# Caffiene sensitivity



## punisher73 (Dec 3, 2007)

I know there are some people who are sensitive to caffiene and can't have it.  But, does anyone know if that is something you can develop as you get older?

The reason I ask is, I started to drink 1-2 Monster energy drinks a day (lo-carb kind, 16 oz. cans) and now anytime I have caffiene of any kind (pop, coffee, etc.) I feel sick and get bad headaches.

Anyone else experience this?



PS: Yes, I went to the doctor for the headaches and they ran tests so "It's not a tumor!" (said with an Arnold accent)


----------



## Bob Hubbard (Dec 3, 2007)

I'd be more concerned with the sweetener. Both Nutrasweet (Aspartame)  and Splenda (Sucralose)

Here's some caffeine info
http://www.ific.org/publications/brochures/caffeinebroch.cfm
http://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheets/hgic4152.htm

I haven't found any information on increased sensitivity, however I've noticed my tolerance varies from time to time.  It's possible that you're consuming too much of the Edrinks, and that's causing a build up (not enough time to flush everything out) and that's the cause of the imbalance.   I used to do a gallon of tea a day no prob, but whenever I drink the Edrinks I've noticed an increase in headaches and dizziness. Not all the time, but more often.


----------



## Lisa (Dec 3, 2007)

Any sensitivity or allergy can change with time.  Sometimes you "out grow" them if they are mild enough.  And sometimes you become sensitive as you age.

In my case, I did not become allergic to Penicillin until well into my 30's.  Now I can't go near the stuff.  Same with certain foods, my body can't tolerate them.

If you have been drinking one to two monster drinks a day, my best advice is to stop doing that.  They are not good for you anyways and your body is obviously telling you something.


----------



## Kacey (Dec 3, 2007)

I agree with the above.  I've cut way back on my caffeine - when school ended last year I realized that I was drinking 3-4 (sometimes 5) 16-ounce bottles of Diet Coke a day; now, I drink maybe 1 can.  I sleep better, have fewer headaches, and lost 15 pounds without really trying - when I talked to my doctor about it, she told me that caffeinated beverages, especially carbonated ones, have been linked to snacking more than non-caffeinated , non-carbonated beverages.

Drink water - it can be just as good for a short burst of energy as anything else, and numerous studies have proven that most of the people in the US are chronically dehydrated, which causes all sorts of problems, including reduced reaction time, chronic fatigue, and other physical symptoms.


----------



## searcher (Dec 3, 2007)

I am not sure about developing it as you age, but I inherited mine from my father.   We are both so sensitive that if we drink it our blood prressure skyrockets and we have trouble sleeping for a few days.   My father was on BP meds and when he stopped drinking tea every day he got to stop taking them and now has low BP.   I am the same way, but not as extreme.


----------



## TheOriginalName (Dec 3, 2007)

My understanding of allergies, as a hayfever sufferer, is that yes you can develop an allergy with exposure. 

The more you are exposed to a stimulant (grass, pollen, drugs etc) the more chance you will develop an allergy......not that it's a gaureentee.

The thing that jumped out at me with this is caffiene. Caffiene in itself can cause headaches etc without you being allergic.
If you don't believe me try having twice the amount of coffee one day - the next day your going to feel like crap.

What can be done to "fix" this .......drink more water. Caffiene dehydrates you just like soft-drinks do. If you increase your water intake you'll feel a heck of a lot better. 

Also the Energy Drinks you are having - i'm not sure what type they are but check the label, there is a good chance that it's got more caffiene in it than anything else. 
I use to drink a couple of these things a day as well.....make the switch to water or even OJ if you find that a bit easier (make sure it's a low sugar one) and after 2 weeks you'll feel a LOT better. 

And lastly - my big tip - go and see a dietician or nutritionist. Have them assess your total diet.....they might be able to help you eat better so that you don't feel the need to "drink" to feel better. I know this worked for me. 

Best of luck


----------



## Cruentus (Dec 3, 2007)

punisher73 said:


> I know there are some people who are sensitive to caffiene and can't have it.  But, does anyone know if that is something you can develop as you get older?
> 
> The reason I ask is, I started to drink 1-2 Monster energy drinks a day (lo-carb kind, 16 oz. cans) and now anytime I have caffiene of any kind (pop, coffee, etc.) I feel sick and get bad headaches.
> 
> ...



You do need to have moderation, and with caffeine you have to be aware of your water intake because it can dehydrate you; that may be where your headaches are coming from. When I started drinking coffee more, I stopped drinking soda altogether and now drink a lot more water. 

Bottom line, coffee and monsters (both of which I drink) has about 4 times the caffeine of Pepsi; so you'll have to drink a lot more water rather then other beverages to rehydrate or you will get sick.

BTW...the caffeine isn't really bad for you, and in fact coffee and/or monsters are actually somewhat good for you. You just have to do things in moderation. If your pounding monsters all day and not drinking water, well, you'll get sick.


----------



## Makalakumu (Dec 3, 2007)

Do NOT drink edrinks.  There is so much crap crammed into that can that you can't even believe what your may be drinking.  Bob posted some good links.  I want you to consider that everytime you read natural or artificial flavor (s) you are consuming 30 to 40 chemicals per flavor.  

For my caffine fix, I go to my local co-op and get some organic fair trade, non-flavored coffee.  

Not saying that this is the best, especially considering the skullduggery that is involved in labeling things "organic" but I do think that it is better then any edrink.


----------



## tellner (Dec 3, 2007)

Before I started taking amphetamines and had to give up caffeine I'd gravitated to two edrinks.

The first is Gorilla Juice. It tastes much better than the other ones, has fewer unpronounceable ingredients, comes with a reasonable price tag and helps support gorilla habitat preservation.

The other is the blend from Soda Club. You spend about $100 on the soda maker and $10-15 for the ~100 1 liter bottle CO2 cartridges. But if you drink soda regularly it gets cheap very quickly. Even if you don't get stuff on the (frequent) sales it comes to $0.25/liter. They use a lot less crap than almost anyone else. No high fructose corn syrup or aspartame. Just sugar (about 1/3 the calories and more flavor than most sodas) or sucralose which is about as good an artificial sweetener as has been developed. Very good taste. And it's Kosher L'Pesach!


----------



## Grenadier (Dec 19, 2007)

If you don't consume the energy drinks, are you still getting headaches from that cup of coffee?  

It could simply be that the combination of caffeine and whatever substances are in there, are causing you to get a nauseous reaction.  The last person I saw feel ill had drank a cup of coffee, a cup of ginseng tea, and another energy drink that had guiarinara in it.  Not a nice combination.


----------



## MA-Caver (Dec 19, 2007)

I used to love coffee but found out about 10-15 years ago that it started to make my stomach jittery. Much like butterflies on meth in my stomach or something. So I stopped. I thought it was the caffeine in the coffee but pondered at my ability to drink hot-chocolate (yum) which supposedly has more caffeine than coffee. Hrmm, also drinking copious amounts of Mt. Dew without effect. So obviously there's something else in the coffee. 

Never had headaches though... so mebbe that's something. eh?


----------



## tellner (Dec 19, 2007)

According to at least one source:

According to at least one source:



> Caffeine Content
> All figures are approximate, especially with coffee. Different varietals can have different caffeine content, and the way the coffee is roasted can also change the values.
> 
> Double espresso (2oz)	45-100 mg
> ...



The hot chocolate is going to have a lot less caffeine than the coffee.

There's a lot of stuff in these besides caffeine. Coffee has all sorts of alkaloids that vary widely between different cultivars and different levels of roasting. Energy drinks? It can be a whole Junior Scientist Chemistry Set. If you're not having the same effect from the same dose of caffeine it's probably because of the other ingredients.

It is certainly possible to develop a sensitivity to coffee or caffeine and for your reaction to it to change over time. If you give it up the effects of withdrawal can be unpleasant. We're talking about physically addictive drugs here.


----------



## rabbit (Dec 19, 2007)

I know headache medicine like Excederin and other have caffiene in them becuase it actually helps your headache. I think if you get a headache from a monster it is from something else than the caffiene. Unless, of course, you are dehydrated. I am a big fan of coffee. I used to drink a lot of coffee and almost little or no water. I went to my TKD class and I felt sick to my stomach when exercising. I felt like I was going to passout. 

After that day I increased my water intake and I have never had the same problem again. I have never gotten headaches from coffee, but I think it is possible with a energy drink. There is so much stuff in them. Coffee is way better. It is natural and it gives the energy that a Monster does and from what I have heard recently there is studies coming out that it is actually healhty.(Although I guess there are a lot of people that probably refuse to believe this -- which is fine believe what you want to believe, but I'm still going to drink coffee)



> Want a drug that could lower your risk of diabetes, Parkinson's disease, and colon cancer? That could lift your mood and treat headaches? That could lower your risk of cavities?
> If it sounds too good to be true, think again.
> Coffee, the much maligned but undoubtedly beloved beverage, just made headlines for possibly cutting the risk of the latest disease epidemic, type 2 diabetes. And the real news seems to be that the more you drink, the better.​


 
This is a quote from an article on WebMD about the health benefits of coffee. Here is the link if you want to read more:
http://men.webmd.com/features/coffee-new-health-food


----------

