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How high to go on GABA for sleep issues and what are the negative effects of too much tyrosine?

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gaba and sleep issues

How high to go on GABA for sleep issues and what are the negative effects of too much tyrosine?

Today I’m sharing a great question I received about sleep issues – how high to go on GABA and what are the negative effects of too much tyrosine – together with my feedback because it’s not always a simple answer.

Here is the question about sleep, GABA and tyrosine:

I find I need more than the 500mg of sublingual Gaba Calm for sleep even with 200mg theanine. What dose can I go up to. Took a while to work up to that dose. I want to get away from sleeping tablets. Also what are the negative effects of too much tyrosine that comes with this product?

GABA Calm contains both GABA (125mg) and tyrosine (25mg) and it’s one of my most recommended products for anxiety. It sometimes works for insomnia and sometimes it doesn’t.

GABA and feeling stiff and tense with insomnia and anxiety

As you may know, with sleep issues caused by low GABA levels you’ll often lie awake with feelings of physical tension and stiff muscles rather than the ruminating thoughts which is the low serotonin type of insomnia – although it’s not uncommon to experience both. You may also have the stiff-and-tense type of anxiety, panic attacks and the need to self-medicate to calm down, often with alcohol but sometimes with carbs and sugary foods. By using the amino acid GABA you can raise your GABA levels and ease many of these symptoms.

Tyrosine can be stimulating and can be calming

Tyrosine is a considered a stimulating amino acid that is the precursor for making catecholamines (one of the neurotransmitters) like dopamine, epinephrine and norepinephrine. Boosting these neurotransmitters provides focus, increased energy and more motivation, and can also alleviate some forms of “curl-up-in-bed” depression.

Conversely tyrosine can also provide a sort of calm focus for some folks.

How much GABA and how much tyrosine?

Keeping all the above in mind, here is my feedback: 500mg of GABA is a large dose when starting out and is typically too high for most people, causing a light-headed feeling and sometimes a niacin-like flush. For this reason, it was good to hear that she worked up to that dose of GABA, found in 4 of the GABA Calm tablets i.e. 125mg of GABA for each one.

When my clients get up to multiple GABA Calm tablets I will often have them switch to a GABA-only product or a GABA/theanine product (opened up onto the tongue and held there for 2 minutes or longer) as the tyrosine can be stimulating. Some folks do fine on a small amount of tyrosine in the evening so 1-2 GABA Calm may be fine but more than that and it can be too much and may need to be avoided.

Taking 4 x GABA Calm tablets also provide a hefty dose of sugar alcohols which could cause diarrhea.

As far as using higher amounts of GABA, I have clients increase as long as they are seeing added benefits. I have had some clients go up to 1000-2000mg but more than this is rare. Theanine can often also be increased up to around 1000mg.

Here are some clues to look out for:

  • too tired in the day → too much GABA or too much theanine?
  • too tired in the day → too little GABA or too little theanine causing disturbed sleep?
  • too tired in the day → not enough tyrosine?
  • not able to sleep well → too little GABA or theanine?
  • not able to sleep well → too much tyrosine (at night or even mid-afternoon)?
  • calm energy → just enough tyrosine
  • sleep well → just enough GABA and/or theanine

There is research supporting that a GABA/theanine combination can improve sleep and that a GABA/5-HTP combination can too. There is no research on GABA Calm and insomnia but in practice it works for some people at night and not for others.

I’m sure you can agree with me that it’s not always simple and there can never be one size fits all. This doesn’t work: “Since you have insomnia take 2 GABA Calm and I’ll see you in a month” or even “This 250mg GABA with 100mg theanine will sort out your sleep issues in no time.”

It’s always a matter of figuring out what your own unique needs are.

Looking for other root causes of your insomnia

If my clients are not seeing incremental benefits as they increase the GABA and/or theanine (and stop the tyrosine) they go back down to their lower dose and we start looking for other root causes for their insomnia.

These root causes can range from low serotonin to high cortisol, also gut issues like SIBO, parasites (which are more active at night) or gluten issues. Too much caffeine (even if consumed in the morning and even a single cup of coffee!) and low blood sugar must always be ruled out too. Some sleep medications can actually make sleep worse especially benzodiazepines. And side-effects of all medications need to be looked at and also the possible effects of EMFs/WiFi.

Have you found that using the trial method with GABA and/or theanine has enabled you to find the ideal amount to take for your insomnia or anxiety? Where did you start and how high did you need to go and how much did this approach help?

Did the removal of tyrosine make a difference or make you more tired in the day?

Were there other factors at play as root causes of your insomnia or anxiety?

As a practitioner, do you want to learn more about how to incorporate GABA and theanine and the other targeted individual amino acids, tryptophan/5-HTP, DPA, glutamine and tyrosine, into your work to help your clients/patients with sleep issues and anxiety? I invite you to check out my new online practitioner training here: Balancing Neurotransmitters – The Fundamentals. I’m extending the $100 discount offered at IMMH for a few weeks (use coupon code immh2019).

Dark chocolate reduces stress and inflammation, improves memory, immunity and mood – but are you addicted?

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dark chocolate addiction

A press release from Loma Linda University reports that two new studies show dark chocolate consumption reduces stress and inflammation, while improving memory, immunity and mood. These are wonderful results from human trials and if you’re like most of us I’m sure this subject brings great delight! However (and sorry to be the party-pooper here), there are a number reasons why you may want to hold back on the excitement: if you’re addicted to chocolate and/or sugar this is a big red flag, and if dietary oxalates and caffeine are issues for you then this news won’t be good. But there may be ways you can get some of the benefits without the harmful effects (more on that below).

These papers were presented as posters at the Experimental Biology 2018 annual meeting in San Diego, and the press release reports that

dark chocolate with a high concentration of cacao (minimally 70% cacao, 30% organic cane sugar) has positive effects on stress levels, inflammation, mood, memory and immunity. While it is well known that cacao is a major source of flavonoids, this is the first time the effect has been studied in human subjects to determine how it can support cognitive, endocrine and cardiovascular health.

Lee S. Berk, a researcher in psychoneuroimmunology and food science from Loma Linda University, School of Allied Health Professions, served as principal investigator on both studies and stated the following:

For years, we have looked at the influence of dark chocolate on neurological functions from the standpoint of sugar content – the more sugar, the happier we are. This is the first time that we have looked at the impact of large amounts of cacao in doses as small as a regular-sized chocolate bar in humans over short or long periods of time, and are encouraged by the findings. These studies show us that the higher the concentration of cacao, the more positive the impact on cognition, memory, mood, immunity and other beneficial effects [such as enhanced neuroplasticity].

The flavonoids found in cacao are extremely potent antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents, with known mechanisms beneficial for brain and cardiovascular health.

In these 2 small studies (which have yet to be published in a peer-review journal) the consumption of 48g of 70% dark organic chocolate offered many of these health benefits in as quickly as 30 mins (in one the study) and when consumed every day for a week (in the other study).

In case you’re wondering how much this means in practical terms: 48 g is just over an ounce and a half, or 2 tablespoons. So think about 2 squares of 70% dark chocolate.

But are you addicted to chocolate? And do you binge?

I know I sounded like a real party pooper in the introduction but if your eyes lit up or you even got a little teary-eyed or felt a really warm “I so deserve this treat” glow or you felt realy joy at the thought of indulging (or maybe all of the above emotions) when you read the subject line then these may be red flag for you. But despair not as there are ways to help you not overdo it and binge on a week’s supply of dark chocolate in one sitting. If you relate to the binge comment you know exactly what I mean and have felt that deep regret and shame afterwards.

Lorraine shares this about her chocolate addiction:

the minute I start eating it – I am like a heroin addict. I can’t stop. I end up bingeing for a few weeks as it’s all I can think about. It’s the weirdest thing – so I mainly abstain from it and have a slip, binge, anxiety relapse about once a year until I am able to buckle down and fight the cravings knowing the anxiety is not worth the euphoria.

For some people the anxiety that is caused by chocolate is too severe (more on that below) but if Lorraine’s anxiety and bingeing are related there may be a solution for her and if yes, it would be the GABA solution below.

The brain chemistry balancing solution for bingeing

Cravings for chocolate can often be due to brain chemical imbalances and when these are addressed no willpower is required and there are no feelings of being deprived. Here is a simple way to help you figure it out:

  • if you have to eat chocolate when you haven’t eaten in awhile it’s likely low blood sugar and glutamine on the tongue stops the desire on the spot
  • if you stress-eat your chocolate cravings are likely due to low GABA, and GABA will stop the stress-eating and calm you down
  • if you eat chocolate to feel happy (and especially from late afternoon onwards) then your cravings are likely due to low serotonin, and tryptophan stops the cravings and boosts mood and reduces anxiety
  • if you eat chocolate for an energy boost then it’s likely due to low catecholamines and tyrosine will stop those cravings and give you a mood and energy boost
  • if you are a comfort-eater then it’s likely due to low endorphins and DPA will stop that “I deserve-it-reward-eating” and also give you a hug-like mood boost

I write more about this in the glutamine cravings blog and you can find all the individual amino acids listed on my supplements blog here with details on how to purchase them from my distributor.

Once you have this figured out this brain balancing there is no bingeing, you can eat a small portion and feel very satisfied and will actually address some mood and anxiety issues at the same time!

Dark chocolate is a no-no if dietary oxalates are an issue for you

If dietary oxalates cause you issues like anxiety, insomnia, vulvar pain, urinary issues, or other pain (for me they cause dreadful foot pain – like shards of glass combined with hot coals)

When considering high oxalate foods, 41mg and above is considered an exceptionally high oxalate food. In one study, the total oxalate contents of 34 samples of dark chocolate collected from 13 different countries ranged from 155 to 485 mg/100 g which equates to around 77 to 240mg for 48g.   So dark chocolate does need to be avoided and I would not even consider eating some even with calcium citrate or magnesium citrate.

In a related study published last year by lead author Professor Lee Birk, Is Chocolate Beneficial for Brain Health? the 20 subjects were subjected to a sequence of cacao sensory awareness tasks ranging from:

  • recall of past experiences
  • imagine eating chocolate right now
  • visualization/looking at real chocolate
  • olfaction [or sense of smell]
  • taste but not swallow
  • and finally chocolate consumption (70% cocoa bar) to satiation

And for many the above provided benefits for them. For me a good long deep sniff of dark chocolate feels quite satisfying, as strange as it may sound.

I do sometimes miss the texture of melted chocolate but solid coconut butter satisfies that need. Believe it or not, but so does pemmican, a savory snack that is made with beef fat and beef jerky, honey/cherries and sea salt. Check out pemmican from US Wellness Meats here (my affiliate link).

Avoid it if the caffeine causes anxiety, insomnia, heart palpitations and/or migraines

For many of my clients the caffeine in dark chocolate can cause anxiety, insomnia, heart palpitations and/or migraines. Some of these “twitchy” effects may also be due to the theobromine, a chemical compound, which roughly translates to “food of the gods” and is also what makes chocolate deadly for dogs.

I have to admit that chocolate would be my “drug” of choice before cakes, cookies or sweets. Putting aside the oxalate issues, it also affects my sleep and creates mild anxiety/sort of edginess with mild heart palpitations with restless sleep. This is how I remember a coffee buzz feeling. But worse than this is the migraine I get a day or 2 days later. It is wicked pain above my left eye that leaves me horizontal for a day. So, no chocolate for me unfortunately, other than enjoying the aroma of it.

Carob as a delicious alternative

Carob is a delicious alternative to dark chocolate as it doesn’t contain caffeine and is lower in oxalates. It has a definite chocolate-like flavor.

A 2002 study found that carob may actually have calming effects. It is also antioxidant rich, contains the polyphenol gallic acid which has been shown to help metabolic syndrome, has chemoprotective properties and helps with digestion.

Check out my Carob Cinnamon Delight al la Trudy hot beverage recipe and this recipe for Carob Coconut Avocado bites (leave out the sesame seeds and add extra coconut flakes if oxalates are an issue).

Organic and Fair Trade of course

If you can get to enjoy dark chocolate be sure to consume only organic as cocoa plants are heavily sprayed, Other than the concerns with the actual pesticides and insecticides, there is cause for concern about raised copper levels because of copper-based pesticides.

Fair Trade is a global movement made up of a diverse network of producers, companies, shoppers, advocates, and organizations putting people and planet first

I know I’m going to get questions on what brands I recommend that are organic, Fair Trade and gluten-free so here goes – Vital Choice is my pick right now.

Vital Choice has quality dark chocolate that is both organic and Fair Trade. It is labeled gluten-free but they state it is “Manufactured on shared equipment with products containing wheat, milk, peanuts, and tree nuts.” I have not had any reports of anyone having a gluten issue with it but please use your own discretion. Here is the link to check them out and make a purchase (it is my affiliate link). Simply search for dark chocolate.

Feel free to share how you do with dark chocolate and how it makes you feel when you consume it and be sure to post any questions you may have.

And if you know of brands that are organic, Fair Trade and gluten-free please do share them.

Tyrosine for focus, motivation, energy, a good mood and possibly even anxiety

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Today I’m reviewing tyrosine, the amino acid that boosts catecholamines and helps with focus, motivation, energy (especially when you crave carbs for energy) and the blah kind of depression. It’s wonderful for helping you easily quit coffee/caffeine (when you are using it to “self-medicate” due to low catecholamines). It also provides support for the thyroid and surprising as it sounds, it may even ease some types of anxiety.

I’m also sharing some additional resources for you on tyrosine.

Tyrosine helps with energy, gives someone else migraines – look at precautions

Here is some feedback from my recent facebook post about tyrosine

  • Lorraine shared:

It really helped me have energy and endurance to be able to work out again! I went from not being able to even handle 20 minutes of weight lifting to doing regular 30 minute sessions and feeling energised and strong instead of depleted and exhausted.

  • Fay shared that it gives her a migraine. Migraines are one of contraindications with tyrosine if you are prone to them or have a history of migraines (and Fay does a history). This doesn’t mean you can’t ever benefit from tyrosine. With clients with migraine history we just start low, having them open a 500mg capsule and use just 50-100mg to start and then increase if they can.
  • Aaron Mello, Master Nutrition Therapist and founder of MoodFood Clinic, a practice that focuses on men’s mental health, loves using tyrosine with his clients and prefers it over phenylalanine because of the PKU contraindication. I agree and prefer tyrosine although I’ve only ever had one client with PKU. Aaron also mentioned that he also likes a combination product like Designs for Health DopaBoost: “I like that it has P5P and the mucuna is a natural source of L-dopa in addition to the tyrosine.” I do prefer standalone amino acids to start with (so just using tyrosine alone) but do also like the combinations in DopaBoost.

With all the amino acids, it’s important to be aware of the precautions. I mentioned PKU above. Here are other situations when tyrosine cannot be used: melanoma and Grave’s disease/overactive thyroid.

As with migraines, tyrosine does need to be watched with high blood pressure and bipolar disorder i.e. it may be tolerated and may not be tolerated. A trial will help you figure this out.

I personally can’t use either mucuna or tyrosine in large quantities but can tolerate the small amount in the Source Naturals GABA Calm product. The same tyrosine precautions do need to be considered when using GABA Calm for the low GABA type of anxiety.

Focus issues and ADHD – tyrosine or GABA?

Anxiety can often show up as focus issues or ADHD, especially in children who may not be able to articulate that they are anxious. Jenny is a mom in my facebook community and a friend of hers recommended GABA for her daughter after reading some of my posts. She shared this wonderful feedback:

My daughter hasn’t been diagnosed with ADHD but has a lot of ADHD qualities. We were having a huge amount of behavior problems as she is getting older (she’s 11). I did some research and went to the health food store and bought a bottle [of GABA Calm]. At this point I was mentally exhausted from all the fighting and drama at home and at school. I was desperate and didn’t want to put her on any hard medication.

She has had amazing behavior at school and at home since giving it to her. She’s almost like different child. GABA has truly changed our life. She’s been taking it for almost 2 months.

Anxiety and ADHD – where to start?

I recently received a great question from someone who heard my interview on the migraine summit:

I have a whole lot of overlap here. I’ve been diagnosed with ADHD with have anxiety issues. I also have a gluten sensitivity and migraines. Luckily, since I meditate daily, my migraines only occur every other month or so but usually involve weather changes.

It’s not uncommon to have overlaps and often addressing a few factors helps all issues. It sounds like she is gluten-free which is one common underlying factor in ADHD, migraines and anxiety. If someone is coming to see me for their anxiety we’ll work on that first – using GABA or tryptophan first – because tyrosine can help with ADHD but can make someone more anxious. We calm them first and then look at improving focus issues. With ADHD and anxiety, I also consider low blood sugar and making sure animal protein is being consumed at breakfast, and also check for low zinc and low iron (for starters).

GABA didn’t help her anxiety but tyrosine did

Everyone is different so using the trial method is the best way to figure out what you need. One of my past clients who had terrible anxiety, trialed both GABA and tryptophan and while she did get some benefits with both it just wasn’t enough.

She was sleeping better but still felt so stressed and anxious when preparing for an important meeting at work. The anxiety also seemed to get worse during the meeting which she was in charge of running. She did score high on the low catecholamines section on the amino acid questionnaire but were working on the anxiety before addressing poor focus and low motivation. It turned out that her anxiety escalated around her work meetings because of her lack of focus and low motivation – she was pushing herself to get through them. Once she added tyrosine her anxiety was under control. In this instance tyrosine actually helped ease the anxiety because he ADHD and motivation and drive improved!

Using tyrosine

Here is one tyrosine product I use (there are many others on the market)

Progressive Labs tyrosine 500mg: 500mg l-tyrosine.  As I mentioned this is the last amino acid I trial with my anxious clients because it can make you more anxious (although as I mentioned above, with one client, it reduced her anxiety because she was able to focus better at work).

As with all the amino acids, when using tyrosine:

  • Start low (500mg is a typical starting dose) and increase as needed.
  • Do a trial to determine if the ADHD, fatigue, depression, low motivation is due to low catecholamines. I always do this with clients before starting any amino acid. Be sure to read how to do an amino acid trial. It has the amino acid questionnaire, the precautions and information on how to use targeted individual amino acids.
  • Take between meals and away from protein for the best effects

Tyrosine should never be used after 3pm as it’s too stimulating when used after this time. For my clients with sleep issues we go slow and stop after the mid-morning dose until we determine if sleep is being affected.

This blog post is part of the series of amino acid product reviews:

The resources in this blog and my other articles are intended to be used in conjunction with my book: The Antianxiety Food Solution – How the Foods You Eat Can Help You Calm Your Anxious Mind, Improve Your Mood, and End Cravings. If you do not have my book I highly recommend getting it and reading it before jumping in and taking the amino acid supplements.

There is a complete chapter on the amino acids and one for pyroluria, plus information on real whole food, sugar and blood sugar, gluten, digestion and much more.

You can find the tyrosine product I recommend on this blog: The Antianxiety Food Solution Amino Acid and Pyroluria Supplements

 

For today’s tyrosine review:

  • What about your success stories with tyrosine? how has it helped you?
  • Or has it been an issue for you?
  • As I mentioned above it’s the last amino acid I used with my anxious clients because it can make you more anxious but it may just help your anxiety

If you have questions or feedback please post them below or on the supplements blog

The Anxiety Summit – Is Coffee Your Hidden Anxiety Trigger and How to Substitute It with Delicious and Healing Drinks

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Magdalena Wszelaki_Anxiety4

Magdalena Wszelaki, founder of Hormones Balance, was interviewed on the Anxiety Summit by host of the Anxiety Summit, Trudy Scott, Food Mood Expert and Nutritionist, author of The Antianxiety Food Solution.

Is Coffee Your Hidden Anxiety Trigger and How to Substitute It with Delicious and Healing Drinks

  • Caffeine, anxiety and panic attacks and our genetics
  • How coffee impacts blood sugar and increases sugar cravings
  • Coffee: the gut, adrenals, sex hormones and the thyroid
  • Is decaf ok?
  • How to use chicory, dandelion, carob and reishi as great alternatives
  • Rooibos and tulsi/holy basil as anti-stress herbal teas

Here are some gems from our interview:

If you’re having type 2 adrenal fatigue so that means sometimes it’s s super high.  Your adrenals are pumping out too much cortisol.  Sometimes it’s too low, sometimes it’s just okay.  You can get that done through testing – hormone testing, saliva testing with cortisol.  The issue is that in times of low cortisol release you’re going to be pretty brain dead and this is when we want to bring the cortisol level up with coffee. 

The problem is the adrenals are already exhausted and that’s the reason why they are firing off with the wrong timing.  Sometimes it’s too high, sometimes it’s too low.  Women who have this “I’m tired and wired” thing going on late at night where they’re just lying in bed exhausted, can’t fall asleep.  That’s very often adrenal fatigue stage 2 with higher cortisol levels at night.  And so this is where coffee just exhausts your adrenals even further.  So you might get that instant release as in like you’re getting this clarity in your head.  You’re getting that energy to get through the day. But in the long term coffee is really going to just exhaust the adrenals to the maximum.

Here are some of the studies on anxiety and coffee discussed in the interview:

Caffeine can cause anxiety and panic attacks.  This study showed that people with panic disorder and social anxiety may be more sensitive to the anxiety-causing effects of caffeine.

In this paper, Caffeine abstention in the management of anxiety disorders, the participants had generalized anxiety disorder and panic disorder.  They had been on medication and they’d been on therapy and they drank one-and-a-half to three-and-a-half cups of coffee a day.  None of them had benefitted from either the therapy or the medication.  When they stopped the coffee within a week the anxiety disappeared. 

Here are additional studies we discussed:

 

magdalena roasted chicory latte

Here is Magdalena’s recipe for ROASTED CHICORY ROOT LATTE

Time to prepare: 15 minutes; Time to steep: 10minutes; Serves: 1; Equipment: blender

Ingredients

1 tbsp roasted chicory root

2 cups water

1 tbsp ghee, coconut butter or butter (if tolerated)

1 pitted date

fresh nutmeg (nut or powder)

How to make:

  1. Bring water to a boil, add chicory root and steep for 10 minutes.
  2. Strain and transfer to a blender.
  3. Add the ghee (or any fat you decide to use) and the date. Blend for 1 minute at high speed.
  4. Top with freshly grated nutmeg and enjoy.

 

I shared my carob recipe: Carob Cinnamon Delight instead of coffee – a calming hot beverage and mentioned rooibos tea how it’s A Functional Food in the Management of Stress (an interview from a prior anxiety summit)

Here is Magdalena’s gift: Finding Hormonal Balance Through Food and Essential Oils

 

hormone-balancing-workshop

And here is Magdalena’s wonderful no-cost introductory Hormone Balancing Workshop/webinar   (many of my clients have attended and love learning about eating for hormone balance from Magdalena)

If you are not already registered for the Anxiety Summit you can get live access to the speakers of the day here: www.theAnxietySummit.com

Missed this interview or can’t listen live? Or want this and the other great interviews for your learning library? Purchase the MP3s or MP3s + transcripts and listen when it suits you.

You can find your purchasing options here.: Anxiety Summit Season 1, Anxiety Summit Season 2, Anxiety Summit Season 3, and Anxiety Summit Season 4.

12 Ways Coffee Impacts Your Hormones

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 a-cup-of-coffee-399478_1280

12 Ways Coffee Impacts Your Hormones

Guest post by Magdalena Wszelaki, founder of Hormones Balance

(with the 12th one on anxiety added by me!)

Black magic. Black medicine. Morning elixir.

If you had to give up either coffee or the internet for 2 weeks, which one would you choose? How about either coffee or sex for 2 weeks? If you’d rather relinquish anything to keep your coffee, you’d be on par with the majority of the people around you.

Taking steps to remove gluten, dairy or sugar from your diet can feel like a breeze compared to giving up coffee. However, as with anything that makes us feel that good, there is another side to your java fixation, and you need to know about it.

Benefits of coffee

Many reliable studies are often cited in confirming that coffee is full of antioxidants and polyphenols. However, these same antioxidants and polyphenols can also be found abundantly in many fruits and vegetables.

In addition, there are also a variety studies showing coffee’s role in the prevention of cancer, diabetes, depression, cirrhosis of the liver, gallstones, etc.

Beyond science, there is also the undeniable feeling of comfort in a morning routine, a stop at a favorite coffee shop, the smell, the buzz, and the energetic boost and mental clarity that come with a good cup of joe.

Everyone reacts differently

Is coffee bad for everybody? Not really. Each of us can have a different reaction to coffee. Some people get jittery, anxious and nervous, while others feel uplifted for hours. Many coffee drinkers report feeling good for the first two hours (mainly due to a dopamine spike), but eventually their energy and mental alertness will start dropping rapidly.

Coffee is metabolized in Phase I of the liver detoxification pathway, and some people have a harder time breaking it down – we call them “slow metabolizers.” This can either manifest immediately, presenting shaky and jittery feelings, or in a delayed fashion, such as poor sleep and digestive issues.

What is so worrisome about coffee?

If you are suffering from thyroid issues, Hashimoto’s, adrenal fatigue, insomnia, anxiety, hot flashes or hormone-related conditions, it’s important to be fully aware of the “other side of coffee” and make an educated decision whether it is good for you.

Here are some of the lesser-known facts about coffee:

  1. Increases blood sugar levels

According to this study, caffeine increases blood sugar levels. This is especially dangerous for people with hypoglycemia (or low sugar levels) who feel jittery, shaky, moody and unfocused when hungry. Blood sugar fluctuations cause cortisol spikes, which not only exhaust the adrenals, but also deregulate the immune system. This is highly undesirable for those of us with adrenal fatigue, Hashimoto’s or Graves’ disease. Such cortisol spikes are also highly inflammatory (read more below).

  1. Creates sugar and carbohydrate cravings

As the result of the above (increase in sugar levels), when our blood sugar levels come down, we need an emergency fix to bring them back up. This is why people who drink coffee at breakfast or indulge in sugary and processed breakfasts crave carbs and sugar by 11am or later in the day.

  1. Contributes to acid reflux and damages gut lining

Coffee stimulates the release of gastrin, the main gastric hormone, which speeds up intestinal transit time. Coffee can also stimulate the release of bile (which is why some people run to the bathroom soon after drinking coffee) and digestive enzymes.

In a person with a healthy digestion, this is not a big deal. However, for people with autoimmune conditions, compromised digestion (such as IBS, or “leaky gut”), this can cause further digestive damage to the intestinal lining (source).

  1. Exhausts the adrenals

Coffee stimulates the adrenals to release more cortisol, our stress hormone; this is partly why we experience a wonderful but temporary and unsustainable burst of energy.

What many of us don’t realize is that our tired adrenals are often the cause of unexplained weight gain, sleeping problems, feeling emotionally fragile, depression and fatigue. Drinking coffee while experiencing adrenal fatigue is only adding fuel to the fire.

  1. Worsens PMS and lumpy breasts

It’s well-established that coffee contributes to estrogen dominance (source), which can mean one of two things: we either have too much estrogen in relation to progesterone, or we have an imbalance in the estrogen metabolites (some are protective and some are dangerous).

PMS, lumpy breasts, heavy periods, cellulite and even breast cancer (which is an estrogenic cancer) can be symptoms of estrogen dominance.

  1. Gluten-cross reactive food

50% of people with gluten sensitivities also experience cross reactivity with other foods, including casein in milk products, corn, coffee, and almost all grains, because their protein structures are similar. Cyrex Labs provides a test for gluten cross-reactive foods.

 Many people report having a similar reaction to coffee as they do to gluten.

  1. Impacts the conversion of T4 to T3 hormones

Coffee impacts the absorption of levothyroxine (the synthetic thyroid hormone); this is why thyroid patients need to take their hormone replacement pill at least an hour before drinking coffee.

The indirect but important point is that coffee contributes to estrogen dominance, cited above, and estrogen dominance inhibits T4 to T3 conversion.

  1. Can cause miscarriages

This study showed that women who drink coffee during their pregnancy are at a higher risk of miscarriage.

  1. Is highly inflammatory

Any functional or integrative doctor would say the majority of modern diseases are caused by inflammation – a smoldering and invisible fire found on a cellular level.

This study found that caffeine is a significant contributor to oxidative stress and inflammation in the body. Chronic body pains and aches, fatigue, skin problems, diabetes and autoimmune conditions are just some of the conditions related to inflammation.

  1. Can contribute to and even cause osteoporosis

It is well-known that coffee changes our body pH to a lower, and thus more acidic, level. A low pH (which means a more acidic body) can contribute to osteoporosis.

This study has confirmed that habitual coffee drinking among postmenopausal women was the leading cause of osteoporosis.

  1. Can cause insomnia and poor sleep

This study showed that 400mg of “caffeine taken 6 hours before bedtime has important disruptive [sleep] effects.”

This, again, is dependent on the individual and his or her ability to metabolize caffeine. Some people experience deep and restful sleep whether or not they drink coffee, while others do not, even if they stop drinking anything caffeinated at noon.

How sensitive are you and how does coffee impact your sleep? You will only find out when you give up caffeinated drinks for 5 days – then your body will tell you!

       12.  Can cause anxiety and depression (Trudy: I added this one!)

Many people find that caffeine consumption can worsen anxiety. For example, chronic, heavy use of caffeine can cause or heighten anxiety and may lead to increased use of antianxiety medications as shown in this study. This study showed that people with panic disorder and social anxiety may be more sensitive to the anxiety-causing effects of caffeine. Somewhat paradoxically, caffeine withdrawal can also mimic anxiety

What about decaf?

It’s a disputed area, but many health practitioners don’t suggest it for two reasons. For one, many manufacturers use a chemical process to remove caffeine from the coffee beans. The result is less caffeine, but more chemicals. Secondly, it is the caffeine in the coffee that has the health benefits we discussed above. Without it, you are left with little benefit.

The change we resist the most is often the change we need the most

Many people who have made extensive dietary changes will admit that coffee was the last and hardest thing to eliminate from their diets. Coffee is our ritual; it’s our best friend.

But is it really? It is often said that the change we resist the most is the change our body needs the most. Let your intuition be your guide.

Bottom line

You will only know how you really feel without coffee when you get off it for 3 to 5 days (and please don’t say it does not impact you until you try this experiment). The first 2 days will be tough, but that tells you something important about this addictive substance, does it not?

Many women who have given up coffee and caffeine report better sleep within days, fewer hot flashes, less depression and anxiety, and many more other benefits over time.

What are some substitute options?

If you feel like you still need a slight kick, go for less-caffeinated options, such as green tea.

Once you are ready to completely rid yourself of caffeine, herbal teas are a wonderful replacement.

One of my personal favorites is a Roasted Chicory Latte – it tastes like coffee, but it contains no caffeine. Making it into a smooth and creamy (yet dairy-free) latte makes the transition so much easier.

magdalena roasted chicory latte 

RECIPE: ROASTED CHICORY ROOT LATTE

Time to prepare: 15 minutes; Time to steep: 10minutes.

Serves: 1

Equipment: blender

Ingredients

1 tbsp roasted chicory root

2 cups water

1 tbsp ghee, coconut butter or butter (if tolerated)

1 pitted date

fresh nutmeg (nut or powder)

How to make:

  1. Bring water to a boil, add chicory root and steep for 10 minutes.
  2. Strain and transfer to a blender.
  3. Add the ghee (or any fat you decide to use) and the date. Blend for 1 minute at high speed.
  4. Top with freshly grated nutmeg and enjoy.

 

Medical references:

If you are not already registered for the Anxiety Summit you can get live access to the speakers of the day here: www.theAnxietySummit.com

Check out the speaker blog from Magdalena’s two wonderful interviews on the Anxiety Summit Season 3: Foods to balance your hormones and ease anxiety.

Her 2 interviews will be replayed on Monday May 18th (we have encore replay days on Monday May 18th and Wednesday May 20th).

Grab Magdalena’s gift: How to Rebalance Your Hormones with Food and Recipes

Missed these interviews or can’t listen live? Or want this and the other great interviews for your learning library? Purchase the MP3s or MP3s + transcripts and listen when it suits you.

You can find your purchasing options here: Anxiety Summit Season 1, Anxiety Summit Season 2, and Anxiety Summit Season 3.

The Anxiety Summit – Adrenals – Master glands of anxiety / tranquility

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Alan ChristiansonQuote_Anxiety2

Dr. Alan Christianson, ND. author of Complete Idiot’s Guide to Thyroid Disease and a forthcoming book on adrenal health, was interviewed by host of the Anxiety Summit, Trudy Scott, Food Mood Expert and Nutritionist, author of The Antianxiety Food Solution.

Adrenals – Master glands of anxiety / tranquility

  • Why the adrenals regulate the anxiety response
  • Why some are more prone to anxiety than others
  • How to know if your adrenals are healthy
  • Testing your adrenal function
  • The difference between adrenal dysfunction and disease
  • How your diet and daily habits stress your adrenals
  • The best ways to heal your adrenal glands

Here is short video of Dr. Christianson sharing his story as an unhealthy kid and why he does what he does

Here are some snippets from our interview:

So even if we’re not being chased by the classic tiger if our blood sugar’s crashing, that, by itself, can trigger high amounts of stress hormones to make us feel more anxious, or if our sleep schedules have been thrown off, or if we’re missing some key nutrients that are needed by the adrenal glands, or if we’ve got a high amount of some external toxin in our body. All these separate things – and it can also be thought of that it’s not just a factor, but it’s the collective weight of all of those adrenal stressors. It’s how much we’ve got pushing those glands off at any given point in time that makes us more or less apt to have anxiety symptoms.

So caffeine is a stimulant, and what it does specifically is it causes our body to take all of our stored energy. We make something called glycogen. We take good carbs, and we pack them deep into our muscles. We pack them really tight, and we make glycogen out of that. It’s also in our liver. So caffeine causes us to just dump a whole of glycogen out, and it makes this big burst, this big rise in your blood sugar. The same thing would happen if you just drank a full sugar coke. It’s the same phenomenon, the same rise in blood sugar.

Here is a link to the online Adrenal Quiz we talked about. Let us know your score in the comments below.

In this Huffington Post blog called the Top 3 Myths of Adrenal Fatigue he writes how strategically using sunlight is one of the best-documented ways to help restore daily rhythms and heal the adrenals. We discussed some of this in the interview and here is a nice summary:

  1. Within an hour of waking, expose yourself to sunlight or a light box emitting at least 10,000 lux (measure of light intensity). Do not wear sunglasses, do not look directly at the source of light, and get at least a half hour of exposure.
  2. Get low wattage (under 40 watts) red-colored light bulbs for your bedroom. For the last 50 minutes of your day, feel free to read a book our journal, but use no other sources of light or electronics.
  3. In your bedroom, make sure your windows block all outdoor lights and cover any lights on thermostats, or alarm units. Make sure that any lights used to find your way around are colored red.

Here is a link to Dr. Alan Christianson’s book on thyroid disease:

Complete Idiot’s Guide to Thyroid Disease

As we mentioned at the start of the interview, Dr. Christianson has a new book on adrenal health coming out next month! When you register for the free gift he has kindly offered, you’ll also be updated on information about the new book. 

Here is Dr. Christianson’s new book on adrenal health – The Adrenal Reset Diet: Strategically Cycle Carbs and Proteins to Lose Weight, Balance Hormones, and Move from Stressed to Thriving

adrenal reset diet 

The free gift is 49 Fresh Recipes for a Stronger Body and More Vibrant You

UPDATE: Season 2 of The Anxiety Summit concluded in November 2014. If you’d like to be on the notification list for the next summit just sign up here www.theAnxietySummit.com

Missed this interview and want this and the other great interviews for your learning library? Purchase the MP3s or MP3s + transcripts + interview highlights and listen when it suits you