I appreciate reading all the upsides of not drinking caffeine. I’ve never been one to need it so I decided to stop drinking it last year. Unpopular opinion: I don’t miss it.
I tried to ditch coffee a few years ago for the Mud Wtr but ended up back with coffee. Shoutout both Huberman and Dr Matthew Walker, I got a much better insight into the metabolic functions of both coffee and alcohol and their effect on me.
These days I have one 10 oz cup of black coffee, home brewed, every morning and nothing past 10:00 AM because the half and quarter life of caffeine has a long tail.
I know some people do matcha, some people do tea, some people do coffee and some people don’t do anything at all! I’m glad it’s working for you. Btw if you wanna stay *ahem* regular, a bowl of oatmeal in the morning does the trick like clockwork
Hi Zan, I appreciate reading your contrarian view of caffeine and showing us how getting off of caffeine has benefited you immensely.
I personally stopped drinking coffee 15 years ago after being a coffee addict for the same number of years. I did that for my health's sake as I had serious benigh tumors and read that coffee drinking was correlated to that condition. I never looked back.
Later on, I found out from Dr. Peter D'Adamo, the author of "Eat Right 4 Your Type," that people with Type O blood tend to do poorly with coffee, whereas those with Type A blood can benefit slightly from it. Here are some important points that I have gleaned from Dr. D'Adamo's works:
- Coffee drinking elevates catecholamine production. Catecholamine includes epinephrine (adrenaline), norepinephrine and dopamine, hormones activated in fight-or-flight responses.
- People with blood type O and AB tend to have a slower rate of releasing catecholamine from the bloodstream after a stressful event. So drinking coffee makes it harder for them to return to a relaxed and calm state. A constant stimulation of these hormones would eventually deplete their functions, causing fatigue, which is the opposite of what one seeks to achieve by drinking coffee.
- Type O and Type B folks have a higher level of gastric acid (with Type O having the highest level among all blood types.) Coffee drinking stimualtes gastric acid, so this would be exacerbate acid reflux or GERD.
- High levels of caffeine are known to depress Natural Killer Cell (NK) activity, thereby weakening the immune system.
- Coffee can be beneficial for people with Type A blood because it contains a few enzymes that can help make Type A immune systems function a bit more efficiently. But it's important to leave out sugar and milk when drinking coffee. Black and a moderate amount is best for Type A folks.
P.S. I did start to drink green tea in lieu of coffee. While it contains caffeine, the amount is much lower and green tea has many health benefits that balances things out.
P.P.S. I also found coffee to have a laxative effect on me. I thought it was good but in hindsight it was actually diarrhea. Later on I found out that the best way to ensure a smooth and healthy BM for Type O is to eat grass-fed red meat with a little bit of fat. Guaranteed.
I do not drink tea, and I drink coffee about 6-8 times a month. I have noticed that It impacts my sleep, especially if I drink it in the afternoon. As per the article mentioned below, it has more fiber than Orange juice:
One study found that, on average, coffee has between 1.1 and 1.8 grams of fiber per cup, depending on whether it’s filtered, espresso, or instant. it’s more fiber than you’ll find in orange juice, which has about a half gram of fiber per cup. You’ll still need to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables to get the recommended 25 grams of daily fiber, but two or three cups of coffee a day can help you get there. A cup of tea on the other hand typically will not help you meet your daily fiber requirements — unless of course you decide to munch on the tea leaves.
In this battle over health benefits, coffee comes out on top. Coffee drinkers can raise a mug to fiber, microbiome health and lowering risk for cancer and diabetes. But tea drinkers, do not despair. Tea is undoubtedly good for your blood pressure, cholesterol, stress levels, mental health and productivity. And both drinks are winners when it comes to heart health and longevity. And for tea, especially, there are likely more health benefits that are yet to be discovered.
One reason coffee is linked to more health benefits than tea is that it’s been the subject of far more studies, said Chopra at Harvard Medical School. “I tell my tea drinker friends that we may learn in the years to come that tea has additional benefits,” he added.
I did a dry January but for coffee (for the most part). On most days I don’t need it. I think I was a little less anxious. Sleep didn’t improve much. But I come back to it because the stimulating effects are worth it imo. Had 2 flat whites today
I'm right there with you and the science is real. There are many sides to this so it's really up to individual biochemistry which is why everyone's experience is real and it takes experimentation to know.
Well that didnt take long for our minds to converge on yet another topic. Im currently writing up my own take on this same topic that will be released on Tuesday. But now im thinking i need to go back and take another (espresso) shot at it to juice it up a bit.
Your reason for why you started drinking coffee made me laugh out loud.
Ugh. It's my last drug, Zan. If I don't take caffeine, I will be pure-like an eight year old just finding my joy on the monkey bars. It's too wholesome!!!
Love your story, Zan. Ditch caffeine if you think it messes with your dreams and productivity. You're on a self-improvement path, man.
I avoid coffee after 2 pm if I have a morning run the next day. High-quality sleep is a priority then. Other than that, caffeine doesn't seem to affect me... Or so I think. I really enjoy drinking coffee, that's all :)
Getting off caffeine made my migraines pretty much go away (I only have about one a year now vs once a month before). Same thing happened for a friend of mine. Worth trying it out for anyone suffering from migraines!
I appreciate reading all the upsides of not drinking caffeine. I’ve never been one to need it so I decided to stop drinking it last year. Unpopular opinion: I don’t miss it.
Great read Zan!
I tried to ditch coffee a few years ago for the Mud Wtr but ended up back with coffee. Shoutout both Huberman and Dr Matthew Walker, I got a much better insight into the metabolic functions of both coffee and alcohol and their effect on me.
These days I have one 10 oz cup of black coffee, home brewed, every morning and nothing past 10:00 AM because the half and quarter life of caffeine has a long tail.
I know some people do matcha, some people do tea, some people do coffee and some people don’t do anything at all! I’m glad it’s working for you. Btw if you wanna stay *ahem* regular, a bowl of oatmeal in the morning does the trick like clockwork
Interesting take on caffeine Zan, I do consume limited amounts of caffeine so I will try this experience for a week and let you know.
I dont know what the younger generation is coming to ? Next minute it will be water that is causing anxiety.
You must be joking on this one, right? If you make statements based on research, then do it properly and keep for yourself your own experience.
Hi Zan, I appreciate reading your contrarian view of caffeine and showing us how getting off of caffeine has benefited you immensely.
I personally stopped drinking coffee 15 years ago after being a coffee addict for the same number of years. I did that for my health's sake as I had serious benigh tumors and read that coffee drinking was correlated to that condition. I never looked back.
Later on, I found out from Dr. Peter D'Adamo, the author of "Eat Right 4 Your Type," that people with Type O blood tend to do poorly with coffee, whereas those with Type A blood can benefit slightly from it. Here are some important points that I have gleaned from Dr. D'Adamo's works:
- Coffee drinking elevates catecholamine production. Catecholamine includes epinephrine (adrenaline), norepinephrine and dopamine, hormones activated in fight-or-flight responses.
- People with blood type O and AB tend to have a slower rate of releasing catecholamine from the bloodstream after a stressful event. So drinking coffee makes it harder for them to return to a relaxed and calm state. A constant stimulation of these hormones would eventually deplete their functions, causing fatigue, which is the opposite of what one seeks to achieve by drinking coffee.
- Type O and Type B folks have a higher level of gastric acid (with Type O having the highest level among all blood types.) Coffee drinking stimualtes gastric acid, so this would be exacerbate acid reflux or GERD.
- High levels of caffeine are known to depress Natural Killer Cell (NK) activity, thereby weakening the immune system.
- Coffee can be beneficial for people with Type A blood because it contains a few enzymes that can help make Type A immune systems function a bit more efficiently. But it's important to leave out sugar and milk when drinking coffee. Black and a moderate amount is best for Type A folks.
P.S. I did start to drink green tea in lieu of coffee. While it contains caffeine, the amount is much lower and green tea has many health benefits that balances things out.
P.P.S. I also found coffee to have a laxative effect on me. I thought it was good but in hindsight it was actually diarrhea. Later on I found out that the best way to ensure a smooth and healthy BM for Type O is to eat grass-fed red meat with a little bit of fat. Guaranteed.
I do not drink tea, and I drink coffee about 6-8 times a month. I have noticed that It impacts my sleep, especially if I drink it in the afternoon. As per the article mentioned below, it has more fiber than Orange juice:
One study found that, on average, coffee has between 1.1 and 1.8 grams of fiber per cup, depending on whether it’s filtered, espresso, or instant. it’s more fiber than you’ll find in orange juice, which has about a half gram of fiber per cup. You’ll still need to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables to get the recommended 25 grams of daily fiber, but two or three cups of coffee a day can help you get there. A cup of tea on the other hand typically will not help you meet your daily fiber requirements — unless of course you decide to munch on the tea leaves.
Recently, the Washington Post had an article (https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/interactive/2022/coffee-vs-tea-nutrition-health/) about Coffee vs Tea. The conclusion was
In this battle over health benefits, coffee comes out on top. Coffee drinkers can raise a mug to fiber, microbiome health and lowering risk for cancer and diabetes. But tea drinkers, do not despair. Tea is undoubtedly good for your blood pressure, cholesterol, stress levels, mental health and productivity. And both drinks are winners when it comes to heart health and longevity. And for tea, especially, there are likely more health benefits that are yet to be discovered.
One reason coffee is linked to more health benefits than tea is that it’s been the subject of far more studies, said Chopra at Harvard Medical School. “I tell my tea drinker friends that we may learn in the years to come that tea has additional benefits,” he added.
I did a dry January but for coffee (for the most part). On most days I don’t need it. I think I was a little less anxious. Sleep didn’t improve much. But I come back to it because the stimulating effects are worth it imo. Had 2 flat whites today
I'm right there with you and the science is real. There are many sides to this so it's really up to individual biochemistry which is why everyone's experience is real and it takes experimentation to know.
Well that didnt take long for our minds to converge on yet another topic. Im currently writing up my own take on this same topic that will be released on Tuesday. But now im thinking i need to go back and take another (espresso) shot at it to juice it up a bit.
Your reason for why you started drinking coffee made me laugh out loud.
Great take again my friend!
Ugh. It's my last drug, Zan. If I don't take caffeine, I will be pure-like an eight year old just finding my joy on the monkey bars. It's too wholesome!!!
Even as a coffee enthusiast - started drinking it in 2021 - this makes me curious to see what being off caffeine for a while would be like.
Love your story, Zan. Ditch caffeine if you think it messes with your dreams and productivity. You're on a self-improvement path, man.
I avoid coffee after 2 pm if I have a morning run the next day. High-quality sleep is a priority then. Other than that, caffeine doesn't seem to affect me... Or so I think. I really enjoy drinking coffee, that's all :)
For poop a single prune is sufficient. Magnesium citrate too does the job.
The problem is the physical position in which we poop. If you were pooping out in the wild, you wouldn't be in this position.
Getting off caffeine made my migraines pretty much go away (I only have about one a year now vs once a month before). Same thing happened for a friend of mine. Worth trying it out for anyone suffering from migraines!
Interesting and good points.