Effects of Caffeine on Narcolepsy

Narcolepsy is defined by the National Institutes of Health as a chronic disorder that affects your central nervous system. This sleeping disorder affects your ability to manage your natural sleep-wake cycles. While the majority of us experience moments of drowsiness or fatigue, if you have narcolepsy these moments of tiredness become an uncontrollable urge to sleep. Those with narcolepsy can experience these sensations of extreme fatigue at any point throughout the day. Although, narcolepsy does not have a cure, there are synthetic medications capable of controlling sleep urges. When you have narcolepsy you must be careful with what you put in your body, especially when it comes to stimulants. Because caffeine directly stimulates your central nervous system as well as brain chemicals that are responsible for sleep-wake cycles, natural proponents claim caffeine may help reduce the severity of narcolepsy. However, it is important to note that the scientific community does not fully support the use of caffeine for narcolepsy control.

Before delving into the specifics of how caffeine affects those with narcolepsy, it is important to learn how caffeine affects your body. After consuming caffeine, its effects may be felt in as little as 15 minutes and its stimulating effects may last up to six hours. The prolonged since of alertness is created by hindering your adenosine receptor sites. This naturally occurring chemical is responsible for causing sleepiness. When your adenosine receptor sites are hindered, the accumulation of adenosine is halted. This effect causes a temporary decrease in fatigue and tiredness.

While there are no solid scientific studies regarding the effectiveness of caffeine on narcolepsy, the August 1989 issue of "Medical Hypotheses" states narcolepsy happens when adenosine levels become abnormally high, and this chemical "spills over." This overflowing action results in intense sensations of tiredness.

The Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School suggest narcolepsy is directly related to a deficiency in the hypocretin/orexin neurotransmitter system. And initial research suggests the high levels of adenosine directly cause this neurotransmitter deficiency.

Because the effects of caffeine are directly related to your sensitivity to this chemical, your recommended dosage may greatly vary from another patients. While there is no official dosage recommendation of caffeine for narcolepsy, Harvard Medical School suggests consuming 0.3 mg of caffeine per 2.2 pounds of body weight can significantly increase sensations of wakefulness and cognitive functions.

Talk with your doctor before starting a caffeine supplementation program for your narcolepsy. If you are sensitive to stimulants, you may find taking caffeine causes adverse side effects such as rapid heartbeat, upset stomach and other unwanted gastrointestinal side effects.

References:

http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/narcolepsy/detail_narcolepsy.htm
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke: Narcolepsy Fact Sheet

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2685522
Medical Hypotheses Journal: Adenosine in Sleep and Wakefulness

http://sleep.med.harvard.edu/research/labs/74/Laboratory+of+Neuroscience
Harvard Medical School - Division of Sleep Medicine: Laboratory of Neuroscience