Decaf coffee reduces caffeine withdrawal – even when you know it’s decaf – BPS

If you are a regular coffee drinker, you’re probably familiar with the unpleasant feelings that come after a long period without a hit of caffeine. Headaches, grogginess, irritability – these are all symptoms of caffeine withdrawal. The obvious solution is, of course, to make yourself a fresh cup of coffee, and let the cycle of caffeine addiction continue.

But what if there was a way of getting rid of those symptoms without ingesting more caffeine? A new study in the Journal of Psychopharmacology finds that even drinking decaf coffee can combat symptoms of withdrawal. And although this effect was strongest when participants in the study falsely believed that they were drinking regular coffee, it still occurred even when they were fully aware they were drinking decaf.