Why no coffee?
Guest
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: The Deep South
Posts: 14,636
Originally Posted by WeekendWarrior 
If I stop drinking coffee I will definitely returning to alcohol, lol!
If we start placing conditions on our sobriety, that's a slippery slope. I had to make sobriety my #1 priority, no exceptions no matter what, until the habit of non-drinking became ... a habit I no longer had to concentrate on so stringently.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 123
Originally Posted by Soberpotamus
Hopefully that's hyperbole.
If we start placing conditions on our sobriety, that's a slippery slope. I had to make sobriety my #1 priority, no exceptions no matter what, until the habit of non-drinking became ... a habit I no longer had to concentrate on so stringently.
If we start placing conditions on our sobriety, that's a slippery slope. I had to make sobriety my #1 priority, no exceptions no matter what, until the habit of non-drinking became ... a habit I no longer had to concentrate on so stringently.
It was hyperbole.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Lakeside, Ca
Posts: 10,208
Originally Posted by WeekendWarrior
So why do the sobriety sites keep saying I should quit coffee?
Well, if over done it makes us anxious and irritable.
Two things that the newcomer should try to avoid.
Known fact -- a little coffee is good for most people.
But, I also drink way more than a little.
MB
Member
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Northeast USA
Posts: 1,021
Originally Posted by WeekendWarrior
So, I keep reading that one should avoid coffee when stopping alcohol. Why is this?
bona fido dog-lover
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: SF Bay area, CA
Posts: 99,777
I had to give up coffee when I was drinking as I was waking up in w/d each morning and couldn't tolerate the increased anxiety. Now that I'm sober, I drink my usual coffee, which is probably too much, but I really like my coffee.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Pacific Coast
Posts: 785
Not to rain on the caffeine love-fest parade, but I thought I'd share my experience as it differs from most.
I never did tolerate caffeine well even before I became a drunk, but the damage I did to my nervous system by drinking means I'm even more hyper-sensitive to it now. Every once in a while (like once or twice a year) I'll give it a try -- who wouldn't want to feel more alert and in a better mood and more productive and all those other beneficial qualities? -- but even the smallest amount causes the same result: a return to feeling like I'm in the first few days of acute withdrawal, with shaking hands, racing arrhythmic heart, and crippling anxiety. And it doesn't help me think any more clearly.
Obviously my case is extreme, but I agree with those who believe caffeine is generally discouraged during early sobriety because it can exacerbate withdrawal symptoms. And there are those of us who simply aren't wired (pardon the pun) in such a way as to benefit from caffeine in the first place.
I never did tolerate caffeine well even before I became a drunk, but the damage I did to my nervous system by drinking means I'm even more hyper-sensitive to it now. Every once in a while (like once or twice a year) I'll give it a try -- who wouldn't want to feel more alert and in a better mood and more productive and all those other beneficial qualities? -- but even the smallest amount causes the same result: a return to feeling like I'm in the first few days of acute withdrawal, with shaking hands, racing arrhythmic heart, and crippling anxiety. And it doesn't help me think any more clearly.
Obviously my case is extreme, but I agree with those who believe caffeine is generally discouraged during early sobriety because it can exacerbate withdrawal symptoms. And there are those of us who simply aren't wired (pardon the pun) in such a way as to benefit from caffeine in the first place.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: Lakeside, Ca
Posts: 10,208
Coffee -- It is also the biggest source of antioxidants in the modern diet.
Here are 7 reasons why coffee may actually be one of the healthiest beverages on the planet.
1. Coffee Can Make You Smarter
Coffee doesn’t just keep you awake, it may literally make you smarter as well.
The active ingredient in coffee is caffeine, which is a stimulant and the most commonly consumed psychoactive substance in the world.
Caffeine’s primary mechanism in the brain is blocking the effects of an inhibitory neurotransmitter called Adenosine.
By blocking the inhibitory effects of Adenosine, caffeine actually increases neuronal firing in the brain and the release of other neurotransmitters like dopamine and norepinephrine (1, 2).
Many controlled trials have examined the effects of caffeine on the brain, demonstrating that caffeine can improve mood, reaction time, memory, vigilance and general cognitive function (3).
Bottom Line: Caffeine potently blocks an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain, leading to a net stimulant effect. Controlled trials show that caffeine improves both mood and brain function.
2. Coffee Can Help You Burn Fat and Improves Physical Performance
Cup of Coffee And Coffee Beans
There’s a good reason why you will find caffeine in most commercial fat burning supplements.
Caffeine, partly due to its stimulant effect on the central nervous system, both raises metabolism and increases the oxidation of fatty acids (4, 5, 6).
Caffeine can also improve athletic performance by several mechanisms, including by mobilizing fatty acids from the fat tissues (7, 8).
In two separate meta-analyses, caffeine was found to increase exercise performance by 11-12% on average (9, 10).
Bottom Line: Caffeine raises the metabolic rate and helps to mobilize fatty acids from the fat tissues. It can also enhance physical performance.
3. Coffee May Drastically Lower Your Risk of Type II Diabetes
Doctor Pointing His Finger
Type II diabetes is a lifestyle-related disease that has reached epidemic proportions, having increased 10-fold in a few decades and now afflicting about 300 million people.
This disease is characterized by high blood glucose levels due to insulin resistance or an inability to produce insulin.
In observational studies, coffee has been repeatedly associated with a lower risk of diabetes. The reduction in risk ranges from 23% all the way up to 67% (11, 12, 13, 14).
A massive review article looked at 18 studies with a total of 457.922 participants. Each additional cup of coffee per day lowered the risk of diabetes by 7%. The more coffee people drank, the lower their risk (15).
Bottom Line: Drinking coffee is associated with a drastically reduced risk of type II diabetes. People who drink several cups per day are the least likely to become diabetic.
4. Coffee May Lower Your Risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s
Coffee Beans
Not only can coffee make you smarter in the short term, it may also protect your brain in old age.
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common neurodegenerative disorder in the world and a leading cause of dementia.
In prospective studies, coffee drinkers have up to a 60% lower risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia (16, 17).
Parkinson’s is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder, characterized by death of dopamine-generating neurons in the brain. Coffee may lower the risk of Parkinson’s by 32-60% (18, 19, 20, 21).
Bottom Line: Coffee is associated with a much lower risk of dementia and the neurodegenerative disorders Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
5. Coffee May be Extremely Good For Your Liver
Woman Drinking a Cup of Coffee
The liver is a remarkable organ that carries out hundreds of vital functions in the body.
It is very vulnerable to modern insults such as excess consumption of alcohol and fructose.
Cirrhosis is the end stage of liver damage caused by diseases like alcoholism and hepatitis, where liver tissue has been largely replaced by scar tissue.
Multiple studies have shown that coffee can lower the risk of cirrhosis by as much as 80%, the strongest effect for those who drank 4 or more cups per day (22, 23, 24).
Coffee may also lower the risk of liver cancer by around 40% (25, 26).
Bottom Line: Coffee appears to be protective against certain liver disorders, lowering the risk of liver cancer by 40% and cirrhosis by as much as 80%.
6. Coffee May Decrease Your Risk of Premature Death
Many people still seem to think that coffee is unhealthy.
This isn’t surprising though, since it is very common for conventional wisdom to be at exact odds with what the actual studies say.
Coffee Beans Spread Horizontally
In two very large prospective epidemiological studies, drinking coffee was associated with a lower risk of death by all causes (27).
This effect is particularly profound in type II diabetics, one study showing that coffee drinkers had a 30% lower risk of death during a 20 year period (28).
Bottom Line: Coffee consumption has been associated with a lower risk of death in prospective epidemiological studies, especially in type II diabetics.
7. Coffee is Loaded With Nutrients and Antioxidants
Cup of Coffee
Coffee isn’t just black water.
Many of the nutrients in the coffee beans do make it into the final drink, which actually contains a decent amount of vitamins and minerals.
A cup of coffee contains (29):
•6% of the RDA for Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5).
•11% of the RDA for Riboflavin (Vitamin B2).
•2% of the RDA for Niacin (B3) and Thiamine (B1).
•3% of the RDA for Potassium and Manganese.
May not seem like much, but if you drink several cups of coffee per day then this quickly adds up.
But this isn’t all. Coffee also contains a massive amount of antioxidants.
In fact, coffee is the biggest source of antioxidants in the western diet, outranking both fruits and vegetables combined (30, 31, 32).
Bottom Line: Coffee contains a decent amount of several vitamins and minerals. It is also the biggest source of antioxidants in the modern diet.
AuthorityNutrition.com does not provide medical advice, treatment or diagnosis.
1. Coffee Can Make You Smarter
Coffee doesn’t just keep you awake, it may literally make you smarter as well.
The active ingredient in coffee is caffeine, which is a stimulant and the most commonly consumed psychoactive substance in the world.
Caffeine’s primary mechanism in the brain is blocking the effects of an inhibitory neurotransmitter called Adenosine.
By blocking the inhibitory effects of Adenosine, caffeine actually increases neuronal firing in the brain and the release of other neurotransmitters like dopamine and norepinephrine (1, 2).
Many controlled trials have examined the effects of caffeine on the brain, demonstrating that caffeine can improve mood, reaction time, memory, vigilance and general cognitive function (3).
Bottom Line: Caffeine potently blocks an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain, leading to a net stimulant effect. Controlled trials show that caffeine improves both mood and brain function.
2. Coffee Can Help You Burn Fat and Improves Physical Performance
Cup of Coffee And Coffee Beans
There’s a good reason why you will find caffeine in most commercial fat burning supplements.
Caffeine, partly due to its stimulant effect on the central nervous system, both raises metabolism and increases the oxidation of fatty acids (4, 5, 6).
Caffeine can also improve athletic performance by several mechanisms, including by mobilizing fatty acids from the fat tissues (7, 8).
In two separate meta-analyses, caffeine was found to increase exercise performance by 11-12% on average (9, 10).
Bottom Line: Caffeine raises the metabolic rate and helps to mobilize fatty acids from the fat tissues. It can also enhance physical performance.
3. Coffee May Drastically Lower Your Risk of Type II Diabetes
Doctor Pointing His Finger
Type II diabetes is a lifestyle-related disease that has reached epidemic proportions, having increased 10-fold in a few decades and now afflicting about 300 million people.
This disease is characterized by high blood glucose levels due to insulin resistance or an inability to produce insulin.
In observational studies, coffee has been repeatedly associated with a lower risk of diabetes. The reduction in risk ranges from 23% all the way up to 67% (11, 12, 13, 14).
A massive review article looked at 18 studies with a total of 457.922 participants. Each additional cup of coffee per day lowered the risk of diabetes by 7%. The more coffee people drank, the lower their risk (15).
Bottom Line: Drinking coffee is associated with a drastically reduced risk of type II diabetes. People who drink several cups per day are the least likely to become diabetic.
4. Coffee May Lower Your Risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s
Coffee Beans
Not only can coffee make you smarter in the short term, it may also protect your brain in old age.
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common neurodegenerative disorder in the world and a leading cause of dementia.
In prospective studies, coffee drinkers have up to a 60% lower risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia (16, 17).
Parkinson’s is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder, characterized by death of dopamine-generating neurons in the brain. Coffee may lower the risk of Parkinson’s by 32-60% (18, 19, 20, 21).
Bottom Line: Coffee is associated with a much lower risk of dementia and the neurodegenerative disorders Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
5. Coffee May be Extremely Good For Your Liver
Woman Drinking a Cup of Coffee
The liver is a remarkable organ that carries out hundreds of vital functions in the body.
It is very vulnerable to modern insults such as excess consumption of alcohol and fructose.
Cirrhosis is the end stage of liver damage caused by diseases like alcoholism and hepatitis, where liver tissue has been largely replaced by scar tissue.
Multiple studies have shown that coffee can lower the risk of cirrhosis by as much as 80%, the strongest effect for those who drank 4 or more cups per day (22, 23, 24).
Coffee may also lower the risk of liver cancer by around 40% (25, 26).
Bottom Line: Coffee appears to be protective against certain liver disorders, lowering the risk of liver cancer by 40% and cirrhosis by as much as 80%.
6. Coffee May Decrease Your Risk of Premature Death
Many people still seem to think that coffee is unhealthy.
This isn’t surprising though, since it is very common for conventional wisdom to be at exact odds with what the actual studies say.
Coffee Beans Spread Horizontally
In two very large prospective epidemiological studies, drinking coffee was associated with a lower risk of death by all causes (27).
This effect is particularly profound in type II diabetics, one study showing that coffee drinkers had a 30% lower risk of death during a 20 year period (28).
Bottom Line: Coffee consumption has been associated with a lower risk of death in prospective epidemiological studies, especially in type II diabetics.
7. Coffee is Loaded With Nutrients and Antioxidants
Cup of Coffee
Coffee isn’t just black water.
Many of the nutrients in the coffee beans do make it into the final drink, which actually contains a decent amount of vitamins and minerals.
A cup of coffee contains (29):
•6% of the RDA for Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5).
•11% of the RDA for Riboflavin (Vitamin B2).
•2% of the RDA for Niacin (B3) and Thiamine (B1).
•3% of the RDA for Potassium and Manganese.
May not seem like much, but if you drink several cups of coffee per day then this quickly adds up.
But this isn’t all. Coffee also contains a massive amount of antioxidants.
In fact, coffee is the biggest source of antioxidants in the western diet, outranking both fruits and vegetables combined (30, 31, 32).
Bottom Line: Coffee contains a decent amount of several vitamins and minerals. It is also the biggest source of antioxidants in the modern diet.
AuthorityNutrition.com does not provide medical advice, treatment or diagnosis.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: milwaukee wi
Posts: 3,574
have been slowly reading this thread with a cup of coffee Blueberry to be complete.. and what a great stand up bit of comedy it would be.. but really my hubby now that he off the morphine doesn't drink coffee or milk.. for the first time in his life.. and we used to go thro a 4 pd bag of sugar every 2 weeks when he was drinking coffee...... the zombie in me has to have coffee in the morning not a lot have to watch it as it gives me the shakes.. but with out coffee my inner animal will slowly show up and growl at things and people and objects so Ed says coffee toots over here coffee and the zombie shuffles to the smell. good coffee gooooooddddd....
EndGame
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: New York, NY
Posts: 4,677
Caffeine is the most popular psychoactive drug in the States. 'Psychoactive' meaning that it changes mood, thinking and behavior.
People who've commented that it can either provoke anxiety or exacerbate existing anxiety, as well as interfere with sleeping patterns, are correct. It's only a problem if it's a problem for you, but many of us have demonstrated that we are not always the best judges of what is problematic for us.
And yes, most rehabs will only serve decaffeinated coffee (which is only partly decaffeinated) to their residents. I saw several people in rehab downing decaf nearly all day long, in addition to sugar packets and sugary foods. Some folks hoarded both sugar packets and desserts in their rooms.
I drank coffee regularly when I was discharged from rehab, and it was never a problem for me. I have severe and chronic insomnia, so I've rarely drank coffee after noon during my entire life. Nowadays, I drink about one cup of coffee/day, a half-cup at two different times.
People who've commented that it can either provoke anxiety or exacerbate existing anxiety, as well as interfere with sleeping patterns, are correct. It's only a problem if it's a problem for you, but many of us have demonstrated that we are not always the best judges of what is problematic for us.
And yes, most rehabs will only serve decaffeinated coffee (which is only partly decaffeinated) to their residents. I saw several people in rehab downing decaf nearly all day long, in addition to sugar packets and sugary foods. Some folks hoarded both sugar packets and desserts in their rooms.
I drank coffee regularly when I was discharged from rehab, and it was never a problem for me. I have severe and chronic insomnia, so I've rarely drank coffee after noon during my entire life. Nowadays, I drink about one cup of coffee/day, a half-cup at two different times.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Saint Louis
Posts: 14
The way I've always heard it is that those in recovery, especially early recovery should prioritize sleep. Seeing as how coffee contains caffeine and caffeine is a stimulant it certainly makes sense. I stopped drinking caffeine the first time I got sober, it was a rough patch but having real and natural energy again is amazing.
Sobriety is Traditional
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Orcas Island, Washington
Posts: 9,066
I went to a no-cost, county-run detox program. I would think that they would try to do inexpensive things that improved chances for recovery. They allowed cigarette breaks but we had no caffeine or sugar.
I am still sober almost four years later.
I am still sober almost four years later.
Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 709
When I went to rehab, we weren't allowed to have coffee when we were initially detoxing. Most everyone had to go through detox. I can't remember the reason, maybe something to do with adding to the shakes and general anxiety most people get when they're going through alcohol withdrawal. It was only a day or two, thank God. I don't know why it's a thing but I drink a LOT more coffee since I stopped drinking alcohol. And I like it sweeter and with more crap (i.e. flavored creamers) in it than I used to.
Sober Alcoholic
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 3,539
Mountain Bob's post is important. I have posted this sort of info from time to time in the past. I'm glad the word is getting out. I just would limit consumption during detox however.
BTW I think it's no accident that AA and coffee are almost synonymous.
BTW I think it's no accident that AA and coffee are almost synonymous.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: NYC
Posts: 1
Body chemistry is different for each person.
I have 11 and a half months clean. Coffee is creating problems at this point (delayed appetite, insomnia, and mood swings). But I'm able to stay away from a drink or drug despite my abuse .
But if you read up on caffeine intoxication or caffeinism more info is available. Never heard of it causing anyone to relapse. Dual-Diagnosed people do end up in the hospital over it however.
There is a debate in medical field if caffeine is addictive.
I have 11 and a half months clean. Coffee is creating problems at this point (delayed appetite, insomnia, and mood swings). But I'm able to stay away from a drink or drug despite my abuse .
But if you read up on caffeine intoxication or caffeinism more info is available. Never heard of it causing anyone to relapse. Dual-Diagnosed people do end up in the hospital over it however.
There is a debate in medical field if caffeine is addictive.
Mr
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: FRANCE
Posts: 5,230
Interesting debate.
Love the stuff too, but find it definitely has some effect on anxiety / stress. The concensus seems to be more in favour of reducing or cutting it out when you do some research but for the moment i'll go and get my third mug at 09h30
Love the stuff too, but find it definitely has some effect on anxiety / stress. The concensus seems to be more in favour of reducing or cutting it out when you do some research but for the moment i'll go and get my third mug at 09h30
Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Canada
Posts: 3,413
For me, I didn't drink coffee for one month after quitting and it was only because of major anxiety that comes with withdrawals. After one month, I reintroduced is slowly to see if it elevated my heart rate, when it didn't I knew it would be fine.
Moderation is the key
After 15 months of sobriety, I love two cups of morning coffee, with real beans grounded with fresh cream. Occassionaly, I will have a cup in the afternoon.
Once a month, I go two or three days without coffee, just because I detox from it... and I do get a headache.
Wishing you the best!
Moderation is the key
After 15 months of sobriety, I love two cups of morning coffee, with real beans grounded with fresh cream. Occassionaly, I will have a cup in the afternoon.
Once a month, I go two or three days without coffee, just because I detox from it... and I do get a headache.
Wishing you the best!
Currently Active Users Viewing this Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
