Caffeine supplements

[Jake]

Ok, I'm referring to Pro Plus (not sure if you all get it out in the big wide world - caffeine in a pill basically), coffee, Red Bull and other energy drinks, Coke etc. Something you drink or take to give you a kick up the arse, increase concentration etc.

What is your opinion? Do you regularly drink/take them? Would you ever? Why/not?

[cdejonge]

Is this for a school assignment or something? :p

I only really have Coke. Never been into coffee or tea, nor Red Bull, etc. I only have soft drinks now and then, not all the time, nor to stay awake or anything. I have enough trouble sleeping!

[Aaron]

I actively avoid taking caffeine. I'll drink cola if it's the only thing on offer, but I generally avoid softdrinks anyway. Never really got into coffee, either, and I've only had Red Bull twice or so - when I've intended to drive home really late and expected to be a little tired. Wouldn't dream of taking caffeine supplements. Generally if you're tired there's a reason for it, and sleep is the most beneficial. Getting into a habit of dependance (i.e. people who *need* their morning coffee, can't do an assignment without stims, etc) isn't very appealing.

[Kev]

Red Bull does nothing for me. None of those energy things do.

[ace_jase]

I drink coffee, around 3-5 cups per day

I take it because I enjoy the taste, nothing like the taste and smell of freshly brewed coffee.

I personally dont believe it gives you any buzz or anything. Doesnt seem to for me.
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[cdejonge]

Taking an opposite view, anybody know of any good drinks to make you sleep? I think the warm milk thing is a myth.

[Aaron]

Liquified economics textbook should do the trick.

If you get into a habit of having a warm milk drink before bed, you'll gradually start to feel sleepy after the drink by subconscious learning, or whatever the effect is called. One off, it probably won't do anything. You have to make yourself tired, or at least relaxed.

[cdejonge]

Yeah I actually noticed it worked subconsciously initially, then it didn't work :p

[Kylie eats dugong for tea]

Once I had heaps of NoDoze and it was really mental. I do not reccomend it, i though it was going to have a heart attack.

[Steph Format]

I had a roommate who took Adderall (the ADD drug) in order to help herself get her essays done - and then she was seriously tweaked for a few hours.
roommate: HEY HOW'S IT GOING LET'S GO WORK OUT
me: blah, fuck off

and I work at a coffee shop, so I usually end up ingesting some form of espresso during the day. mochas are good and they happen to be free, so whatever.
I don't really notice the effects of caffeine or sugar though, it tends to have a psychological component (ie: "I'm drinking coffee, I'll be more awake now for sure!")

[Erik]

every friday night, red bull at 5pm

[The Dying Start]

I drink Coke all the time, but it's an addiction and it doesn't get me any more hyper than i already am. In fact i usually have a can of coke at like midnight and i'm in bed asleep by 12:30. It doesn't keep me up.

The only energy drink I've ever consumed is Red Eye. It doesn't really give me a high either...although i consumed several on last day of school when we pulled an all nighter. I used to collect red Eye Bottles. I collect two whole runs (I collected the set, then they changed the labels so i collected the next set. They then changed the labels again but i haven't had any since).

I have no other supplements. None at all. It's just me and coca cola!

[Lowee]

I'm a coke man too, nothing like running a line off the table to help you face the day...oh..oh...just kidding.

I tend to drink Coke pretty much every night, it doesn't really stop me sleeping most of the time, but if I have to go to bed a little earlier than usual for some reason I try to avoid it.

[Jake]

Nah, this wasn't a school assignment. Basically, my dad saw some Pro Plus in my room, and is all concerned, convinced I have problems, and has sent a couple emails with news stories about kids that die after taking a whole box at once. I might be a bit dim...but seriously...

He is also denying that caffeine is an addiction. To those that drink Coke or coffee more than once daily - do you notice feeling different if you miss a day or two? Ie. headaches, lethargy etc?

[Macccca]

I use to drink alot of coke but stopped cause its too much sugar
I occassionaly drink red bull but only when i need to stay up, ive had a few late bulls and havent been able to sleep
I use to drink over 5 coffees a day but i've reduced that to about 2
I use to drink alot of dare ice coffee but not much any more

if caffine is an addiction it is a very minor one because i was totally fine after going from about 2L of coke a day to nothing, and alot of coffee to a bit. I do get coffee cravings sometimes and after drinking my first cup i feel a damn lot better, so there is definatly something there but i dont believe its anything to worry about.

and i cant imagine what your dad would do if he found smoke in your room

[Sarah]

Yeah, i'm addicted to caffine. It started with Diet Coke - but now every lunch time at work I have to have a V as well.

I discovered V when i was working ijn the servo...we had 2 V bottles on promo for $5. So i spurged, drank both (only to discover later that you should only drink 1.5 bottles a day), and had the shakes for a good half an hour!

I don't knjow that V actually does anything to me these days, i think its more a habit than an addiciton (cos i still drink diet coke too), cos i just can't face the other 6 painful hours of work without it

If i don't have some form of caffine for a while (24 hours) i get serious headaches - thats how i know i'm addicted!

[Aaron]

I suppose my aversion to caffeine comes from a bad experience when I was a kid. When I was about 5 or 6 (?) I had a cup of cola when some family friends were over, because that's what they brought. For an hour or so afterwards, my heart was beating really really fast, and I could feel it and it freaked me out. I went to have a lie down but couldn't calm my heartbeat. I'm somewhat incredulous that parents let their kids drink caffeinated drinks so young.

[Erin]

i can't drink coke anymore :( i throw up or get stomach pains...normaly its stomach pains

[*M!]

i can't drink caffine - it keeps me awake, and it sends me hyperactive...

even small amounts that are in dark chocolate make me wake during the night so i'm tending to avoid them

i don't think i'd ever have supplements... i prefer sleeping! :p

as for things that put me to sleep - nothing really works beverage-wise but i find quiet music gets me snoozerous... *shrugs*

*M!

[Neo]

All my mum ever drinks is coke. I'm not allowed to have any though... mwahahaha :D

[The Dying Start]

To those that drink Coke or coffee more than once daily - do you notice feeling different if you miss a day or two? Ie. headaches, lethargy etc?

Yes. If i miss out on my Coke i feel like shit, get pretty down and lose all motivation. (of which i don't usually have much anyway!).

Of course caffiene is addictive!

[Skelton]

i drink a little toooo much caffeine...i dont want to nor ever needed to take caffeine pills like no-doz or anything...

just coffee, v, red bull and more coffee!! i love it...:D

[Sammas]

Caffeine is a terrible thing... Its great while it lasts but it is inevitable to get to point where you hit a wall 50 times harder than you would otherwise.

I've distilled my caffeine intake down to short blacks. The day I go that step further and up it to caffeine tablets is the day I think about re-evaluating me lifestyle.

[Julian]

If I want to stay awake i'll drink strong coffee but I just drink coke because I like it :D It doesn't keep me awake