Paleo Diet and Paleolithic Diet Questions & Answers

Question

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Maybe it's not the coffee but I have been drinking one to two medium sized mugs of it in the morning. Not too long after came the belly cramps, stressful thinking, nausea, trouble using the bathroom, etc... (about a week later)

Does it sound like it could it be from the coffee? And if so why would it happen now? I was drinking green tea in the mornings and there was no problem.

Why would it do this to me when I drink only one to two cups a day? I drink losts of water and am active as well.

Edit: I will add some history so that people understand more why I am confused.

I have been drinking coffee for over 20 years with no problem. I quit drinking coffee for about a month maybe two and started drinking green tea. Just this past week I started with coffee again and have had an reaction. My question is more: Why is it happening now when it didn't before? This just started.

edited Jun 19 2011 at 5:10

asked Jun 18 2011 at 19:16

Uggla
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why would you even ask this question? Just try a few days without coffee and see. – Xyz Jun 18 2011 at 23:09

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Because maybe she thinks it could be something else. – Thomas Seay Jun 18 2011 at 23:28

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XYZ, you have a valid point, but why shut Uggla down like that? Don't hate the playa, hate the game, SON! She is asking for advice and was rejected. What message are you trying to send to her or (potential) future members of this community? Let's keep the paleo dialogue going and leave the editing to the moderators. Ryan Wilder Keepin' on – Ryan Wilder Jun 19 2011 at 3:29

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I guess I should have stated I had been drinking coffee for over 20 years and NEVER had this reaction before, ever! I stopped drinking it and replaced it with green tea for about a month. I tried going back about a week ago. Yes, it's not so nice to just shoot me down. What my question is why is it happening now? – Uggla Jun 19 2011 at 4:00

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This is not a stupid question. Why would coffee all of the sudden hurt her and in such small amounts if she has been drinking it for years? I really think Xyz if you want to add somthing to the forum disrespectfulness should not be what your adding. Totally uncool dude. – Shoots Jun 19 2011 at 5:01

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John J. Collins · Accepted Answer · 2011-06-18 19:54:34Z UTC

There are a many factors to consider, but from what you say it sounds as if coffee is having a negative effect on you. There are many studies re. caffeine over the years, of course. Here is one old study that shows that coffee can have an significant interfering (jacking up) effect on the neuro-endocrine response to stress. http://aa-alpha.ccn.duke.edu/adcock_website/pdf/publications/Lane-Psychosomatic-1990.pdf You really can not separate the digestive system from the neuro-endocrine system...they are so intimately intertwined, plus modern-day coffee's acidity is substantial...that alone might mess with your GI flora, et al. One can't dispute that caffeine, delivered via coffee from roasted/domesticated/modern-day/non-organic/super-potent-beans is certainly "not Paleo". I drink one-two cups per day (with honey and a spritz of 1/2&1/2) but I do this knowing that it is not something that is required for optimal health and is very-likely having a net negative health benefit.

Carly · Answer 2 · 2011-06-18 19:19:30Z UTC

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Coffee is a common cross reactor with gluten. I would cut it out for a while to see if your symptoms improve, it's the only way you'll know for sure. Caffeine ABSOLUTELY aggravates anxiety by the way which is precisely why I stick to decaff most of the time.

answered Jun 18 2011 at 19:19

Carly
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I knew that caffine aggravates anxiety, but what about the nausea and stomach issues on such small amounts? Sorry if I sound stupid but what is a "cross reactor with gluten"? How does that work? – Uggla Jun 18 2011 at 19:24

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No no, that's not stupid at all, it basically means that alot of people who react to gluten will also react in a similar way to coffee so it absolutely could be causing your gut symptoms, as I said before the best way is to cut it out and see if your symptoms improve! Then you will know for sure. – Carly Jun 18 2011 at 19:48

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That's fascinating. I recently took most of the caffeine out of my diet because it upsets my tummy (I can't say no to chocolate, though!) and my anxiety levels plummeted. I'm going to look into that further. Thanks for the info! :) – Kaz Jun 18 2011 at 21:33

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Thank you Carnivorous Carly! Very good info. – Uggla Jun 19 2011 at 4:07

Meg · Answer 3 · 2011-06-18 19:45:48Z UTC

This is a very current issue for me, as I have just given it up as of 3 weeks ago. I was addicted to my 2 cups of coffee each day. Even going GAPS/Paleo I didn't and would not give up my coffee. But irritability, nausea, and some other digestive problems made me realize it just might be the coffee. So very very grudgingly I finally made the decision to limit my coffee to a single cup only once a week, on Sunday mornings. After 1 week I felt SOOOO much better!

Uggla, I think it might be the amount of coffee plus the individual person's ability to tolerate it. I definitely read a lot about how the problem can be the coffee, not just the caffeine. You could try drinking only ONE cup each day, not two. Does that make a difference? Here's a thread that gave me some insight on my coffee habit. You might find it helpful too: http://paleohacks.com/questions/43985/how-much-coffee-is-too-much#axzz1PaneOThy

Josh M · Answer 4 · 2011-06-18 22:13:48Z UTC

Caffeine is prob the issue. After being paleo for a few months my sensitivity to caffeine became almost extreme. Can't drink coffee at all, some herbal teas are ok. I know many people who had the same experience after cleaning up their diet. Perhaps a clean, healthy body just does not need a stimulant like caffeine.

The Quilt · Answer 5 · 2011-06-18 22:42:41Z UTC

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Yeah....coffee is a killer for many. Blockshosphodiesterase and is the reason it hurts

answered Jun 18 2011 at 22:42

The Quilt
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Wtf is blockshosphodiesterase? Google found ZERO documents with that word. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume that's a typo... – Casey Jun 18 2011 at 23:23

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Kent- "Blockshosphodiesterase and is the reason it hurts"...come on now, how can this be any more clear?? Do some due diligence, my man :) – Kamal♦ Jun 18 2011 at 23:59

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Quilt- not that you have to answer any certain way, but even a little explanation of the link between phosphodiesterase inhibitors and Uggla's symptoms would be beneficial. – Kamal♦ Jun 19 2011 at 0:11

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Caffeine blocks the enzyme phospodiesterase. I did not realize I missed a space. Sorry. – The Quilt Jun 19 2011 at 14:34

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The enzyme effects second message signal transduction and can effect people badly based upon the health of their gut to begin with. If coffee bugs you Its a sign to work out the gut issues in my mind. Xanthins, caffeine, theobromine and thyroid hormone are phosphodiesterase inhibitors (enhance lipolysis as inhibition of phosphodiesterase enzyme and thus no decomposition of cAMP which activate kinase enzyme which phosphorylate hormone-sensitive lipase and activate lipolysis) – The Quilt Jun 19 2011 at 14:38

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Thomas Seay · Answer 6 · 2011-06-18 23:31:27Z UTC

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Owl-friend, are you taking it alone or are you eating it with something? You could stop drinking for a few days, then start drinking a small amount with cream (or eating something else). If you don't see any problems then, increase the amount (always drinking it with food).

answered Jun 18 2011 at 23:31

Thomas Seay

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The reason why I wrote this and I should have made it more clear (my bad) is that I had been drinking coffee for over 20 years with no problem and now all the sudden it gives me a problem? Thats why I am confused. – Uggla Jun 19 2011 at 4:03

Uggla, the same thing happened to me when I gave up Gluten. I used to eat toast everyday for decades, then after giving it up -any tiny amount causes major issues. – Senneth Sep 29 2011 at 16:53

sarah-ann · Answer 7 · 2011-06-19 11:20:28Z UTC

I've had the exact same experience.

Drank coffee for years with no issue at all.

Gave it up then all of a sudden, MEGA anxiety and bathroom issues for even a small amount of caffeine.

I seriously feel like my heart is going to explode with palpitations. I have to look in the bathroom mirror and talk myself down.

kilton · Answer 8 · 2011-06-19 11:40:38Z UTC

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Perhaps another way of looking at it is, why do you feel you need caffeine in the mornings? Just because virtually everyone else in the western world is dependent on it doesn't mean you have to be.

answered Jun 19 2011 at 11:40

kilton
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Coffee has a number of good benefits for people who tolerate it. I will confess. I am dependent on food and water, just like everyone else in the Western and Eastern world, except for those lucky breatharians. – Thomas Seay Jun 19 2011 at 14:29

Like what? No epidemiology please. – kilton Jun 19 2011 at 18:52

Doris · Answer 9 · 2011-06-19 12:15:33Z UTC

For many years I have been a tea drinker, darjeeling, earl grey, irish breakfast etc. However, I would yearn for coffee, but every time I drank it I would suffer the symptoms described by Uggla. Oddly I seemed to tolerate coffee when travelling abroad. After a recent trip I just continued drinking coffee because it is a fine cream transporting system. I have one large mug of half coffee and half cream in the morning. It helps keep me "regular" like nothing else. Recently I tried some coffee from Sumatra that I used to enjoy. It caused all the bad symptoms that Uggla had. It was quite acidic. Now I'm back to drinking a less acidic coffee and all is well. Two choices: either quit the coffee and see if symptoms go away or continue and see if they go away.

majkinetor · Answer 10 · 2011-09-29 07:52:08Z UTC

I doubt its about coffee. Since you switched to green tea it still contains coffeine, 1/5 of the dose AFAIK of typical coffee.

Coffee is diuretic, it can't promote constipation.

Its probably something else, given your coffee history.

You might want to see what happens when you drink a lot more coffee per day.

For instance, here they say:

Acute intake of coffee or beverages containing caffeine can increase blood pressure, heart minute volumes, and cardiac index, as well as activate the sympathetic nervous system in nonhabitual coffee drinkers. Interestingly, this is not observed in habitual coffee drinkers.

or here

Acutely, coffee and caffeine induced comparable increases in MSA and BP in nonhabitual coffee drinkers, whereas habitual coffee drinkers exhibited lack of BP increase despite MSA activation to coffee. Because decaffeinated coffee also increases BP and MSA in nonhabitual drinkers, ingredients other than caffeine must be responsible for cardiovascular activation.

but there are many more...

That said, there are indeed people who can't tolerate coffee, but that doesn't prove its harmful in general.

Arjuna · Answer 11 · 2012-11-28 17:50:00Z UTC

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It maybe the brand of coffee...i drink organo gold 6 times a day and i have no issues http://mycapturepage.com/cp23.php?id=470

answered Nov 28 at 17:50

Arjuna
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I think coffee is hurting me.

11 Answers