Anyone Else Sensitive To Caffeine?

[josh052980]

I had a totally gluten free lunch (grilled chicken, lay's potato chips, and pepsi) and am having some issues. I've been almost 100% caffeine free for about 4 months now, so the pepsi was the first real measurable amount of caffeine I've had. I know Lay's potato chips are gluten free, and there was nothing on the grilled chicken. That leaves caffeine. Anyone else have this issue?

[alex11602]

Yep. Caffeine and I are not friends at all, it causes me alot of pain so I stay far away from it. I hope that you get to feeling better soon though.

[starrytrekchic]

Lay's aren't necessarily gluten free. Some products they test to 20 ppm, but some people are sensitive below that. Other products are not tested & are run on the same equipment as gluten-containing foods. See this list (for the US): Open Original Shared Link

I'd also make sure the chicken wasn't injected with a wheat/water mixture before they grilled it (to plump it up).

[josh052980]

Lay's aren't necessarily gluten free. Some products they test to 20 ppm, but some people are sensitive below that. Other products are not tested & are run on the same equipment as gluten-containing foods. See this list (for the US): Open Original Shared Link

I'd also make sure the chicken wasn't injected with a wheat/water mixture before they grilled it (to plump it up).

I have their site bookmarked on my iPhone so I don't have to worry and I verified that the chips I ate were gluten free before I ate them. Furthermore, I've ate those chips (Lay's Potato Chips, nothing fancy, just the regular ones) many many times since going gluten free and have never had an issue. I also know it to be a caffeine issue as I've suspected having them before, and this doesn't feel like it does when I get glutened.

Also, I grilled the chicken myself, it was fresh, so there is 0 chance it was injected with anything. All I did was salt and pepper it.

[josh052980]

Yep. Caffeine and I are not friends at all, it causes me alot of pain so I stay far away from it. I hope that you get to feeling better soon though.

I'm sorry you have issues with caffeine too, least I know it's not just me though. I'm feeling better, been about 8 hours since the symptoms started, which is in line with about how long caffeine stick in your system.

[Poppi]

I feel like I've been glutened if I drink coffee or have a coke. It lasts for about 4 hours for me.

I can handle all the tea I care to drink and the occasional decaf latte (small amount of decaf espresso LOTS of milk and some vanilla syrup).

[lilu]

I don't know if it's the caffeine or not. I know that COFFEE has a high level of cross-reactivity to gluten antibodies (the antibodies mistake coffee for gluten and you basically can get symptoms of glutening). not everyone's body reacts this way to coffee, just some. I'd bet that's your situation, Sara.

Josh - As far as diet Pepsi goes??? I can only say that caffeini is an addictive compound, and that maybe you re-triggered by having some after so long???

[AMom2010]

I am sensitive to caffine too. I always say it feels as though I can feel the blood pumping thru my veins after I drink it, especially coffee. Headaches too...

[T.H.]

Heard of caffeine sensitivity, but thankfully not an issue for me. Maybe you could try the same dinner with caffeine free pepsi and see how it goes? Just to double check that it's not something else in the pepsi that got ya?

[Fairy Dancer]

Caffeine can give me migraine headaches but I tend to be able to get away with the caffeine in cola more than I can get away with a Starbucks lol.

[melikamaui]

[quote name='josh052980' timestamp='1312075153' post='719685'

Also, I grilled the chicken myself, it was fresh, so there is 0 chance it was injected with anything. All I did was salt and pepper it.

[butterfl8]

Unfortunately the injection happens before you even buy the chicken. It's part of the slaughtering process. It's not uncommon to find meat that has been injected with a flour, water and flavoring solution to make it taste better. I'm not saying it isn't the caffeine that made you sick. I'm just saying the meat is also a possibility. We went vegetarian because of this very issue.

Do you have a source for this? I eat chicken often with no problems and I consider myself very sensitive. Are there particular brands you would advise against?

-Daisy

[Finny Drake]

I had a totally gluten free lunch (grilled chicken, lay's potato chips, and pepsi) and am having some issues. I've been almost 100% caffeine free for about 4 months now, so the pepsi was the first real measurable amount of caffeine I've had. I know Lay's potato chips are gluten free, and there was nothing on the grilled chicken. That leaves caffeine. Anyone else have this issue?

Many people get stomach burns after drinking coffee. Some suffer celiac disease/lactose intolerance resembling symptoms after drinking it. I used to consume coffee made from Open Original Shared Link, and I had some stomach problems after a mug or two, but after switching to darker roasts this hasn't been a problem. I did not have to give up coffee, even though I was diagnosed with celiac disease. I admit being addicted to coffee, but according to recent studies it's ok to drink in moderation - and may even prevent diabetes and parkinsons.

Well, coke or pepsi isn't healthy anyways. It really seems that you are sensitive to caffeine rather than being glutened, and you can easily test it. Another option is that you opted for diet Pepsi instead of normal Pepsi - artificial sweeteners make many people feel sick. Avoid aspartam and others similar to keep your stomach happy. The good news is that in my opinion it's highly unlikely that the reaction had anything to do with gluten.

[melikamaui]

Do you have a source for this? I eat chicken often with no problems and I consider myself very sensitive. Are there particular brands you would advise against?

-Daisy

I don't eat any meat at all, but that's a personal choice. I wouldn't know how to tell you what brands are safe other than to say call them and ask if they inject their products with anything. I have a video that is mostly about "meat glue" but at the very end they briefly talk about how many meat manufacturers inject "flavor" solutions before they make it to market.

Doing a quick search I came up with this from the USDA. Read under "Enhanced Meat and Poultry Products"

Open Original Shared Link

[josh052980]

One day later, and I am back to normal, which means it wasn't gluten. When I get glutened, I am sick for at least 3 or 4 days. Caffeine was the issue, I do believe.

[Finny Drake]

I don't eat any meat at all, but that's a personal choice. I wouldn't know how to tell you what brands are safe other than to say call them and ask if they inject their products with anything. I have a video that is mostly about "meat glue" but at the very end they briefly talk about how many meat manufacturers inject "flavor" solutions before they make it to market.

Doing a quick search I came up with this from the USDA. Read under "Enhanced Meat and Poultry Products"

Open Original Shared Link

I think it pretty clearly states that the label has to indicate what is in the marinade or what is in the flavor solution: "The ingredients of the flavor solution must be prominently identified on the label"

The healthiness of the flavor solutions is another topic to discuss - water/artificial flavor injected meat doesn't sound too good, but then again it seems that it's safe from gluten-free point of view. gluten-free diagnosis has made me careful with labels and ingredient lists (I don't live in US or Canada), but in time the labels have gotten easier to read as one learns what kind of ingredients are ok. So check the label and go from there:) In my personal experience, marinades and such have been mostly gluten free, but then again it depends on how a strict diet you're following. According to European gluten-free-standards all malt extracts (not malt as such!) are acceptable, and my health has remained excellent following the European ones, but I know that some people have to follow stricter diets. Anyways, I'd be actually interested to know what's listed on the label of a standard raw meat product (e.g flavor injected chicken) in the US or Canada.

[T.H.]

One day later, and I am back to normal, which means it wasn't gluten. When I get glutened, I am sick for at least 3 or 4 days.

It's always so nice when our bodies are consistent on these things, isn't it? Very helpful to figure out this sort of thing!

Although sorry about the caffeine issue, there. Time to just make sure and get lots of sleep without getting a pick-me-up later!

[zentex]

I don't do well after consuming soft drinks, but caffeine I tolerate very well. I love my coffee!

[Jenny (AZ via TX)]

Yes, I am very sensitive to caffeine. I can't drink regular coffee (boo hoo)- it makes me too agitated, but do drink decaf. If I have a headache and take an Excedrin, I feel all revved up from the caffeine. Tylenol just doesn't work for me.

What's odd is that I can eat chocolate. I don't eat a lot of it, but I have one piece of Dove chocolate almost every day without any side effects.

[color-me-confused]

You can have my coffee when you pry it out of my cold, dead hands. I kept getting some reflux after drinking coffee and it finally dawned on me to stop using the company's supply of non-dairy creamer. It appears to be gluten free (from reading the label) but it does have soy. So, just some sugar in the coffee for me. I typically do a cup in the afternoons and am/pm cups on the weekends. It doesn't cause any problems for me. Any more than that and I tend to get addicted and go into a downward spiral of increasing consumption... I consume soda so rarely I can't comment on that. Yerba mate (for the kindler, gentler buzz) and tea don't cause me any trouble either.

[RL2011]

I drink coffee and tea and I do not have a problem with caffeine. As a matter of fact I am a bit cranky in the morning before having a cup or two of coffee. Yes I might be addicted to caffeine...

[RL2011]

Yes, I am very sensitive to caffeine. I can't drink regular coffee (boo hoo)- it makes me too agitated, but do drink decaf. If I have a headache and take an Excedrin, I feel all revved up from the caffeine. Tylenol just doesn't work for me.

What's odd is that I can eat chocolate. I don't eat a lot of it, but I have one piece of Dove chocolate almost every day without any side effects.

Coffee has caffeine in it and chocolate has no caffeine. real chocolate (cacao) contains theobromine which is has a similar chemical structure as caffeine but it is not the same.

[MarionG]

I'm glad I found this thread. I was just diagnosed about a month ago and have been completely gluten free since then. Recently however, I noticed that I was getting sooo tired in the mornings right after I had breakfast. I thought it had to be a cross contamination issue or maybe I was allergic to coconut which I had been eating at breakfast. Now I am wondering if it is a sensitivity to caffeine. It feels very similar to being gluted but a little different. I don't get the digestive issues or gluten brain, My body just feels like it was run over by a truck. Does anyone else experience this? I'm so tired of feeling this way!!!

[i3oogieDown]

I found this thread today while researching the celiac/caffeine sensitivity relationship.  I have not been "officially" tested/diagnosed celiac, but have consulted with my doctor and have been eating gluten-free for several months, after discovering that it seemed to be causing the long-term digestive issues I was experiencing.  I have become quite familiar with the increasingly severe GI effects of being "glutened," which usually hit the hardest starting two days after an exposure, lasting for at least a week.  It has been almost 3 weeks since my last slip-up with a food containing gluten. I am mostly feeling better, but hard-to-digest foods (such as dairy, I'm moderately lactose intolerant) seem to "bring back" the gluten gut symptoms at times, especially if it hasn't been very long since my last exposure. 

 

I have consumed very, very little caffeine since I've gone gluten-free as part of an overall lifestyle/diet change.  I have noticed for years that I am sensitive to caffeine (sleeplessness, jitters, heartburn, etc.), but could usually tolerate it. This weekend my sleep was disturbed and I had a lot to do, so I decided to try a little DD coffee on Saturday afternoon.  Starting Sunday evening into Monday (today) I have been VERY uncomfortable despite drinking tons of water and following a gluten-free diet as carefully as possible.  It doesn't feel quite the same as the gluten-gut bloat, but I am experiencing a lot of intestinal pain and constipation (which is also causing other physical ailments), and was having a very difficult time sleeping last night.  We'll see how long this lasts... I had more DD coffee this morning (probably not wise)... but for now it really sucks.  :/  Maybe it's a result of the diuretic effect of coffee + the residual gluten damage?  Does this sound similar to what anyone else is experiencing?

[surviormom]

I sent my Espresso machine to work with my husband because of a nasty cough that would only go away when I gave up coffee.  Coincidence, possible, but every time I tried to have a cup, the mucus cough came back.  So, he who loves it and drinks it all day, has the best now.  It was hard for me to believe coffee was the problem, I read conflicting information on coffee and gluten issues, logically, I should have be able to drink all I want, but I cannot.  Green tea, I can drink all I want.  I use honey and no milk, so it was not a dairy issue, or a sugar issue.  

 

 

Never considered it a caffeine issue, I do not drink cokes very often so have not had an issue with them, not even one a week.  New perspective.