Caffeine - Interesting Personal Observation

cortesd
cortesd Posts: 58 Member
edited November 28 in Food and Nutrition
Hi all! I was doing a mini experiment of sorts over the recent holidays with my intake of caffeine, specifically coffee and black tea. Many folks on MFP mention that caffeine suppresses their appetite, but I have found it actually increases mine. If I ingest more than the equivalent of 1/2 cup of coffee, not only do I get shaky and queasy, but I become insanely hungry. This happens even if I have just finished a meal.

I do have a tendency towards hypoglycemia (not diabetic), so I can't help but wonder if that plays into my reaction. I have mentioned it to my GP, but he just shrugs it off as "being all in my mind." Has any one else noticed this effect?

Replies

  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
    cortesd wrote: »
    Hi all! I was doing a mini experiment of sorts over the recent holidays with my intake of caffeine, specifically coffee and black tea. Many folks on MFP mention that caffeine suppresses their appetite, but I have found it actually increases mine. If I ingest more than the equivalent of 1/2 cup of coffee, not only do I get shaky and queasy, but I become insanely hungry. This happens even if I have just finished a meal.

    I do have a tendency towards hypoglycemia (not diabetic), so I can't help but wonder if that plays into my reaction. I have mentioned it to my GP, but he just shrugs it off as "being all in my mind." Has any one else noticed this effect?

    I am pretty sensitive to stimulants (I have problems getting Novocaine at the dentist's office because it as epinephrine in it), and I also tend towards hypo. No clue if it's anything like you, but I also have anxiety issues, and I can misinterpret anxiety as hypo symptoms (and I've essentially trained myself to eat in response to feeling shaky, so it is now a very strong desire).

    Too much coffee leads to those same feelings, so I limit myself to two large cups a day.
  • __Wolf__
    __Wolf__ Posts: 137 Member
    Caffeine keeps me from turning into a baby sloth. Sweet, sweet caffeine...
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Coffee is definitely not an appetite suppressant for me either. Tea is worse and if I have some on an empty stomach it makes me ravenous.
  • cortesd
    cortesd Posts: 58 Member
    No clue if it's anything like you, but I also have anxiety issues, and I can misinterpret anxiety as hypo symptoms (and I've essentially trained myself to eat in response to feeling shaky, so it is now a very strong desire).

    Funny you should mention this. I think this was one of the big reasons I gained weight. I would get caught in the anxiety/fear-of-sugar-crash loop and couldn't tell if I was really in need of food or freaking out that I might need food. However, now I think I've finally reached a point where I can tell the difference.
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
    cortesd wrote: »
    No clue if it's anything like you, but I also have anxiety issues, and I can misinterpret anxiety as hypo symptoms (and I've essentially trained myself to eat in response to feeling shaky, so it is now a very strong desire).

    Funny you should mention this. I think this was one of the big reasons I gained weight. I would get caught in the anxiety/fear-of-sugar-crash loop and couldn't tell if I was really in need of food or freaking out that I might need food. However, now I think I've finally reached a point where I can tell the difference.

    Yeah, I'm pretty much there too, but I've found stimulants seem to blur the distinction for me some times. Coffee might have a similar affect on you possibly?
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
    No issues with blood sugar, but yes - I tend to get hungry if I drink a single cup of coffee. I can sometimes get away with drinking 3 cups to curb hunger, but that might be because I get enough Calories from the 1/2 & 1/2 I put in it.
  • hgycta
    hgycta Posts: 3,013 Member
    That's strange, I find that it helps curb my appetite, and the opposite will be true if I'm used to having it and then go a day without it. That being said, perhaps it curbs my appetite because I add so much cream/milk/sugar to it, so naturally the calories SHOULD fill me and reduce my desire for further snacking. Do you consume yours black? Maybe that makes some sort of difference...
  • johnnylakis
    johnnylakis Posts: 812 Member
    cortesd wrote: »
    not only do I get shaky and queasy, but I become insanely hungry. This happens even if I have just finished a meal.

    I do have a tendency towards hypoglycemia (not diabetic), so I can't help but wonder if that plays into my reaction. Has any one else noticed this effect?
    Yes, very common. The shaking is from the low blood sugar. Very common on the Atkins Diet

  • akboy58
    akboy58 Posts: 137 Member
    Coffee doesn't affect me that way, but It IS acidic, so I wonder if some of what you're feeling is stomach irritation. I have a similar reaction to ibuprofen -- my body interprets the mild acid stomach it produces as hunger.
  • Becky_44
    Becky_44 Posts: 227 Member
    Caffeine suppresses my appetite, but it also triggers that "I want chocolate and potato chips" button. SO I generally have more junk food If I have a bit of soda in the morning. If I drink a bunch of caffeine to get my house cleaning done, then I can go hours beyond usual without eating anything. Course it all wreaks havoc on my blood sugar and and my anxiety in the end.
  • Sunshine_Girlie
    Sunshine_Girlie Posts: 618 Member
    edited January 2016
    For me, it is definitely an appetite suppressant. In fact, I am on my third cup of Joe and have only eaten some cheese grits for breakfast and a pack of snack size almonds for a snack about twenty minutes ago. I could've gone with out, but I decided it was probably best.

    I could live off of coffee.

    P.S. I think it messes with my typing ability. I had to edit this post like three times.
  • motterotter
    motterotter Posts: 701 Member
    Same here if i have too much i turn hungry hungry hippo and get the shakes and eat everything in sight or i get acidity and bad reflux
    I drink my coffee black though maybe if i drank it with milk it might make a difference
  • cortesd
    cortesd Posts: 58 Member
    edited January 2016
    hgycta wrote: »
    That being said, perhaps it curbs my appetite because I add so much cream/milk/sugar to it, so naturally the calories SHOULD fill me and reduce my desire for further snacking. Do you consume yours black? Maybe that makes some sort of difference...

    I take my coffee with 1 fl oz of low fat milk and a tiny bit of "Frankensugar" aka fake sugar. Can't quite appreciate it "straight up!"
  • hgycta
    hgycta Posts: 3,013 Member
    cortesd wrote: »
    hgycta wrote: »
    That being said, perhaps it curbs my appetite because I add so much cream/milk/sugar to it, so naturally the calories SHOULD fill me and reduce my desire for further snacking. Do you consume yours black? Maybe that makes some sort of difference...

    I take my coffee with 1 fl oz of low fat milk and a tiny bit of "Frankensugar" aka fake sugar. Can't quite appreciate it "straight up!"

    Do you commonly consume whichever sugar substitute you use, or do you only consume it with coffee? Perhaps it's the fake sugar that increases your appetite and not the coffee o.o? I don't know, I'm just trying to think of other possible causes! I don't have a problem with any sugar substitutes affecting my appetite except for Acesulfame potassium, which I've noticed makes me ravenous, but maybe that's just me.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories