I know that decaf coffee doesn't have the stimulant caffeine in it but I wonder if those who have switched to it still wake up when they have it. I guess it would be some sort of placebo effect.

What are your thoughts on that decaf java?

Hi Aujuba,

I have been gradually reducing my caffeine intake for about a year now and can tell you from my experience that no, decaf does NOT wake you up!!!

When I first started reducing my caffeine intake, I went from 100% caffeinated coffee to 75%, which was fine. Then, a week later, I tried to go down to 50% decaffeinated - disaster!!! I was hit by crashing fatigue and had to up my intake again to get through the day.

Mind you, I had pretty exhausted adrenals at this point, so it came as no surprise to me. After this experience I then began to reduce the amount of caffeinated coffee in my coffee mix much more slowly, by just ten percent per month.

What I now notice is that I don't really need that caffeine kick anymore!!!

If you are at the stage where you need caffeine in the morning to "wake you up", then you have already caused yourself some damage.

Do kids need coffee to wake up???

It is the long-term effects of excessive caffeine consumption (amongst other things, of course, too) that get us into this state where we can't wake up without it.

What I like now about being less of a caffeine addict is that I find I am alert and awake in the mornings (provided I have had a good night's sleep and little or no beer the night before), and I don't need drugs to feel that way!!!

amanda

I've heard of the theory that IF decaf coffee wakes you up, you may have adult ADHD. Don't know if this holds water, but if you're able to drink coffee or cola, and go right to sleep, in addition to decaf making you sleepy this could be indicative of the same. This is not 100% obviously and is NOT the correct way to diagnose that condition, but it could be a warning sign.

Definitely not scientific in the least...more anecdotal

There is some caffeine in decaf, it's just a lot less than caf.

Coming from someone who has adult ADHD, I gotta say, totally not true, lol! My excessive caffeine intake was one of the things that alerted my doctor to what was wrong with me. I was unable to sleep much of the time, because I needed to use so much caffeine to be my version of normal.

When you've got ADHD, reducing blood flow to the brain is one of the things that helps you focus on things, rather than your mind running all over the place. Caffeine works similarly to medications like Ritalin or Adderall in that regard.

Because of my condition, my experiences might not be that of a normal person, but I absolutely notice a difference in my mental state when I don't use caffeine. I don't have coffee or Diet Coke to wake up, though, so I can only speak to its stimulating effects after you're fully awake.

This is true. If I am off caffeine, thie amount in decaf is enough for me to feel it. Others might not be that sensitive.

I guess I wondered if just the act of drinking that decaf coffee might bring some benefits. I like the taste of coffee and the slight lift it can give. Although I could be addicted, I wonder if I am addicted to the coffee or the ritual of having that every morning. How many people still have bacon and eggs in the morning? Why? Because its registered as morning food in our minds. Coffee is the same. There are other countries where coffee probably isn't or wasn't originally considered a morning drink.
I'll give the decaf a try rather than go cold turkey right now. What else could I fill my cup up with in the morning besides coffee, tea, and water?

Low carb can have this effect. You go to sleep and sleep deeper. You wake up earlier and with more energy because you slept better!

when i stopped ingesting caffeine and went to decaf coffee, i could feel the slightest variation of caffeine in the difference decaf coffee brands.
i found that the publix decaf coffee had the least amount of caffeine.
did it wake me up?
after stopping caffeine, the slightest bit of caffeine in the decaf coffees would give me the jitters!
it's amazing how sensitive our bodies become, to all chemicals.

Hi Aujuba,

You might like to try weaning yourself off the "real thing" first. Some people get very nasty withdrawal symptoms if they go cold turkey (nasty headaches, fatigue, just to mention a couple).

If you make a mix of caffeinated coffee and decaf, gradually reducing the amount of caffeinated coffee in the mix (I first went down to 75% by making a mix with 3 scoops of caff/1 scoop of decaf), then you might be able to avoid withdrawal symptoms.

amanda

Can anyone else smell/taste that "decaf" thing in decaf coffee? I can. Probably least in things like French Roast but there's this certain off-flavor I really hate.

I haven't tried decaf yet so I have no idea what it tastes like. I'm not too fussy so I should be okay with it.

Amanda, what a great simple idea. That might just be my solution. Thanks.

I usually have one cup in the morning when I wake up. Doesn't matter to me if it's decaf or regular. I like them both, and they both taste the same to me, and there is no difference to me in the 'wake up" qualities. I'm pretty awake regardless, even on the days when I don't bother to have either one.

Hi Nancy,

Living in Germany, I can't give you any recommendations about brands and such, but I must admit I had the same problem and tried out various brands before I found one that didn't have that decaf after-taste.

I got "Jakob's Krönung" decaf in the end which says it is decaffeinated by some special water method. Maybe you need to look for a brand which says it has been processed with this special technique. Perhaps a specialist store can help you?

amanda

Yeah, Swiss water process and CO2 method are the only two methods of decaffeination that don't use solvents. Here in the UK, if a decaf is certified organic by the Soil Growers Ass, it uses one of those two methods. I don't know if it's the same in the States, but you could look into it. Plain water process is not the same as Swiss Water. There's only one place that does Swiss Water, and that's in Vancouver, BC (effectively adding to a decaf's carbon footprint).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decaff...s_Water_Process
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decaffeination#CO2_process

A couple of years ago, they found a naturally decaf coffee plant, but it's not been cultivated yet:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coffea_charrieriana

All that said, I drink a decaf using the SWP, and it still tastes and smells funny. It's not (just) the solvents. You get used to it though. At least with SWP as I am almost through my bag, and I am barely noticing the smell and taste any more.

I totally gave up coffee when I first gave up caffeine, but I wanted that coffee ritual in the morning, so I began exploring my options with decaf. I definitely want to avoid too much garbage with my decaf, so I am sticking to coffee explicitly saying they use SWP or CO2 or using organic.