Kicking Coffee....can it be done?

[zzontar]

I enjoy my 2 cups a day, but it's not all glamour:

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-the-ne ... ffeine.htm

One of the negative effects of caffeine is that small amounts of caffeine taken daily, for example a cup of coffee a day, can create physical dependence on caffeine. If you fail to drink your daily dose of caffeine, you can end up with headaches, excessive sleepiness, a feeling like you can’t function or flu like symptoms. Withdrawal from caffeine can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks depending upon how much caffeine you customarily consume.

When caffeine intake is above 300 milligrams a day, about three cups of coffee or three to four sodas, the caffeine may at first make you feel energized. Yet one of the negative effects of caffeine is its ability to disrupt sleep cycles, causing less deep sleep, particularly when you have caffeinated beverages within a few hours of bedtime. So while you may be using coffee or other caffeine laced beverages to “get you started” in the morning, you likely need this extra boost because you are getting inadequate sleep.

In 2006, studies on night shift workers found that those who consume caffeine at night are most prone to this effect. Since night shift work already disrupts normal sleeping patterns, caffeine intake may create more serious issues. Those who drink caffeinated beverages and work the night shift have a far greater likelihood of getting insufficient deep sleep during the day. This can result in a continued cycle of exhaustion and caffeine boosts, a greater dependence on caffeine, and more caffeine consumed, which only exacerbates the problem.

Certain people are also particularly caffeine sensitive and more likely to experience negative effects of caffeine. For example, some people will feel “buzzed” or hyped up from one cup of coffee. Lower body weight tends to translate to higher likelihood of experiencing the negative effects of caffeine.

People with panic disorder or generalized anxiety disorder are much more prone to reacting badly from increased heart rate. Caffeine, even in small doses, can create panic attacks and interfere with medications taken to calm the system. Caffeine does reduce dopamine, a chemical produced by the brain that affects the brain’s pleasure centers. This can create more depression and anxiety.

For people with high blood pressure or high blood sugar levels (diabetes) the negative effects of caffeine should be understood. Caffeine can raise both these levels. Any type of heart problem can be affected by caffeine. The negative effect of caffeine in increasing heart rate can create problems for people with heart conditions, and in high doses, caffeine can induce irregular heartbeats in healthy people.

People with stomach conditions like irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn’s disease, ulcers, and gastro-intestinal reflux, may all suffer from the negative effects of caffeine. Caffeine increases acidic response in the stomach which may lead to excessive bowel movements and is associated with stomach discomfort.

Negative effects of caffeine can be broken down into moderate and serious side effects:

Moderate negative effects of caffeine include:

* Headaches
* Irritability
* Increase in breast tenderness
* Restlessness
* Mild insomnia
* Increased heart rate
* Increased blood sugar
* Difficulty concentrating
* Mild stomach upset

Severe negative effects of caffeine include:

* Panic attacks
* Irregular heartbeat
* Sleep deprivation
* Continuous stomach problems
* Prolonged depression
* Sleep disorders

[steven lloyd]

Caffeine is a drug and we do need to use it carefully. Used carelessly (eg, using it late in the day) or in excess can have negative effects, however, used in moderation it can have a positive impact.


Caffeine – Is it Good for Working Out?

By far, caffeine is the most popular drug in the world. But is caffiene good for working out? That is the question many lifters would like the answer to. We drink coffee, cola, tea and energy drinks, so we consume a lot of caffeine everyday. But what do you really know about it? Is it good for working out, and most importantly, good for your health?

I thought it would be a good idea to take a deep look into caffeine and find out whether it is something that is good for you or not. I started doing my research and the first thing I noticed is that there is a lot of conflicting information about this substance. Some say it is good, other say it is bad. So look at the advantages and disadvantages of taking caffeine when working out and then decide for yourself.

The Advantages and Benefits of Caffeine

Now it is time to take a look at some of the advantages of this popular drug.

1. It makes you feel good
When you develop a slight addiction to caffeine it makes you feel good when you consume it. This is evident in people who drink a lot of coffee. An early morning cup makes them feel great but if they go a day without one they are grumpy and tired. So this benefit is also a negative.
2. It will increase exercise performance
Bodybuilders and many other athletes have been using caffeine for a long time to enhance their training and workouts. While it is usually illegal to use during a sporting even itself, caffeine does provide you with a lot of energy and extra stimulation. It might help you go that little bit farther which is why it’s a popular ingredient in pre workout supplements.
3. It increases mental alertness
If you need to study for exams or work then the stimulants in caffeine can help you stay focussed for longer. It helps you stay attentive and alert but too much can make you feel too awake and agitated.
4. It can help with burning fat
It has been shown for a long time now that caffeine can improve your fat loss results. For example, many bodybuilders will take a caffeine supplement or have a cup of coffee before going to the gym to do their cardio as it can help with the workout. The way it does this is to speed up your metabolism as well as helping to break down the fat itself.
5. Prevents bowel cancer
One of the best benefits of caffeine, however, is that it can help prevent bowel cancer. This is in relation to coffee – it can help you clean out your bowels by making you go to the toilet more; partly due to the diuretic function that it has.
6. Prevents other illnesses
Caffeine in some forms has shown to have a preventative effect for some long term diseases like diabetes and alzheimer’s disease. This is a big bonus for anyone who drinks coffee or tea.

The Disadvantages and Dangers of Caffeine

Now that we have looked at the advantages of caffeine it is important to look at some of dangers that are associated with this drug.

1. Sleeplessness and anxiety
If you have problems sleeping or are highly stressed then too much caffeine is a bad idea. This relates to the stimulant effect that caffeine has one the body – it wakes everything up.
2. It can increase blood pressure
If you have heart problems then this drug isn’t a good idea (nor is any drug for that matter!). It has been shown to increase blood pressure as well as speeding up the heart rate.
3. It is addictive
The bad thing about drugs is that they are addictive. Once your body gets used to a certain amount it needs more to stay happy. This is the same with caffeine. Many people start off drinking a cup of coffee in the morning but after a while they need one at lunch and in the afternoon as well. Soon they need more then two or three cups during the day just to function properly. It would be a more healthful approach to fuel your body with nutrients instead of stimulants.
4. It comes in bad foods
Think about the times when you consume caffeine. Usually it is a coffee with cream and two sugars, a can of Coke filled with more sugar than you care to think about or in chocolate where, again, the fat and sugar is a worry. This is a serious downside to caffeine, more often then not it’s associated with the foods you want to try and avoid.
5. It can be detrimental to building lean muscle
Excessive caffeine consumption can increase cortisol levels in the body, placing it in a catabolic state. This is the oppositive of what you are trying to acheive if you want to gain muscle weight.
6. It’s easier then you think to overdose on caffeine
Caffeine is not just in coffee. You will find it in teas, chocolate, and many soft drinks/energy drinks. While you think you may only be drinking two cups per day, you may in fact be consuming a lot more.

Conclusion

Like anything that we consume it is important to do it in moderation. If you are drinking more than two to three cups of coffee per day it is likely that it’s doing more harm then good. If your goal is to gain weight then you should try and minimize caffeine intake whenever possible.

However, I don’t see it as being a huge problem if you occasionally consume a strong coffee in the morning or have a pre workout supplement with caffeine to get a better workout.

http://stanford.wellsphere.com/strength ... out/852689

[Glacier]

The fundamental question is, why do we need to boost our energy, and are we dependent on our fix to get us through the day?

If we are dependent to the point we need to boost our energy multiple times a day, why not slow our schedules down a bit, go to bed a little earlier, and negate the need for caffeine? Darn, I am getting old, and starting to sound like my mother.

Funny story:
A relative of mine quit drinking coffee, but kept on drinking pop. He went out halibut fishing where pop was non-existent. He had the worst headaches, which didn't end until he broke down and had a cup of coffee. There are worse sources of caffeine than coffee.

BTW, my mom was forced to quit coffee for health reasons because the acids (and maybe pesticides) are hard on her stomach (she used to drink A LOT of coffee). She can drink organic varieties (Kicking Horse) in moderation without ill effect.

Everything in moderation, as they say.

[RR24K]

:bethecoffee:

It's so popular it has its own icon.

It's so powerfully addicting we get up every morning and reach for the coffee maker.

It is so addicting period that coffee shops flourish. Fortunes have been made on coffee. And spent.

Can you kick the coffee habit? No need to 1 large cup per/day (no cream or sugar). That is it.

Anyone out there successful? Had no reason to do so. I stopped smoking cold turkey 20+ years ago( 1½ packs per/day), coffee will be same when that day comes

Until then coffee for me, I also enjoy tea funny thing is I put cream & sugar in it. Hmmm coffee is healthier than the tea.

[gardengirl]

I usually have two by the time I get to work. It's gotta go! My wife quit coffee few months ago, and it was easy for her. Now all she drinks is green tea.

Somebody suggested switching to crack cocaine might help me out, but it's a bit too far for me.

Suggestions, people.

Newsflash. Green tea has more caffeine than many types of coffee.

[Captain Awesome]

Newsflash. Green tea has more caffeine than many types of coffee.

Nah, she drinks some kind of special kind of tea that has no caffeine. It has a picture of a sleeping bear on it, sleeping bears don't lie!

[Queen K]

I'll bet that sleeping bear would rip your face off for a real cup of coffee.

The green iced tea always had freshly squeezed lemon and no sugar. We drank it all summer at the same time I kicked triple/triples at Timmies.

I thank God every day I now have an office where we make a pot of coffee 5 days a week, it's cheaper that way.

Had coffee from Starbucks, YYECCH, had to dump copious amounts of cream and sugar in it to make it palatable, what the heck?

[Captain Awesome]

I used to be hooked on Starbucks. But then I switched to Timmies, and gotta tell ya it's way better. I tried drinking Starbucks recently and almost dumped it.

[Queen K]

I used to be hooked on Starbucks. But then I switched to Timmies, and gotta tell ya it's way better. I tried drinking Starbucks recently and almost dumped it.

Same reaction, thank God we had a gift certificate for ours. What money is left on it will be used for a muffin.

[RR24K]

Only worst than Starbucks coffee is those dried out muffins and other things they sell. Hope you enjoyed your muffin Queen K.

[Queen K]

Ha ha, haven't tried a muffin from there yet. Are you saying I should just get something non-edible from them? What the heck? We've only got something like 4.98 left on the card.

[Captain Awesome]

I tried breakfast sandwiches at Starbucks a while ago (three or four years ago), and they were pretty tasty.

[gardengirl]

Newsflash. Green tea has more caffeine than many types of coffee.

Nah, she drinks some kind of special kind of tea that has no caffeine. It has a picture of a sleeping bear on it, sleeping bears don't lie!

Sounds like Sleepytime tea. I think it's a chamomile blend, not green tea.

[normaM]

good, you all stop and then the price will drop due to lack of demand and I won't have to worry about where my next cup is coming from. I figure I drink 2 pots a day, nectar of the Gods.

[Queen K]

NormaM, have you ever tried to quit?