I get asked ALL the time about how to break the caffeine addictions most of us have. Here’s a little something from one of the ebooks I wrote.

Caffeine Detox: How to Quit Caffeine and Break the Addiction

A caffeine detox may be needed for many reasons and some of those could include:

Caffeine may no longer have the same effects it once had.
Daily caffeine consumption amounts are out of control.
Caffeine consumption is leading to health problems.
Doctor’s orders.

Whichever the reason, quitting caffeine isn’t easy since most people develop a strong dependence on the daily dose; both physically and mentally.

You can get expert help for quitting caffeine here.
There are generally two ways to detox from caffeine and we describe each of those methods below.

Two Methods for Quitting Caffeine
1. The Cold Turkey Method
With this method, a person simply ceases to consume caffeine. While this can be the fastest way to detox, it does come with a price.

Pros:
The fastest way to detox from caffeine.
A realization of caffeine’s influence on body functioning.

Cons:
Can produce severe caffeine withdrawal symptoms.
A person may be out of commission for 1 to 3 days.
Can lead to loss in productivity.
Produces more of a tendency to give up,
Did you know that rutaecarpine can remove caffeine from your system faster? Find out how here.
Prepare in advance for the cold turkey method!
If you choose the cold turkey method it’s important that you know what to expect and to prepare in advance for the debilitating withdrawal symptoms that can follow.
Plan ahead so that the first couple days of detox fall on a weekend or work holiday.

Have pain relievers on hand and avoid driving.
Have plenty of food on hand to avoid the need to drive anywhere for food.

Prepare some meals in advance like soup or other easy to digest foods.

Talk with family members about what you are about to do, what they can expect, and how they can help.
Inform your co-workers and/or your boss about your caffeine detox.

The method of preparation is relative to the amount of caffeine you had been consuming. Those who had been consuming large amounts of caffeine should prepare more than those detoxing from smaller daily amounts.

2. The Weaning Method
With this method, instead of quitting caffeine all at once, the person gradually reduces the amount of caffeine he/she is consuming daily.

We recommend stepping down the dose about 50mg less every two days until the zero daily caffeine amount is achieved. This can be achieved by just drinking less of your typical caffeinated beverage or by drinking a less caffeinated alternative.

Practical Examples:
Coffee should be reduced by a 1/4 of a cup each day or reduce from a 16 fl. oz. to a 12 fl. oz. cup, then 8 fl. oz. etc. of take out coffee (however, use the same brand throughout).

Energy Drinks can be reduced by about 1 half a can every two days.

Soda can be reduced by cutting back a can every two days or by a half a bottle if drinking a 16 fl.oz. size.
Tea can be reduced by cutting back 1 cup every two days.

Pros:
Withdrawal symptoms are much less severe.
Most people can continue to function and be productive.
Mild to no caffeine headache to deal with.
Less shocking to the system.

Cons:
Can take longer to detox depending on the beginning daily dose amount.

Requires tracking caffeine and being intentional about what’s being consumed and how much.

Either one of these caffeine detox methods will work, but a person has to decide which one will have the least impact of his/her lifestyle and which one is likely to be the most successful given the unique circumstances involved.