With all the coffee deals going around, I'm curious to know has anyone from ozbargain attempted to and successfully quitted caffeine for good?
I have been drinking coffee daily for over 10 years and went cold turkey last Friday. Having big headaches and muscle pain, didn't know caffeine was so addictive.
Edit: just thought I'd add, although I do have the on/off headaches and muscle pain, my sleep has definitely improved slightly, and I'm not too sure if it's related but I'm seeing more dreams.
it's 5 hours actually but given that jonkvh believes it's 3 weeks lol i doubt that it matters.
i used to get palpitations with coffee, now I'm used to it, wouldn't recommend it though. i take it to stave off the diabetes and dementia.
Better clarify: the three week half-life is to do with the body's addiction period, not the actual caffeine effect, soon after you've drank the coffee.
It’s 8 hours half life.
nope… worse drug I've ever had…
I've been on red bull binges but would quit cold turkey when I ran out of the cases I bought in bulk
With coffee, trying to quit results in me having more,
OMG love my energy drinks but do try for sugar free
I generally have caffeine a bit like a performance drug. Just on days I don't sleep well or need to work longer/harder than usual. I find from my days when I used to drink regularly that I'd otherwise just be having caffeine to stave off withdrawal symptoms and feel normal.
Im a coffee addict, can't quit
I don't believe the crap its good for you.
I believe they just research the short term positive effects, ignoring everything else.
Its not normal to be addicted to anything
There are people who have coffee in the evening and still can sleep well, what else has that tolerance done to your body
Gave up 15 years ago
know a few people who dont drink coffee or soft drinks.
Caffeine is big business to a alot of companies, so believe what you will with the research. Best judge is your own feelings, alot of people i know think they need to drink it to get going and later in the day they drain pretty quick and need another one…
I quit caffeine a year ago and and avoided for several months. Didn't notice any improvements at all, so started drink again, no negative side effects. Eventually, I came to the conclusion that caffeine is not something causing any problem.
Might be covid. Get tested.
Yes, this is my second attempt to quit coffee I've gone 6 days. Felt terribly tired on my first day now im all good
Switched from coffee to green tea 15 years ago and so happy I did. Started with sweetener to help with the taste but that just made me feel hungry - found recently that a little honey in it was just as good. Could never line up or wait for a coffee now.. such a waste of my time and life.
And money! At $3.50 per cup, you’re saving yourself some serious money if it was invested over time.
Not coffee but Coca Cola. I quit about 15 years ago and never drank it again. I recently cut out lemonade/sugary drinks. It helps to have something to switch to.
I'm liking Republica Organic Medium Roast Decaffeinated Coffee.
does not taste like decaf. :+)
Try this one too - Nature's Cuppa Freeze Dried Coffee Caffeine Free 125g
https://www.woolworths.com.au/shop/productdetails/159844/nat…
I have max two cups a day. Don't think that is an issue so don't feel like quieting.
Post 6pm, i gave myself a rule to drink decaf coffee only, so that i can have deeper sleep. I can still enjoy the taste and not get the caffeine hit.
I quit coffee last year due to hypertension and my resting heartbeat was 98bpm. Quitting coffee didn't help with the resting heart beat but exercise did.
That caffeine addiction was all for nothing, now that I look back, since I quit.
Not quit, but reduced from 8 double shots a day to 2 single shot a day.
hey, yes i've quit coffee
I got into coffee late, like in my mid 20's, never drank before that. I used to work in corporate banking and its just part of the culture. What made it worse is I have a highly addictive type personality.
I started off with 1 shot of coffee in the mornings, then it became 2 shots, then it became 2 shots plus 1 shot in the afternoon, then it became 3 shots plus 1 in the afternoon. I also used to drink vietnamese iced coffee on weekends (which is so damn good I can't even describe it, also much stronger too)
It got to a point when I was craving it before I slept at night and went to bed eagerly waiting for it the next morning.
Anyways I was working interstate on a project and I caught the flu, so I was bedridden in my hotel for a week. Now instead of drinking coffee, when I felt tired I just took a nap, and after a week of not drinking coffee at all I thought I might as well quit and not go back into it. So I didn't and that was over 5 years ago, I even avoid eating any coffee flavoured foods like cakes because it might relapse lol. I drink black tea now but only 1 cup in the morning, its not tasty like coffee so I'm not hooked, just a little kick.
Just a little kick like the single shot of coffee you used to drink!
yeah, but like I said its not as tasty as coffee so it's been quite easy to control. In fact I've only been drinking 1 tea each morning now for about 2 years.
That’s some serious discipline well done.
I don’t think I’m capable of such reasonable moderation
Good thing you didn't get introduced to cocaine then!!
Completely understand the coffee culture, it used to be a coffee at every meeting. Which is a terribly large amount of caffine if your day is fully booked. I have a rule where it's 2x coffees in the morning. Generally 1x before I leave home then 1x in the first meeting. Then chai latte or sparkling water thereafter.
Just did a two day juice fast to give my system a reboot, including no caffeinated drinks during that time.
Headaches during both days, but definetly the body feels reset.
Had 2 coffees and some caffeinated teas each day. Planning to now reduce that a bit and go back to enjoying those drinks instead of depending on it.
Btw. If you like the coffee taste and want to start reducing coffee intake, give this one a go, healthy and yummi alternative - Nature's Cuppa Freeze Dried Coffee Caffeine Free 125g
https://www.woolworths.com.au/shop/productdetails/159844/nat…
Sorry for the bulk text, i'm sure you have your reasons, but here are a few more encouragements to moderate/quit - mineral and vitamin absorption effects.
Calcium
Caffeine causes calcium to be excreted in the urine and feces. For every 150 mg of caffeine ingested, about the amount in one cup of coffee, 5 mg of calcium is lost. This effect occurs even hours after the consumption of caffeine. One study of postmenopausal women found that those who consumed more than 300 mg of caffeine lost more bone in the spine than women who consumed less.
Caffeine also inhibits the amount of calcium that is absorbed through the intestinal tract and depletes the amount retained by the bones. Studies have shown that women with high caffeine intake suffer more hip fractures than those who avoid caffeine or drink in moderation (1 to 2 cups per day) (Escott-Stump, 2008).
Vitamin D
Caffeine inhibits vitamin D receptors, which limit the amount that will be absorbed. Because vitamin D is important in the absorption and use of calcium in building bone, this could also decrease bone mineral density, resulting in an increased risk for osteoporosis (Escott-Stump, 2008).
Iron
Caffeine interferes with the body’s absorption of iron, which is necessary for red blood cell production. Drinking caffeine at the same time as an iron source can reduce absorption by up to 80%, according to the Nutrition Desk Reference. Any beverage containing caffeine should be separated from iron-containing foods or supplements by at least one hour (Escott-Stump, 2008).
B Vitamins
Caffeine has a mild diuretic effect, which increases urination. Water soluble vitamins, such as the B-vitamins, can be depleted as a result of the fluid loss. In addition, it interferes with the metabolism of some B-vitamins, such as thiamine (vitamin B1). The one exception to this rule appears to be vitamin B12. Caffeine stimulates the production of stomach acid, which actually helps the body absorb B12 (Escott-Stump, 2008).
Other Vitamins and Minerals
Caffeine may reduce the absorption of manganese, zinc and copper. It also increases the excretion of the minerals magnesium, potassium, sodium and phosphate. There is also evidence that caffeine interferes with the action of vitamin A (Escott-Stump, 2008)
(Wolde, 2014)
Why would you want to quit Coffee?
Just quit as well! Like a couple of weeks back.
I have never actually drank coffee or any types of energy drinks (I've tasted then obviously but that's it. )
Have only been drinking water for about 5 years unless I went out to a pub of some sort, and even now I haven't touched alcohol in 2 years. It's all about discipline, once you get used to it you stop thinking about it but that's just my experience.
Yes. I used to not be able to function without my morning coffee, but it stopped there, i wasnt someone who needed 5 a day to function. I didnt like the fact i was so reliant on coffee. I didnt go cold turkey as i didnt want to deal with 2 weeks of headaches so instead i gradually weened myself off it over a course of 3 months. If using instant, instead of 2 tea spoons i would do 1.9 teaspoons for a week, then 1.8 teaspoons the next week etc. If using pod machines i would use less and less strength pods until i eventually felt fine with the lowest strength.
I instead now have grown more accustomed to drinking green/mint tea.
i've been drinking 2 coffees a day for about 6 years now but I have no caffeine addiction. I can take days or weeks off without feeling any withdrawal. I'm not sure if coffee is meant to give withdrawal. I certainly don't feel like I miss the taste or get cravings anything. It's not the taste that I drank it for.
I will get sleepy but I just take a nap. I'm not sure why I drink it still tbh. It doesn't really work for me anyway and sometimes even a can of V does nothing. I just do it out of ritual I guess.
Formerly had 10 sticks of instant coffee in a day and felt nothing.
Went cold turkey at the start of lockdown - nothing happened.
Had a first coffee after a few months - caffeine kick!
Coffee a few months after that - nothing.
sounds like caffeine tolerance. Coffee is weak for me also.
Caffeine tolerance even after 6 months of almost no caffeine?
Or maybe just no feelings
when you had 10 sticks of instant coffee and felt nothing, that was caffeine tolerance.
I never drink coffee or tea or anything with it. I exercise regularly and heard caffine can boost your metabolism and enhance your workout so I bought caffine pills off eBay.
I heard that caffeine can lead to weight gain due to prolonged increase in cortisol
Can also cause fatigue of the adrenal glands.
Ok cool thanks I did not know that I'll ask my friend who is a nutritionist :)
"Numerous websites mention how to diagnose and treat adrenal fatigue. However, the Endocrinology Society and all the other medical specialties do not recognize this condition. The Endocrinologists are categorical: “no scientific proof exists to support adrenal fatigue as a true medical condition.” This disconnect between conventional and complementary medicine adds to the frustration.
A recent review of 58 studies concluded that there is no scientific basis to associate adrenal impairment as a cause of fatigue. The authors report the studies had some limitations. The research included used many different biological markers and questionnaires to detect adrenal fatigue. For example, salivary cortisol is one of the most common ordered tests used to make a diagnosis. The cortisol level, when checked four times in a 24-hour period, was no different between fatigued and healthy patients in 61.5% of the studies. The review raises questions around what should get tested (blood, urine, and/or saliva), the best time, how often, what ranges are considered normal, and how reliable the tests are, to name a few. In summary, there is no formal criteria to define and diagnose adrenal fatigue" - from https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/is-adrenal-fatigue-real-…
What'd the alternative? I been drinking because there is nothing else to drink and there are many coffee shops…
I've noticed that when I drink coffee I get this sense of fear in my gut and I constantly have negative thoughts. Not sure what it is but I have quit rebuilding after drinking two cans everyday.
I will try and quit he coffee
It's probably coffee? There are evidences to suggest that caffeine can induce anxiety.
Of course I am not a doctor, and this is not a diagnosis, but I think it'd be worth at least going without and see where that leads.
i just got on the bandwagon ( apart from some previous green teas )
i just have 1 a day though in the morning no sugar and thats it
Coffee culture is a cancer on society. If I said I took a cap of md a day, I would be fired for abusing drugs. But coffee? Nope, green pass. All good mate, have 6 cups a day, no (profanity) worries here is a promotion.
If you can't live without coffee, you need to get help with your drug addiction.
It's part and parcel of the employee life. So sad…LoL
I started drinking Lattes in Uni daily (usually with sugar)…..towards the end of Uni it was twice daily (no sugar)…..then when i got into the work force it was 2-3 daily (usually one black)
Been in the work force almost 10 years drink 3-6 coffees daily most of them are short or long blacks…… in 10 more years ill probably just start eating the beans raw….
The moral of the story as I get older and more bitter about life more coffee gets more and more bitter too
Curious, do you buy your coffees in a cafe? That’s a lot of money hehe
I got a machine at home
but ill normally buy one when i go to work
When I was in high school, I never drank coffee and when I did, I didn't notice any effects. Probably cause my sleep pattern was healthy back then.
During university, my sleep pattern started becoming terrible. I still didn't drink coffee then but boy was I sleepy those days with only ~4-5 hours of sleep/day combined with 9am-6pm days 4-5 days/week Elec eng courses + bad luck with timetables.
Now as a software engineer, still with a terrible sleeping pattern (5-6 hours sleep), I still don't drink coffee except for the rare occasion where I join others (give in to peer pressure - the coffee culture is almost as strong as the alcohol culture) but when I do, I definitely feel the effects of it now - elevated heartbeat and it feels like something is keeping my mind on edge and focused to a point.
Interesting to hear coffee can possibly lead to strong withdrawal symptoms.
I went without caffeine (coffee/tea/fizzy drinks/chocolate) for 3 months just to prove I could. Not sure I can do that with beer.
SOOOO many worse things out there like nicotine and sugar and carbs
Why would anyone do something so silly?
How about trying decaf coffee first instead of going cold turkey
Are you sure caffeine is the cause? Hehehe.
Without coffee I can't think or my head is aching.
I tend to increase my consumption of coffee over time until I go cold turkey for a while. Withdrawal follows a predictable pattern for me, bad headaches the first day, sleepiness is high, generally fall asleep on the couch late arvo/early evening, sleep solidly that night. Similar but not as bad the second day. Pretty much fine third day onwards.
Take a week to a month off, then get back on it, body only requires a very small amount of caffeine again :)
Those that quit caffeine, did you replace it with anything else? I went from drinking 2-3 cans of coke a day to going cold turkey about two months ago, and replaced it with cordial. Would be interested to know if anyone else replaced their caffeinated drinks with something else.
Sounds like you're addicted to the sugar.
Hey PowerB, see my comment below for my experiences dropping coffee/tea. Any other questions, just ask. Good luck!
Yes, i found that the caffeine withdrawal symptoms went away relatively quickly (think a couple of weeks at most IIRC), but the compulsion to 'drink something' habitually when you otherwise would have had coffee doesn't really go away. That said, if you enjoy coffee or tea, there are some excellent decaffienated versions of both; this Twinings black tea is my favourite decaf tea, Lavazza is my favourite decaf espresso for my machine, and Republica Organic is my favourite instant coffee. All go 1/2 price at coles/woolies periodically, and none taste "like decaf" in any way.
As for the health aspects of coffee, the science is varied depending on your habits and what health aspect you're looking at, although I dont know that much. Dr. Greger knows more, his website synthesises the science in videos/blogs here: https://nutritionfacts.org/topics/coffee/
Good luck, going off caffeine fixed my chronic poor sleep (both time to get to sleep, and sleep quality), so definitely recommend it to anyone consdering it; caffeine is a drug, like any other, and is prone to dependence and side effects. Cheers
I know I really should reduce my intake but never seem to start.
I work rotating shifts, either 6am-6pm or 6pm-6am so it's hard to completely give it away. That said some nightshifts I'll have 3 or 4 coffees, a pre workout around midnight and hit the gym on my lunch break, energy drink around 3am, another coffee at 5am for the drive home and fall asleep as soon as I walk in the door at 6:30am…There's 250mg in my PWO, 160 in the energy drink, plus 80 per coffee? That's like 700+mg!
I'm certain it's not good for long term health but I don't have any issues sleeping that's for sure. I don't think I need to give it away completely but my tolerance is ridiculously high. If anything I'd like to just reduce that.
Isn't the half-life more like 6 hours? May vary between individuals of course.