Decaffeinated coffee might be the last thing on your mind when you’re craving an afternoon of caffeine.
But experts now say you should reconsider.
Because drinking a cup of decaffeinated coffee is enough to satisfy your caffeine cravings, researchers have found.
Australian scientists have said that decaffeinated coffee – despite containing almost none of the stimulants – has the power to ward off caffeine withdrawal symptoms.
Scientists from the University of Sydney assessed the caffeine withdrawal symptoms of 61 study participants and divided them into three groups. While one group was honestly told the drink was decaffeinated, another group was given decaffeinated coffee but told it was decaffeinated. A final control group was given water
Scientists from the University of Sydney tested the simple decaffeination trick on 61 coffee lovers, all of whom drank at least three cups a day.
They are all made to work 24 hours without caffeine.
They then assessed the participants’ withdrawal symptoms – such as headaches, fatigue and concentration problems – and then divided them into three groups.
Two groups received a cup of decaffeinated coffee.
One group was truthfully told the drink was decaffeinated, while the other lied to say it was a regular cup.
Everyone else got water.
After 45 minutes, the volunteers were asked to re-evaluate their caffeine withdrawal symptoms.
Before starting the experiment, participants said they expected caffeinated coffee to reduce their withdrawal symptoms the most, followed by water and decaffeinated coffee.
But researchers whose work has been published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology, found that the group that was lied to “reported a large decrease in caffeine withdrawal, even though there was no pharmacological reason why they should.”
Those who knew they drank decaffeinated coffee reported a 9.5-point decrease in caffeine withdrawal, while the group who believed they drank decaffeinated coffee saw an 18.1-point decrease.
The control group reported a reduction in caffeine withdrawal of just 0.6 points.
This meant that there was a placebo effect from drinking decaffeinated coffee.
However, the researchers acknowledged that the reduction in withdrawal symptoms is likely to be short-lived and that decaffeinated coffee will not reduce withdrawal indefinitely.
Further research will be needed.
Dr. Llewellyn Mills, leader of the study, said: “What was interesting about this new study was that withdrawal symptoms also decreased even when people knew they were consuming caffeine.
“Not as much as the group we lied to, but a significant amount.”
He added: “Decaf can help someone trying to reduce their caffeine intake to temporarily banish their worst cravings and help them stay decaffeinated.”
“This study shows that cognitive factors such as, for example, what you expect and how much of a drug you think you have in your body can have a big impact on how you experience withdrawal symptoms.
“We did this research to model some of the processes associated with addiction to any drug, including more serious or harmful drugs.
“What we found shows promise for the development of new addiction treatments that integrate placebo effects.”
The study is the latest in a large series of studies on coffee looking at the health effects of the hot beverage.
Scientists have already linked coffee to numerous benefits, including supporting liver health and reducing the risk of depression or type 2 diabetes.
However, doctors remain divided, warning that excessive amounts of coffee – packed with caffeine – can damage the heart.
Too much caffeine can temporarily increase blood pressure and heart rate.
Source link
Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.
