Caffeine against POTS?

[Tony Mach]

Just wanted to ask if anybody has made any experience regarding caffeine and POTS.

 

[Sallysblooms]

I have no problems at all. Some get palps with it. Many feel better though. We are all different.

 

[xchocoholic]

Here's what caffeine does to our bodies ... I only copied in a small portion of this article but the rest is fascinating. IMHO this is a must read for us ... I'm not sure if this article states that caffeine also causes cells to drop calcium but if you google caffeine calcium you'll find it.

http://science.howstuffworks.com/caffeine.htm

In the HowStuffWorks article How Sleep Works, the action of adenosine is discussed in detail. While it sounds like advanced science, it's really pretty simple.

As adenosine is created in the brain, it binds to adenosine receptors. The binding of adenosine causes drowsiness by slowing down nerve cell activity.

In the brain, adenosine binding also causes blood vessels to dilate, most likely to let more oxygen in during sleep.





To a nerve cell, caffeine looks like adenosine. Caffeine therefore binds to the adenosine receptor. However, it doesn't slow down the cell's activity like adenosine would.

As a result, the cell can no longer identify adenosine because caffeine is taking up all the receptors that adenosine would normally bind to. Instead of slowing down because of the adenosine's effect, the nerve cells speed up.

Caffeine also causes the brain's blood vessels to constrict, because it blocks adenosine's ability to open them up. This effect is why some headache medicines like Anacin contain caffeine -- if you have a vascular headache, the caffeine will close down the blood vessels and relieve it.



So, now you have increased neuron firing in the brain. The pituitary gland sees all of this activity and thinks some sort of emergency must be occurring, so it releases hormones that tell the adrenal glands to produce adrenaline (epinephrine).

Adrenaline is the "fight or flight" hormone, and it has a number of effects on your body: ................

I had to stop all caffeine in order to stop feeling jazzed up and crashing all day. It really didn't make me any more productive anyways. I just felt like it did while I was under the influence.

hth ... x

 

[Cindi]

Helps me in short term but than causes exhaustion.

 

[dannybex]

Hey Tony,

Don't know if he'll see this, so I thought I'd mention that I think Joey finds it helpful.

(mojoey that is...)

d.

 

[Mollie]

A cup of coffee actually seems helps me, but I know it's probably not good for my body in other respects. A pint of water is my only sure fire way of helping my POTS in the short-term as it seems to slow the heart down.... I have no idea why.

 

[FunkOdyssey]

Caffeine seems to increase pooling of fluids in my extremities, which is weird since it should be vasoconstricting and a diuretic (should have the opposite effect). So, I'd have to say its decidedly negative for POTS in my n=1 experience.

 

[glenp]

Can be tested

Drug response testing. Every year thousands of people are send to the hospital from having an adverse side effect to medication. At DNA Testing Centres of Canada we offer a genetic test to determine if you are at an increased risk. We can determine genetically how you metabolize these drugs and weather they stay in your body longer then they should.

Are you taking any of the following types of medications? If so then we strongly recommend that you come in for a free consultation.


Abacavir For HIV and Aids
Aminoglycoside Antibacteriam medications
Carbamazepine mood stabilizing drug to treat epilepsy, bipolar disorders and trigeminal neuralgia
Caffeine
Clopidogel blood clot medication
Methotresate treatment of cancers and autoimmune diseases
Estrogen supplementation Oral contraceptive and hormone replacement therapy
Statin Cholesterol lowering medication
Tamoxifen breast cancer medication

http://dnatestingcanada.com/services/drug-response-testing


https://www.23andme.com/you/journal/pre_caffeine_metabolism/overview/



Research Discoveriesdrug responseCaffeine Metabolism Preliminary Research report on 1 reported marker. Your Data
Next
Clopidogrel (Plavix) ... About Caffeine MetabolismPrintable Version Some people get jumpy after drinking a single cup of coffee, while others can gulp down a Venti Americano without feeling a thing. Part of that variability is due to the development of tolerance by regular coffee drinkers; but there are genetic differences in how people metabolize caffeine as well.
Caffeine metabolism and heart attack Show results for all profiles Show results for my profiles only Journal JAMA
Study Size
Replications None
Contrary Studies None
Applicable Ethnicities European
Marker rs762551

Caffeine is primarily metabolized by the liver enzyme cytochrome P450 1A2 (CYP1A2). The form of the SNP rs762551 a person has determines how fast CYP1A2 metabolizes caffeine. In this study, people with the slower version of the CYP1A2 enzyme who also drank at least two to three cups of coffee per day had a significantly increased risk of a non-fatal heart attack. The study found that fast metabolizers, on the other hand, may have actually reduced their heart attack risk by drinking coffee.
Who Genotype What It Means
Greg Mendel (Dad) AA Fast caffeine metabolizer: drinking coffee didn't increase subjects' heart attack risk
Lilly Mendel (Mom) AC Slow caffeine metabolizer: drinking coffee increased subjects' heart attack risk.
CC Slow caffeine metabolizer: drinking coffee increased subjects' heart attack risk.
Citations
Cornelis MC et al. (2006) . Coffee, CYP1A2 genotype, and risk of myocardial infarction. JAMA 295(10):1135-41.
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View all posts in HealthThis is the name of the journal in which the findings were published. Associations published in major journals such as Science and Nature are generally more reliable, though reliable associations are frequently published in less well-known journals as well.These icons estimate the study's size. In general, findings from larger studies are more reliable.Studies whose results replicated these findings are listed here. In general, entries with more replications are more reliable.Studies whose results contradicted these findings are listed here. In general, entries with more contrary studies are less reliable.This is the ethnicity of the population in which the study was performed. Genetic associations often apply only to the study population. The findings may not be applicable to people whose ethnicity is different from the one reported.This is the unique identifier (or rsid#) for the SNP associated with the trait or condition. Clicking on the identifier will take you to the Browse Raw Data entry for that SNP.
The genotyping services of 23andMe are performed in LabCorp's CLIA-certified laboratory. The tests have not been cleared or approved by the FDA but have been analytically validated according to CLIA standards. The information on this page is intended for research and educational purposes only, and is not for diagnostic use.

 

[glenp]

Caffeine seems to help me - I only have it in coffee and tea though so is a minimal amount.

glen

 

[sleepy237]

Same for me it helps. And it can stop a migraine in the process. Never had caffeine much last couple days. Got migraine today. Got a coffee now = migraine diminishing i guess vasoconstriction.

 

[taniaaust1]

I had a strong coffee and it made me collapse and I then couldnt walk due to POTS... so now im certain coffee has a negative impact as far as my POTS goes.

Ive read thou that caffiene thou helps some POTS people but others it has a negative effect on.

 

[Wonko]

I have periods when even half a cup of coffee will make me fall asleep - Unfortunately it's not predictable

 

[Sparrow]

Took me a few times of having a coffee and being totally wiped out and much worse for a week to make the connection, but I'm pretty confident now that for some reason the caffeine triggers a major worsening of things for me. I figured probably something to do with the water loss. I've always been sensitive to caffeine and its diuretic effects. Probably just matters more now that I don't have much extra to lose.