Move the caffeine before you drop the can
A headache in the first days of quitting soda can be the caffeine leaving, not the sugar. Get the caffeine from coffee or tea first.
From people’s advice and experience shared online about quitting soda, with the caffeine figures and the headache guidance checked against the NHS, the US FDA and MedlinePlus in October 2026.
You stopped the soda, and by the second day you had a headache, you were tired and short with everyone, and the can was back in your hand. It is easy to read that as proof you cannot do this. Part of it may have been a second thing leaving your body at the same time as the sugar: the caffeine.
Keep your caffeine and change where it comes from before you drop the can: get it from plain coffee or tea, or lower it slowly, so that you get through the sugar cravings without a withdrawal headache on top.
Two things are in the can
A can of cola is sugar, fizz and caffeine. The NHS gives about 40 mg of caffeine in a can of cola, and the US FDA gives 23 to 83 mg in 12 fluid ounces of a caffeinated soft drink. Some sodas have none, so check the label.
Many people who have been through it say soda addiction has a caffeine side as well as a sugar side, and they suggest moving the caffeine to coffee or tea, or tapering it slowly, so that the headaches and tiredness of withdrawal do not hit hard. Some people say that withdrawal symptoms such as headaches make attempts to quit soda fail, and that some people go on to drink other sugary drinks instead. One person points out that the headache and tiredness come from the caffeine and the hunger from the sugar, so they are two different problems.
Where to put the caffeine
Plain coffee or tea. One person says that changing to unsweetened black coffee and plain water gave them better energy and sleep and fewer crashes. One person suggests green tea as a milder caffeine source. The FDA figures per 12 fluid ounces are 37 mg for green tea, 71 mg for black tea and 113 to 247 mg for brewed coffee, so the choice changes the dose.
Match the amount, at least at first. Some people warn that changing from a lot of soda to tea or coffee can bring on withdrawal anyway if what you drink has less caffeine than the soda did. At the NHS figure of about 40 mg a can, six cans is about 240 mg, which is roughly two and a half cups of instant coffee or three cups of tea. The FDA cites 400 mg a day as an amount not generally associated with negative effects for most adults, and says that if you want to cut back on caffeine it is best to do it gradually.
Some people suggest the other order: change to a soda with no caffeine first, then to fizzy water, so that the caffeine and the sugar come out one after the other. A caffeine-free soda still has the sugar, and one person warns that a diet soda can start a new dependency. This route keeps the sweetness and drops the stimulant. Moving the caffeine to tea or coffee does the opposite.
How fast to drop the can itself is a separate question, and people split. Some people say that for a strong habit, cutting down slowly slides back into “just one more” and that stopping completely worked better for them. Some people found a slow swap worked. Moving the caffeine first fits either route.
How long the headache lasts
The FDA says caffeine withdrawal is not considered dangerous but can be unpleasant. MedlinePlus lists headaches, drowsiness, irritability, nausea and trouble concentrating, and says these usually go away after a couple of days. One person who quit abruptly describes severe headaches and tiredness for about a week, then better energy and less hunger. One person warns that the shakiness of withdrawal can be mistaken for general weakness or illness, which is one more reason to read the safety line at the top before you decide what is happening.
If the caffeine is how you get through the day
Some people with ADHD say the caffeine in their soda is part of how they cope, and they suggest moving the caffeine rather than cutting it out. Some people warn that ADHD symptoms may get worse if the caffeine drops too low. This page does not cover managing ADHD without caffeine. Ask whoever prescribes or treats it for you, and do not change a prescribed medicine because of what is written here.
What comes after
One person says the first three weeks are the hardest, and that the cravings ease and become easy to ignore after that. Some people say they had less tiredness and slept better once they were off soda, and some say soda tasted unpleasant after a few weeks. One person says that even after a long time off, it still tasted good, and the change was that they wanted it much less often and found it easier to say no.
Who this page is not for
If your usual soda has no caffeine, there is nothing to move, and your hurdle is the sugar and the fizz. If you are under 18, or caffeine makes your heart race or worsens anxiety, ask a doctor or pharmacist before changing how much you take. Keep the fizz, drop the sugar is the page for that. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or a doctor has told you to limit caffeine, the limit that applies to you is not the one here; the NHS says no more than 200 mg a day in pregnancy, and your doctor or midwife is the person to ask. If you have diabetes or kidney problems, this page does not cover them, and a change in what you drink is worth raising with your care team. And if your last quit failed on cravings and not on headaches, the sugar may be the harder part for you; some people say it was for them.
Common questions
How much caffeine is in what I drink now?
It varies by drink, brand and size, so the label or the maker is the best check. As a guide, the NHS gives about 40 mg in a can of cola, 100 mg in a cup of instant coffee and 75 mg in a cup of tea. The US FDA gives 23 to 83 mg in 12 fluid ounces of a caffeinated soft drink, 37 mg in the same amount of green tea, 71 mg in black tea and 113 to 247 mg in brewed coffee. So a strong brewed coffee can carry several times what a can does, and moving from six cans to one huge mug may be a bigger step up than you meant. Six cans at the NHS figure is about 240 mg, roughly two and a half cups of instant coffee or three cups of tea.
Is the headache from the caffeine, or is something else wrong?
You cannot be sure from the inside, which is why the safety line above comes first. A headache that begins a day or so after you cut back on a regular caffeine habit fits withdrawal. MedlinePlus, from the US National Library of Medicine, lists headaches, drowsiness, irritability, nausea and trouble concentrating, and says these usually go away after a couple of days. One person who stopped abruptly describes severe headaches and tiredness for about a week, so a longer stretch than a couple of days is not by itself a sign you are doing it wrong. A sudden, severe headache, or one with a stiff neck, fever, confusion or weakness, is a different matter and needs help at once. If a headache will not ease or you are worried, a doctor or pharmacist is the person to ask.
Can I use caffeine pills or an energy drink as the new source?
This page does not suggest either. One person tapered down with caffeine pills while changing to fizzy water and a decaf cola, and one person warns that pills carry a risk of a new dependency. Energy drinks are hard to count: the FDA gives a range of 41 to 246 mg in 12 fluid ounces, and the FDA article says medical experts advise against energy drinks for children and teens. Plain coffee or tea can be measured by the cup, which is the point of using them.
What if the caffeine in soda is how I get through the day because of ADHD?
Some people with ADHD say the caffeine in their soda is part of how they cope, and those people suggest moving it to coffee or tea rather than cutting it out. Some people warn that ADHD symptoms may get worse if the caffeine drops too low. How to manage ADHD without caffeine is not covered here. That is a question for whoever prescribes or treats it for you, and a prescribed medicine is not something to change because of this page.
Questions this step helps with
Same situation, another step
- The urge starts at a rough edgeBuilding a habit
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