Different Effects from Caffeine Pills vs Energy Drinks/Coffee

Hi, guys. Quick question. I noticed that if I drink coffe or energy drinks, I get all typicall effects of caffeine ingestion (mood enchancment, better focus, mind stimulation), but when I swallow a pill containing 200 mg of caffeine, it’s the exact opposite. I feel deowsy, sleepy, unable to concentrate. At best, I feel nothing at all. A couple of people I know share the same experience. Any idea why?

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Could be that the other ingredients combined with the coffee or energy drink give it a more enjoyable effect.

I’ve tried No-Doz a couple times and hated them, but really like coffee, green tea, and a few energy drinks.

maybe the brand and the quality of the pills is not good

SkyzykS- could be, but I don’t think so, because it’s not about “more enjoyable effect”. It’s more like activating it. And caffeine, as a compound should work by it’s own when digested.

bigmax- i tried the cheapest and the most expensive. All the same. Besides, all of them had the same, only one ingredient in them, so technically, there isn’t any reason for the more expensive to work better.

ejones1- caffeine used in energy drinks, as well as in pills is extracted from coffe seeds, so all 3 (coffe, energy drinks, pills) contain the same, natural psychoactive compound, yet still, the pills just put me to sleep instead giving me a kick. And, as I mentioned earlier, I’m not the only one.

It’s also a bummer because of the price. You can buy monthly supply of pills for the price of 3 cans of energy drinks. Coffe is cheaper, but takes time and place to make and turns your teeth yellow. :confused:

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It is if you enjoy the effects of caffeine.

Try it with 2-400 mg. of ĺ-theanine.

You may be b vitamin deficient

What does this do? I just so happen to have bought a bottle yesterday with a few other random things recommended in “why we sleep”.

It increases brain serotonin,dopamine, and glycine levels a little, adds some feel good to the shaky speedy effect of caffeine. It may also reduce stress and anxiety.

Generally a good relatively benign feel good/nootropic supp.

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Just washed down 400mg of L theonine with a C4! About to start leg day. Will report back :joy:

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That’s one hell of a leg day, dude. It’s been 8 hours and you’re still going at it? I gotta get some of this L-theanine

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Just stopped. It was wild man!!

In all seriousness I’ll have to repeat this experiment. Probably do it when I’m not about to workout so I can pay attention to how I feel

too long to take coffee with the breakfest ?

I noticed the biggest difference when I was doing materials calculations on the fly while fabricating and pushing toward a deadline.

No caffeine = mistakes and lackluster performance.

Caffeine only= run up strong then bonk part way through the day, end up with a head full of fucks and a marginal # of mistakes.

Caffeine + theanine = deadlines smashed, Rockstar performance, lunch bought by the boss.

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Thanks -learn something new every day.

Googled theanine, found this (so your combo makes logical sense):

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It’s difficult to quantify the experience, but I wouldn’t recommend theanine for any serious anxiety or panic disorder.

Like if a regular person is at 0-3 day to day normal state, it’s good.

Or 4-6 being like high strung , it can take you down a notch or two which feels good relative to the previous state.

If somebody always exists in a state of like 6-7, with 8-10 being full blown panic attack, don’t bother with theanine. You need real help.

Just putting that out there so that people who might be looking for alternative medical solutions don’t read this, depend on theanine instead of using an SSRI or something, and end up doing something horrible.

Sensible disclaimer/warning.

I don’t suffer from anxiety, but when I’ve ingested excessive amounts of coffee to stay awake or alert, I have sometimes experienced caffeine jitters; and that’s probably when I would try the theanine combo.

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I have frequent panic attacks, but when I feel OK in the morning (over the years i’ve spotted some patterns), I can have a cup of coffee, maybe even two. On those kind of days, i’m extremely unlikely to go over the edge. Then again, the next day rolls around and I start to feel short of breath as soon as I step inside a loud, crowded supermarket and 30 minutes later, i’m back at my place, laying on my bed, heart beating out of my chest. Panic attacks are tons of fun. And no, I still refuse to go on prescription drugs as long as I can fight these myself.

Strangely, it’s the caffeine pills and energy drinks that are a recipe for disaster for me. Energy drinks especially - I’ve had horrific experiences where I almost lost my mind completely from the panic and feeling of dying after consuming a small red bull. So I stay the fuck away from them.