Coffee
 

I hear caffeine is good for exercises, so I've been drinking a cup of strong black coffee each day. I think it helped with my performance but the side effect is not great at all. My sleep cycle/schedule is all messed up thanks to it. But I really want to have the benefit of caffeine. What do?

Re: Coffee
 

You may want to switch to tea. Or you will want to look into things which can minimalize the effects such as stimulation of the peripheral nervous system and excessive stress hormone release (sometimes the way caffeine stimulates you is "with fear" instead of "with drive" like say, meth might, to use an analogy).

Tea is nice because with caffeine and theanine in the plant, it helps the body enter a higher level of stimulation but without the excessive stress and disproportionate effects on your blood pressure. You can buy theanine supplements, they might help you, or anything that lowers blood pressure and counteracts any effects of cardiotoxicity coffee may bring.

Also, the mechanism that caffeine works by can lead to certain parts of your brain becoming stimulated that you may not want. Like having your blood pressure go up, stress hormones be produced, and the like-- all these things can lead to residual exhaustion even long after that pot of coffee, and can start your brain doing stimulating behaviours without being provoked (even having high blood pressure later at night because you had coffee earlier in the day can mean racing thoughts when trying to fall asleep-- your cognitive functioning is being fluid and your heart is pumping faster/harder).

Keep track of your blood pressure if you're going to be using stimulants and working out; just something you should start doing if it's to become a regular things. Additionally and more importantly, have something to reduce your blood pressure and possibly lower levels of general stress.

The "workout supplement" phenibut works on GABA receptors a bit like alcohol or benzodiazepines, and this is just an example because phenibut isn't something you can (or at least definitely should not) take regularly, but it will pretty much do all of those things for you. If you want something you can have once a week to save for a particularly high energy or stressful workout, consider ordering some phenibut.

I've used it for years (about once a month) and it's great for lowering blood pressure, anxiety, and still remaining functional. Like pretty much any GABA agonist it's going to become intoxicating if you take a higher dose of it (might have tried it a few times WINK) but it's like a higher functioning, therapeutic feeling alcohol if you're to do that. If you're to take it, 500mg would be a recommended starting dose and take it about an hour before you expect your workout to end for the most optimal timing (it takes a few hours to kick in), or whenever your stomach is the most empty.

Caffeine is, in my opinion, a poor choice because I don't think stressing your heart out is a good idea unless you are carrying it along with anti-stress things in your system. It's not like what you're doing is cardiotoxic, but it's not optimal, and you're feeling that with the side effects.

Re: Coffee
 

Just drink it after breakfast. Allow at least ten hours between when you drink it and when you go to sleep if it is keeping you up at night.

Re: Coffee
 

okay spenner's reply is excellent BUT the heart effects are not nearly as pronounced as spenner says lol

he has the mechanism of action down but the total contribution will be minor. coffee is associated with greater longevity. so is tea yeah but it's really not that harmful, come on man. the problem you're having is that your dopamine release patterns (basically your patterns of stimulation) aren't as aligned with what they are naturally

two solutions here imo:

1. drink a second cup of coffee so that your crash is timed with when you're going to sleep

2. take melatonin later in the day and it should offset the negative effects of caffeine. I mean you should be taking this anyway. www.gwern.net/Melatonin

Re: Coffee
 

Complete bias that I should have edited the tone down to accommodate-- I've got bad hypertension, stress out the wahzoo, and a small sip of coffee in the morning will keep me residually stimulated for days by whatever cognitive trends it kickstarts to get my mind productive (which don't seem to go away, so I think that's a different issue). Basically unless you do have a heart condition, don't worry about the heart stuff.

Also agree about melatonin if you're not already taking it. If you truly can't get to sleep still, have some generic benadryl laying around as a last resort. Not something I'd take regularly though.

Re: Coffee
 

Amazon's top rated caffeine supplements /thread

I use the 200mg tabs, there are different types of caffeine, anhydrous, alkaloid, and citrate (maybe some more idk). Anhydrous is my favorite as it lasts the longest, doesn't make you as jittery, and is way easier on the stomach.

Re: Coffee
 

^ everything ive heard says that there is no difference chemically between anhydrous and any other, just is more convenient. anhydrous literally just means without water

Re: Coffee
 

I was about to ask about your carb intake then I remembered

Re: Coffee
 

drugs are bad

Re: Coffee
 

I normally have it 1 or 2 times a day myself. It helps with my focus. As for sleep, yes melatonin will help with that issue it is natural and all that good jazz.

Re: Coffee
 

What's with this sudden of bumping old threads?