Beer And Caffeine?

[valliali]

I know this discussion has been brought up before so I hope it is not inappropriate for me to bring up a post about drinking alcoholic beverages. But I am of age, and I love dark beers. Sometimes I don't tolerate alcohol at all, but when I feel pretty up for it, I indulge in a couple of my favorite beers.

I know that many dark beers, like porters and stouts, contain some coffee and chocolate. I cannot quite figure out how much caffeine is in the beers, but I know the FDA recently took an interest in the topic because of the combination of alcohol and caffeine. So there must be some.

I have found, since becoming sick, that I cannot tolerate caffeine at all, not even in the smallest amounts. I actually can't really handle anything that triggers any sort of stimulation. However, I have never really noticed a problem after drinking dark beer. I am wondering if the caffeine in the beer is so minimal that even my norepinephrine sensitive body cannot really detect it, or if there is something about the combination.

anyways, I'm just kind of curious if any of the beer lovers on here know roughly how much caffeine is in a dark beer, and if you are affected by it.

If this thread is inappropriate due to potential minors on the forum, by all means take it down!

[ramakentesh]

All I can say is - thankfully - i can tolerate alcohol very well - to the point that when im on holidays and feeling POTSIE a small glass of beer makes me feel dramatically better. Doesnt make sense when considered with reference to accepted POTS causes but its true for me.

[kayjay]

I do well with alcohol- I only worry now because I am on meds- don't want to mix the two. The Mayo clinic told me that it is bad for fainters. I really don't faint. Two dr.s told me that a small amount of alcohol is good for people- and caffine is up to me but drink small amounts at a time (they said "grandma cup").

The Neuroligist told me that some peoplewith pots sit down to a big meal drink a few glasses of wine and when they stand up they pass out. I really only fainted after laying in the sun and after running on my eliptical.

Also Guiness is a dark beer but low in alcohol content. I have been know to have a pint or two with my meal when we go out to dinner.... I have been fine but I am a hyperadergenic POTS person.

[HopeSprings]

I cannot tolerate even a few sips of any kind of alcohol. I feel the effects immediately and if I actually go ahead and drink (i don't anymore) my heart will beat faster, I feel confused, my eyesight feels like it's starting to go black... so not worth it. Caffeine on the other hand is a great thing for me. It does make my heart beat a little faster, but it helps tremendously with the dizzy, foggy, tired feelings.

[erik]

Mee likeee the Guinness... but for the gas (which I happily put up with... spectators may disagree tho). I had an "off brand" Oyster Stout once while visiting Dublin (a.k.a. Mecca), and it put me down for 2 days (just a couple pints). I think it was a POTS crash looking back. Naah, more likely just God punishing me for my blatant act of heresy. I had some Guinness just the other morning to atone.

I don't know about caffeine. That's a great & mysterious question. I'm not finding an answer with web searching. I tend to do well on an EnergyDrink-Vodka blend... even if I wake up in another country sans passport or original clothing (that's just part of the deal, right?). Not sure what the FDA concern is there... maybe a HHS / DHS thing?

Tannins might be one other ingredient of many to consider. I know Crrrs Light is oft cited as a "clear" option... de facto standard for some desert extreme-sportie circles (I can cite an episode of "Great Ride Open" on FuelTV as sociological scientific evidence) where one must awake next day and retain some wit & function or face peril. It might be worth a go to see if it's POTS light (and if you even consider it "beer").

[Jan]

Alcohol is a vasodilator.

Caffeine is a vasoconstrictor.

Maybe they counter act the effects of each other?

[ramakentesh]

its a weird thing - in some people alcohol is actually a vasoconstrictor. that being said, I know it vasodilates in me because after two beers my arms actually have veins sticking out (which they never do otherwise as I have perpetual peripheral vasoconstriction).

Caffeine I had a look into because I couldnt work out its paradoxical effects. Usually a coca cola helps me, but a coffee will make me dizzy and faint. And then I usually feel jittery two hours later. its very strange. Apparently it has all sorts of contradictory vasodilatory and vasoconstrictive responses - adenosine and beta receptor stimulation I guess - beta 1 vasoconstricting, beta 2 vasodilating the stomach / thorax? Im thinking out allowed here. I did post an article a while back but I cant remember a word of it today...