The caffeine question: Should you decaffeinate your diet?

In less than an hour you start to feel its effects. You're more alert, energetic and productive. Your mood lifts and that foggy, tired feeling is gone.

If you rely on daily doses of caffeine to chase away fatigue and perk up your disposition, you aren't alone. Nine out of 10 Americans consume some type of caffeine regularly, making it the most popular behavior-altering drug.

For most people, moderate doses of caffeine — 200 to 300 milligrams (mg), or about two to four cups of brewed coffee a day — aren't harmful. But some circumstances, such as caffeine sensitivity or use of certain medications, may warrant limiting or even ending your caffeine routine. Find out if you need to decaffeinate your diet and, if so, how you can do it with minimal distress.

For your health: When to cut your caffeine use

Certain circumstances call for reducing the amount of caffeine you consume. Evaluate your habits. If any of these situations apply, you may need to cut back.

You consume unhealthy amounts
Though moderate caffeine intake isn't likely to cause harm, too much can noticeably affect your health. Heavy daily caffeine use — more than 500 to 600 mg a day, or about four to seven cups of coffee — can cause:

• Restlessness
• Anxiety
• Irritability
• Muscle tremors
• Sleeplessness
• Headaches
• Nausea, diarrhea or other gastrointestinal problems
• Abnormal heart rhythms

Curbing your caffeine consumption

Caffeine can be habit-forming, so any attempts to stop or lessen the amount you normally consume can be challenging. An abrupt decrease in caffeine can cause withdrawal symptoms, such as headaches, fatigue, irritability and nervousness. These symptoms usually resolve after several days.

To adopt new caffeine habits, try these tips:

• Know how much caffeine is in the foods and beverages you consume. You may be consuming more than you think. Keep track. Read labels carefully. Caffeine, if present, is listed in product ingredient lists.
• Gradually reduce the amount of caffeine you consume. For example, drink one less can of soda or drink a smaller cup of coffee each day. This will help your body get used to the lower levels of caffeine and thereby lessen the withdrawal effects.
• Replace caffeinated coffee, tea or soda with their decaffeinated counterparts. Most decaffeinated beverages look and taste the same.
• When preparing tea, brew for less time. This cuts down on its caffeine content. Or choose herbal teas, which don't contain this stimulant.
• Check the caffeine content in over-the-counter medications that you take. Pain relief or headache medications, such as Excedrin or Anacin, can contain from 65 mg to 130 mg of caffeine in one dose. Switch to caffeine-free versions, if possible.

If you're like most adults, caffeine is a part of your daily routine. And most often it doesn't pose a health problem. But be mindful of those situations in which you need to curtail your caffeine consumption.

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