship between caffeine intake and headache.
If you found this information about the relationship between headache and caffeine useful - that’s already good, then it’s got off the ground and you will no longer use coffee thoughtlessly to cheer up or relieve pain.
Watch how often you have a headache. Remember that it can be reduced by a good dream, drinking enough clean water. A balanced diet and daily exercise will help to overcome pain and cope with stress. Still there are methods of relaxation, meditation. They will also come in handy on your way out of habit of becoming addicted to caffeine.