Let's talk about caffeine

Your caffeine intake?

  • I purposely avoid caffeine

    Votes: 5 11.6%
  • On average I have a negligible amount of caffeine or virtually zero every day

    Votes: 1 2.3%
  • On average I have less than 200 mg caffeine per day (16 oz coffee or 40 oz green tea)

    Votes: 11 25.6%
  • On average I have more than 200 mg caffeine per day (>16 oz coffee or >40 oz green tea)

    Votes: 26 60.5%

  • Total voters
    43

pete6032

Diamond Member
Dec 3, 2010
7,443
3,004
136
What is your philosophy on caffeine intake? Good, bad? Worth monitoring? Do you avoid it at all costs, or do you embrace it? How does it affect you?

Common caffeine items:

Coffee 8 oz - 100 mg
Green Tea 8 oz - 40 mg
Black Tea 8 oz - 50 mg
Coca Cola 12 oz - 29 mg
Diet Coke 12 oz - 42 mg
Mountain Dew 12 oz - 55 mg
Red Bull 8.2 oz - 80 mg
 

whm1974

Diamond Member
Jul 24, 2016
9,460
1,570
96
It is almost completely benign. As long as you don't consume so much that you get the jitters or mimic mental illness you should be fine.
 

deadlyapp

Diamond Member
Apr 25, 2004
6,582
698
126
I have coffee in the morning because I enjoy it as a routine, not so much for the caffeine buzz, which I don't really get anymore. I typically consume between 16-20oz of coffee within the first couple hours of waking, but then consume no more.

I'll occasionally have a cup of black tea or two during the late morning / early afternoon.

Finally, I typically take a pre-workout supplement before my workout, which has around 325mg of caffeine in it, and that actually will give me a bit of a buzz and energy for my workout (usually around 5-6pm).

No issues sleeping at night. No jitters. Total intake is probably around 600mg a day.
 

snoopy7548

Diamond Member
Jan 1, 2005
8,048
5,043
146
I drink roughly two cups of coffee every morning. I still get a bit of a buzz, but besides that it doesn't really affect me. If I go more than a couple of days without it, I start to feel pretty bad.
 

whm1974

Diamond Member
Jul 24, 2016
9,460
1,570
96
Isn't the LD50 of caffeine really high? So high that it is near impossible top overdose on it? Of course that is depending on the partakers health, but healthy people wouldn't have anything to worry about.
 

JimKiler

Diamond Member
Oct 10, 2002
3,558
205
106
It is almost completely benign. As long as you don't consume so much that you get the jitters or mimic mental illness you should be fine.

Not true, since cleaning up my coffee consumption to zero i fall asleep a lot quicker and stay asleep! i never did energy drinks but i consumed lots of caffeinated pop and coffee back in my day.
 

repoman0

Diamond Member
Jun 17, 2010
4,445
3,282
136
One cup of coffee in the morning, one mid-late afternoon just after I get home from work. Black or with a small drop of whole milk. I sleep just fine from ~12:30 to 7:30 AM. Caffeine might have some positive effects, some negative effects ... seems harmless enough to me and I enjoy it too much to give it up. Just stay healthy otherwise :)
 

whm1974

Diamond Member
Jul 24, 2016
9,460
1,570
96
Not true, since cleaning up my coffee consumption to zero i fall asleep a lot quicker and stay asleep! i never did energy drinks but i consumed lots of caffeinated pop and coffee back in my day.
Well if you consumed high doses of caffeine, then yes you will most likely have issues with sleeping. I was referring to lethal usage of caffeine.
 

mike8675309

Senior member
Jul 17, 2013
507
116
116
I don't like the flavor of coffee so I don't drink it. I generally don't drink pop or soda anymore. Thus I really don't get much if any caffeine and haven't for the past 6 years.
When in high school I used to drink 2 or 3 cans of cherry Coke just before bed. I had a can right next to my bed. It never caused me issues with sleeping.
 

whm1974

Diamond Member
Jul 24, 2016
9,460
1,570
96
I don't like the flavor of coffee so I don't drink it. I generally don't drink pop or soda anymore. Thus I really don't get much if any caffeine and haven't for the past 6 years.
When in high school I used to drink 2 or 3 cans of cherry Coke just before bed. I had a can right next to my bed. It never caused me issues with sleeping.
You haven't had any really good coffee. Start with high quality beans, and if you have time, roast and ground them yourself as that will bring out the best flavor. Also add molasses and butter to your coffee cup as well.
 

Mai72

Lifer
Sep 12, 2012
11,578
1,741
126
I was a HUGE caffeine junkie a few years ago. I'd drink Red Bulls and Monsters everyday. Sometimes coffee as well. It got to the point that I'd take a 200mg caffeine pill before my workouts in the morning. There are benefits to ingesting some form of caffeine before a workout. It stunts pain from lifting weights, and in my case I was more motivated. But, it was affecting my mood so I stopped that and I went with 1/2 scoop of The Curse Pre-workout that I purchased from Amazon. Half scoop is about 65-70mg of Caffeine, so I get a small buzz but I feel much better. I'm caffeine sensitive anyway.

I've cut back because I want to give my adrenal glands a break. There is a symptom called adrenal fatigue and that's when your adrenal glands shrink due to the heavy consumption of coffee, and other drinks that have caffeine in it. Caffeine is actually a toxin that your body is trying to get out of your system. It's why we feel the caffeine buzz. I've also ditched my green tea habit because I was drinking 2 cups a day and feeling really anxious and nervous.

https://adrenalfatiguesolution.com/caffeine-adrenal-glands/
 

whm1974

Diamond Member
Jul 24, 2016
9,460
1,570
96
I was a HUGE caffeine junkie a few years ago. I'd drink Red Bulls and Monsters everyday. Sometimes coffee as well. It got to the point that I'd take a 200mg caffeine pill before my workouts in the morning. There are benefits to ingesting some form of caffeine before a workout. It stunts pain from lifting weights, and in my case I was more motivated. But, it was affecting my mood so I stopped that and I went with 1/2 scoop of The Curse Pre-workout that I purchased from Amazon. Half scoop is about 65-70mg of Caffeine, so I get a small buzz but I feel much better. I'm caffeine sensitive anyway.

I've cut back because I want to give my adrenal glands a break. There is a symptom called adrenal fatigue and that's when your adrenal glands shrink due to the heavy consumption of coffee, and other drinks that have caffeine in it. Caffeine is actually a toxin that your body is trying to get out of your system. It's why we feel the caffeine buzz. I've also ditched my green tea habit because I was drinking 2 cups a day and feeling really anxious and nervous.

https://adrenalfatiguesolution.com/caffeine-adrenal-glands/
Dude, you were really consuming way too much caffeine. No wonder you were having mood issues. As with all things in life, moderation is key.
 

ArchAngel777

Diamond Member
Dec 24, 2000
5,223
61
91
The body adapts over time, physiological and psychologically. To give an anecdote: I was one of those people who said "Caffeine doesn't bother me, I sleep fine". Well, from that frame of reference, it is was true (to me) because I didn't know anything better. Once I cut caffeine out for a significant period of time, I realized just how horrible my life was on the stuff. I feel it is often that way with people in many things.

We also make the same mistakes, over and over again, often with slight differences (unless we learn nothing). I, for a while, thought that after getting clean off caffeine for a year, I'd be able to moderate my use and gain all the benefits from it, with none of the drawbacks. It worked, for a while, but slowly and surely my QoL started to deteriorate until I cut it out again.

It also takes much longer to withdraw than people think. The major symptoms are only a week ,but there is often a persistent exhaustion that occurs for much longer.

I also feel that caffeine feeds into other addictions. I noticed that it increased my desire to junk food, which in turned increased my desire for getting high on whatever it is I wanted. Is this all caffeine's fault? Of course not. Is it a gateway drug? No, of course not. Does it cause changes in the brain? Yes, it does. It does mess with brain chemistry. Life is all about balance, if you can make it work for you, great, but often times when we think works is from a faulty frame of reference anyway... Even in my current stable condition, I could be totally unstable, dependent and not know or perceive it. I guess when things get bad enough, people will start some self exploration and figure out for themselves that what we put into our body can influence our moods, feelings, etc... Then we have an "ah ha" moment, and change some things up, sometimes for the better, sometimes maybe for the worse. Live, learn and apply. I guess that is all we can do.
 
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mike8675309

Senior member
Jul 17, 2013
507
116
116
regardless of the quality of the coffee around me there were two reasons why I never bothered to try and find any that tasted good regardless of the free coffee in offices.
1. I felt that if I have to add a bunch of crap to it to make it taste good, then why bother.
2. too many people have side effects from coffee (I can't function till I have my coffee, my head hurts I need another coffee) that I didn't see why that would be something I would want.
 

Mai72

Lifer
Sep 12, 2012
11,578
1,741
126
Dude, you were really consuming way too much caffeine. No wonder you were having mood issues. As with all things in life, moderation is key.

True.

And, I have. I feel much better. Thanks.
 

Riverhound777

Diamond Member
Aug 13, 2003
3,363
61
91
I don't drink much at all. I do enjoy the occasional Coke Zero, and might pick up a 12 pack if it's on sale, but then i'll drink one a day and not buy more for months after. I can't drink coffee, makes me anxious and hurts my stomach sometimes. I might drink a soda once a week if I stop for fast food, but even then I usually prefer root beer, which is caffeine free.
 

Muse

Lifer
Jul 11, 2001
37,402
8,038
136
I was drinking weak coffee ... for years and years, but recently doubled up the amount of coffee I put in my stovetop espresso maker... so it's twice as strong as it used to be. I am liking it! Drink only organic coffee, I get it at Costco and grind it myself in my 650watt blender, around 1.5 lb at a time.

I don't drink any kind of soda and only occasionally drink tea. Over the winter I drank a lot of herb teas.
2. too many people have side effects from coffee (I can't function till I have my coffee, my head hurts I need another coffee) that I didn't see why that would be something I would want.
I'm really not like that. I can function fine without my coffee and I certainly don't get a headache if I don't have it. I do find that I'm sharper with it a lot of the time and many times if I'm lacking in energy or borderline sleepy some coffee will serve to wake me up. It doesn't necessarily prevent me from sleeping if I want to!

My reaction to coffee varies a ton! There are times when it tastes fantastic and I love my reaction to drinking it. Other times it won't taste good at all and I don't want any! Maybe it's just that I'm already caffeinated and sense that more wouldn't be good. That's what I figure.
 
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whm1974

Diamond Member
Jul 24, 2016
9,460
1,570
96
Overall I think the benefits of caffeine outweighs any negative effects for the vast majority of people who consume it. However a few folks will have some issues.
 

Muse

Lifer
Jul 11, 2001
37,402
8,038
136
My reaction to caffeine is variable. I very much enjoy it sometimes, it makes me euphoric. At other times I avoid it, know that more will only affect me adversely, certainly not make me happy or whatever. It's as though I have an internal caffeine monitor. Sometimes I avoid it because I fear it will interfere with my sleep patterns, which concern me.
 

FeuerFrei

Diamond Member
Mar 30, 2005
9,152
928
126
To help restore the brain's neurotransmitters after the caffeine wears off, my experience suggests taking trazodone (prescription) or melatonin (over-the-counter). This should aid onset of sleep as well, if that's your aim.
 

Muse

Lifer
Jul 11, 2001
37,402
8,038
136
Is caffeine good for muscle building ?
i am 26 of age 5'9'... but my weight is just 65Kg, i regularly hit the gym and take natural things like fruits, potatoes, milks and eggs etc. but i am not able to gain weight i am stuck on this weight since last three months. I do heavy weight exercises as well as light weight exercise. Any suggestions any one can give me ?
Well, first thing that comes to mind is to be careful. If your goal is to gain muscle mass, you should be aware that there are better and worse ways to go about it. It's quite possible to injure yourself if you aren't careful and knowledgeable. Warm up appropriately, and I suggest not using weight you can't do for at least 4 repetitions in any one set.

I don't think the caffeine has much bearing on your success in this endeavor. I sometimes think of adrenaline when in the gym. If I figure I need extra power to accomplish my goal in a particular set (I'm thinking of my max-out chin-up set, of which I do one after a number of pull-down sets of increasing resistance) I actually think of squeezing out adrenaline to achieve my target number of reps. That adrenaline is more to the point than caffeine!
 

Muse

Lifer
Jul 11, 2001
37,402
8,038
136
To help restore the brain's neurotransmitters after the caffeine wears off, my experience suggests taking trazodone (prescription) or melatonin (over-the-counter). This should aid onset of sleep as well, if that's your aim.
Eh, personally about the only substance I use is caffeine and it comes from coffee. I have meds, pills, but seldom think of them much less take them. I have sleep issues I deal with from time to time, it's ongoing but varies, but almost never take anything for them. Most of it is in the mind, what you do during the day, what you do in the evening. I figure it's better to regulate yourself without chemicals. They always have "side effects," and that term is a euphemism!
 

purbeast0

No Lifer
Sep 13, 2001
52,834
5,713
126
I used to drink 3 12oz cans of caffeinated diet soda at work and then at home sometimes I'd drink some as well, or grab a fountain soda if I'm out. On the weekends I drank a lot of Coke Zero, both with liquor or by itself. My morning routine was to get a double gulp at 7-11 of Diet Dr. Pepper on Saturdays.

But like 2 months ago when I wanted to try and cut up a bit I decided to kick it and just stopped cold turkey during the weeks. I drink a ton of water now instead while at work, usually my 32oz bottle like 3x a day. I still drink it on the weekends but mainly when I'm drinking liquor with it, and sometimes outside of that. I'll still get a double gulp here and there as well but I've cut it out a lot.

Luckily I didn't have any headaches or withdrawals at all which was nice. I also feel like my resting heart rate has slowed a bit. That could just be placebo though.