[Misc] Cold Turkey on Caffeine

[Motogull]

I reckon I have had about 5 coffees in 30 months.

I defo had too much. Treble espressos were common.

I gave up after someone said she had and had said goodbye to anxiety and another on medical advice because it is a bladder and prostate irritant.

I never went cold turkey. I fukken enjoyed a double espresso one morning mind.

I have defo lost the Basil Fawlty in panic mode episodes. Worth it just for that.

 

[Anger]

Very interesting thread. I'm a pharmacologist but I hadn't really given much thought to caffeine because it is not a selective drug (it affects more than one molecular target); it inhibits the family of enzymes known as phosphodiesterases (PDEs) and it blocks the action of an endogenous substance called adenosine.

PDEs are enzymes that degrade cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP). cAMP is a molecule that mediates some of the intracellular signaling initiated by the sympathetic nervous system (adrenaline and adrenaline). Caffeine thus makes the adrenaline signal last longer and be of greater size. So you may feel 'adrenalized'. The sympathetic system evolved to help the cave man hunt and kill sabre tooth tigers (increase heart rate, increased blood flow to skeletal muscle, reduced gut motility etc).

The adenosine antagonist effect occurs on the A1 adenosine receptor and the main effect is facilitation of release of acetylcholine (ACh) from cholinergic nerve endings. That means a stimulation of 'parasympathetic' function. The parasympathetic nervous system has generally the opposite effects of the sympathetic (mydriasis, secretion of gastric juice, increase gastric motility, the stuff you would do in a cave after eating a sabre tooth tiger).

Both effects of caffeine are relatively weak. Most of the problems associated with it are probably due to adaptive physiological changes, plus the precipitous effect of sudden withdrawal if you stop taking the stuff.

But.....I don't think we understand the precise dose-response relationships around caffeine's effects. I have never used it in teaching or in my research because it is nonselective and useless as a pharmacological tool.

The other caveat is that coffee (and tea) is not the same as caffeine. Both the bean and the leaf contain all sorts of different small molecule bioactive substances: the monoamine oxidase (MOA) inhibitors, β-carboline and harmane, may contribute to caffeine's psychoactivity. Some of you may be aware that more selective and potent MOA inhibitors are used with mixed success in treating depression and Parkinson's disease; caffeine also contains antioxidant polyphenols which excites parascience people more than mainstream science.

So, quite a mix of different pharmacologically active substances, which will vary from source to source by an unknown amount. Been with us much longer than the food and drug legislation and does not have common acute adverse effects. The metabolism occurs in the liver so it is possible that the state of the liver may affect blood levels of caffeine and consequently its effects. More research may be of interest but it won't be done because it isn't fundable - what is the unmet need?

I was just about to write the same.

 

[AmexRuislip]

Anyone ever done this? I recently decided that I drink too much (probably 300-400mg or more 7 days a week) and could do wih cutting back for long-term benefits and also better sleep. I don't intend to give up completely, but did a bit of an experiment (and personal challenge) to see what would happen if I cut my daily intake to as close to 0mg as possible. I'm currently on Day 6 and although I knew I'd miss the routine part, eg brewing and enjoying the aroma of my morning doppio, I am genuinely surprised at the physiological effects and it really made me appreciate how much caffeine intake affects the body.

Obviously felt a bit more tired in the afternoon of day 1, but I expected this. What I was less prepared for was the blinding headache in the first couple of evenings, and what surprised me most was that after about 48 hours I started experiencing stiffness in my legs and joints and what I'd describe as sciatic pain in my lower back running down my legs. This was so painful that it was causing me to wake up in the middle of the night and having to take a couple of paracetamol. I Googled this and discovered that it's not an uncommon effect of caffeine withdrawal. Having experienced it myself I have to say that it has really changed my perspective in recognising caffeine as a drug that we're generally a bit blaze about.

Be interested to see if any others have had similar experiences? It certainly gave me a new level of respect for people that have been able to overcome the physiological effects of giving up more addictive drugs such as nicotine or smack.

After my PC diagnosis and having it removed in Dec 2022, I took the advice of my consultant and kept off tea and coffee for a while, as it can irritate the bladder.
To this day I've not touched the stuff and just drink water.

 

[Worried Man Blues]

Did you mean no alcohol BEFORE 6pm I always try (!) to stop drinking by 6pm.

That was serious!! I have acid reflux and don't want to lie down with alchy in my tubes!! Why don't you drink before 6pm?

 

[LamieRobertson]

I was just about to write the same.

Me to ….well the first sentence that is, ‘’very interesting thread’’….to many other words with more than 2 syllables to understand in the rest of the post.

Love a good cup of coffee ….don’t drink that much alcohol (havnt been in a pub for years)….cafes are more my thing coffee and watch the world go by….and I’m not going to give up on that.

Wish the OP all the best ..seems you have a lot of good advice on this thread ..well apart from me

 

[Washie]

Caffeine also constricts your blood vessels. Its why you get a headache without drinking it as the brain gets more blood than it is used to. This is why I'm giving it up.

 

[jessiejames]

In my truck i have a bean/ground to cup Di Longhi Dinamica machine. I will normally in a day have 12 to15 Americano a day. First cup inmorning is a double espresso on its own. Thenits in to the Americano in a mug. Normally filling up the water container 4 times a day.
When i am at home i either use the italian style pots u put on the oven or my own machine. Will normally have 5 to 6 mugs a day maximum. Love the smell of grinding my own coffee beans.
I get my coffee normally when im in Italy,if i know im not going back for a long tume i will pick up a couple if boxes of coffee containing 20 x1 kg bags each. Was given a grinder by one of our customers brand new, found out they retail at £99 each.

 

[Sid and the Sharknados]

I snort Maxwell House for a bigger hit.

 

[Gabbafella]

I had a stomach bug around 2-3 months ago and decided then was a good time to stop as I hadn't had a coffee for a couple of days.
I used to drink between 5-8 cups per day, I used to suffer with really bad heart palpitations and dodgy guts almost every day.
I haven't missed coffee at all, my energy levels feel better, my stomach is definitely better and I'm actually drinking way more water.
The other bonus is I no longer have to make several coffees for the guys at work.

 

[zefarelly]

Mmmmm coffee, I love it.



One, weapons grade double espresso first thing, with milk. . . . Some mornings I have a small cup of shit instant at work, go yuk, and drink water the rest of the day. . . . Very occaisionally an earl grey at 3

 

[dannyboy]

My coffee story is completely ass about face in that i only started drinking it at 51 (54 now) . Hated the smell, the taste , everything about it. Reason i started drinking it was as a pre workout to give me a little boost which it definitely did . 3 years down the line I have learned to like it but can take it or leave it. Dont feel any addiction to it in any way and can have anywhere from 0 to 3 strong espresso s a day .