Caffeine and Panic Attacks

You’ve probably heard the rumors and you’re wondering whether caffeine can cause panic attacks, right?

I take a lot of caffeine during each day. I drink tea like there’s no tomorrow, and no, I won’t drink decaf tea – it’s the worst stuff I’ve ever tasted. The question is, can caffeine cause, or at least contribute to, the onset of panic attacks?

Well, it seems that as far back as Jul 1997, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) encouraged scientists as well as public consumer groups to submit a petition to the FDA to include warning labels on all products that contained caffeine. Although it was required to disclose the actual amount of caffeine in a product, most companies are only indicating that caffeine is an ingredient.

According to CSPI, there are quite a few potential adverse effects of caffeine on our health, and although panic attacks are not specifically mentioned by the CSPI, but having some sort of warning label on caffeine products has got to be a good idea for people suffering from panic disorders. We know that caffeine and panic attacks are closely related because caffeine increases anxiety as well as causing insomnia – two conditions that can make people more susceptible to panic attacks.

We know the effects of caffeine on panic attacks will vary from person to person, but nevertheless anxiety disorder specialists still recommend that people prone to panic disorders avoid caffeine, and let’s face it, that’s not easy for people like me that consume caffeine on an hourly basis. And that’s not even taking into account the fact that completely eliminating caffeine often results in something close to withdrawal symptoms, with headaches and fatigue that can last for days.

So, if you’re going to thwart these panic attacks which may or may not be caused by caffeine, you might have to stop consuming caffeine anyway, even though caffeine consumption doesn’t necessarily lead to a panic attack.

Why? Because there is still evidence that strongly suggests a link between caffeine and panic attacks, as with marijuana, cocaine and amphetamines. No, I’m not implying that you are taking any of those substances, it’s the relationship between these and other substances that destabilize the brain activity so that anxiety ultimately reaches the stage of being a panic attack.

How can caffeine cause panic attacks?

If someone has low adrenal function, caffeine consumption can lead to a panic attack because caffeine interferes with something called adenosine, which is a brain chemical that is used to calm us down.

Caffeine also raises our lactate levels and this is a known factor in producing panic attacks. Caffeine can be found in coffee and  tea as well as chocolate. It’s also in many soft drinks. A cup of coffee can contain about 100mg of caffeine, whereas a cup of tea might contain 30mg or 40mg.

Many experts have discovered and confirmed that caffeine as a stimulant will interfere with the natural tranquillizers in the brain. They conclude that the improper functioning indicates that caffeine may cause panic attacks.

To be honest, it’s not at all surprising that caffeine is not recommended for people suffering from panic attacks, but the problem is that caffeine is hidden in so much of what we eat and drink. If caffeine and panic attacks do go hand in hand, we’re all in a lot of trouble.

Just to bring this into perspective, it only takes a couple of cups of coffee to increase your heart rate. If you notice this and begin to worry, this can easily lead you to into a panic. I guess to be on the safe side, any of us suffering from panic attacks should at least limit our intake of caffeine. That’s not going to be easy.