Can Caffeine Cause Depression?
Drinking too much coffee and tea causes caffeine sensitive people to feel jumpy, nervous, and anxious, but can it make symptoms of depression worse too? What’s the association between depression and caffeine?
Depression and Caffeine: How Caffeine Works on the Brain
Caffeine blocks adenosine receptors in the brain. Adenosine is a neurotransmitter that has a mild tranquilizing effect – which promotes feelings of relaxation and serenity. When caffeine blocks adenosine receptors so that adenosine can’t bind, this relaxation effect is blocked and a person becomes more energized and “hyped up”.
Over time, the brain responds by producing more adenosine receptors – so the caffeine buzz wears off over time and a person no longer feels the energy surge from caffeine that they initially did. This is what causes tolerance to caffeine and the characteristic withdrawal symptoms a coffee drinker experiences when they kick the coffee habit.
Can Caffeine Cause Depression?
It would seem more likely, knowing the characteristics of caffeine, that it would cause anxiety rather than depression – which is true for some people. On the other hand, caffeine can make the symptoms of depression worse in several ways. One way is by increasing levels of the stress hormone cortisol – a hormone produced by the adrenal gland that’s associated with feelings of depression.
Caffeine usually increases energy levels and boosts alertness initially, but this is followed several hours later by a “crash” where a person feels fatigued and wiped out. In a person who’s already depressed, this can make the symptoms worse – or lead to a cycle of drinking caffeine all day just to stay functional. Caffeine also causes rapid fluctuations in blood sugar levels which can worsen the symptoms of depression.
Depression and Caffeine:
Caffeine Withdrawal Can Make Depression Worse
Depression is one of the main symptoms of caffeine withdrawal – along with headache, fatigue, and irritability. In a person already prone towards depression, caffeine withdrawal symptoms may be even more severe. Any temporary lift a depressed person gets from coffee could be followed by worsening of their symptoms, particularly if they try to completely withdraw from caffeine.
Can Caffeine Cause Depression?: The Bottom Line?
Many people drink caffeinated coffee as a pick-me-up, but for people who are prone to depression, it could make the symptoms worse. Even if it doesn’t, it may be difficult to stop drinking coffee because the caffeine withdrawal worsens depression. For this reason, people with a history of depression should avoid caffeine.
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