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Does caffeine trigger or treat headaches?

July 24th, 2009

Caffeine can be a headache trigger or headache inhibitor. Caffeine can be found in beverages, chocolate and even in some popular over-the-counter and prescription pain relievers.

Before a headache or migraine, blood vessels tend to enlarge. Because it contains “vasoconstrictive” properties that cause the blood vessels to narrow and restrict blood flow, caffeine can aid in head pain relief. When caffeine is added to the combination of acetaminophen and aspirin, the pain relieving effect is increased by 40%.

Though caffeine does not directly cause headache, too much of the substance can trigger “caffeine rebound.” A caffeine rebound headache occurs from withdrawal of caffeine after a sufferer continually consumes too much of the substance. Though the physical side effects can be severe, only 2% of the population suffers from caffeine rebound.

Although most headache sufferers can consume up to 200 mg. per day, the NHF advises patients with frequent headaches to avoid daily use. The average American consumes about 200-300 mg of caffeine a day (or the equivalent of 2-3 cups of drip coffee).

 To help monitor caffeine intake, the NHF provides you with a chart that supplies the caffeine content for several foods and beverages.   

PRODUCT

MILLIGRAMS OF CAFFEINE (Approximate)

Coffee (5 oz. cup)

 

Drip, regular
Percolated, regular
Instant, regular
Decaffeinated
Espresso (1 oz cup)

106-164 mg
93-134 mg
47-68 mg
2-5 mg
30-50 mg

Loose-leaf Tea (imported, 5 oz. cup)

 

Black
Oolong
Green


25-110 mg
12-55 mg
8-36 mg

Tea (black tea assumed, 5 oz. cup)

 

Brewed, major U.S. brands
-1 minute brew
-3 minute brew
-5 minute brew
Canned iced tea
Iced tea (12 oz)
Instant tea


20-80 mg
21-33 mg
35-46 mg
39-50 mg
22-36 mg
67-76 mg
22-36 mg

Cocoa and Chocolate

 

Cocoa Beverage (mix, 6 oz.)
Milk Chocolate (1 oz.)
Baking Chocolate (1 oz.)
Sweet Chocolate (1 oz.)
Ovaltine
Postum


2-8 mg
6 mg
35 mg
20 mg
0 mg
0 mg

Soft Drinks

 

Mr. Pibb, Diet 12 oz.
Mountain Dew 12 oz.
Coca Cola, Diet Coke 12 oz.
Tab 12 oz.
Shasta Cola 12 oz.
Mr. Pibb 12 oz.
Dr. Pepper 12 oz.
Pepsi Cola 12 oz.
Pepsi Light, Diet 12 oz.
Diet Right Cola 12 oz.
Royal Crown Cola 12 oz.
Craigmont Cola
7-Up
Sprite
Fanta
Fresca
Root Beer
Club Soda
Ginger Ale
Tonic Water
Orange Soda
Grape Soda

57 mg
54 mg
46 mg
46 mg
45 mg
44 mg
41 mg
40 mg
38 mg
36 mg
36 mg
36 mg
0 mg
0 mg
0 mg
0 mg
0 mg
0 mg
0 mg
0 mg
0 mg
0 mg
0 mg

Sports/Energy drinks

 

AMP Tall Boy Energy Drink 16 oz.
Enviga 12 oz.
FIXX 20 oz.
Full Throttle 16 oz.
Full Throttle Fury 16oz.
Monster Energy 16 oz.
No Name (formerly known as Cocaine 8.4 oz.
Red Bull 8.3 oz.
Rockstar 16 oz.
SoBe Adrenaline Rush 16 oz.
SoBe No Fear 16 oz.
Vault 8 oz.

   

 

143 mg
100 mg
500 mg
144 mg
144 mg
160 mg
280 mg
76 mg
160 mg
152 mg
174 mg
47mg

 

 

Food / Other Products

 

Foosh Energy Mints, 1 mint
Haagen-Dazs Coffee Ice Cream, 1/2 cup
Hershey’s Chocolate Bar 1.55 oz.
Hershey’s Special Dark Chocolate Bar 1.45 oz.
Jolt Caffeinated Gum, 1 stick
16 oz.

130 mg
100 mg
30 mg
9 mg
18 mg
33 mg

Non-prescription Stimulants

 

Caffedrine Capsules
NoDoz Tablets
NoDoz Maximum Strength, 1 tablet
Vivarin Tablets


200 mg
200 mg
200 mg
200 mg

Non-prescription Pain Relievers

MILLIGRAMS OF CAFFEINE / PILL

Advil
Anacin
Bufferin
Excedrin Migraine
Excedrin, Extra Strength, 2 tablets
Midol
Motrin
Plain Aspirin
Tylenol
Vanquish


0 mg
32 mg
0 mg
65mg
130 mg
32 mg
0 mg
0 mg
0 mg
33 mg

Diuretics (standard dose)

MILLIGRAMS OF CAFFEINE (Approximate)

Aqua Ban
Fluidex
Permathene Water Off
Pre-Mens Forte


200 mg
0 mg
200 mg
100 mg

Cold Remedies

 

Actifed
Contac
Comtrex
Coryban-D.
Dristan
Neo-Synephrine
Sudafed
Triaminicin


0 mg
0 mg
0 mg
30 mg
16 mg
15 mg
0 mg
30 mg

 

 

 

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One Response to “Does caffeine trigger or treat headaches?”

  1. Ideas On Chronic Headaches And Sleep Deprivation? Says:

    July 27th, 2009 at 2:28 pm

    [...] National Headache Foundation » Blog Archive » Does caffeine … [...]

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