Caffeine Intolerance Guide

Coffee is one of the most popular beverages around the world. As you will know from reading our blogs, we like to keep you updated with what has been in the news recently… Most of us need caffeine to wake up in the morning, but some of us might have a caffeine intolerance, meaning we have to avoid it. If do you have an intolerance to caffeine or are not sure, then reading this may dismay you a bit. However, you do still need to know what the benefits of coffee are, as once you have completed an elimination diet, you can begin to consume the items that you were previously struggling with.

What is caffeine intolerance?

A caffeine intolerance simply means that your body struggles to digest caffeine. Hence, you could potentially be missing out on some of the benefits caffeine has to offer, as laid out by Coffee Urban. This could be disappointing if a morning coffee (or even a tea) is a staple of your diet, but don’t panic. There are plenty of alternatives to caffeine that can supplement your diet and squeeze right into your daily routine. Keep reading on to see how you can identify and manage your intolerance.

Caffeine intolerance symptoms

Virtually everyone is sensitive to caffeine in some shape or form- with the average person able to tolerate up to around 400mg of caffeine per day before experiencing any discomfort or side effects. If you’re noticing any of the following symptoms from consuming less than 400mg of caffeine, though, then you may be caffeine intolerant:

Heightened heart rate
Anxiousness
Jittery movements
Headaches

What is the difference between a caffeine allergy and intolerance?

It’s also worth noting that these symptoms are specific to a caffeine intolerance, not an allergy. Allergic reactions to caffeine could be far more severe – affecting your skin, breathing, or potentially even inducing anaphylaxis.

Caffeine intolerance testing

At Sensitivity Check, we test for caffeine intolerances. Our robust range of tests are extremely accurate, and can help you identify your intolerance so you can look to manage how it factors into your diet. A positive test may result in you choosing to live without coffee or energy drinks for around six weeks as part of an elimination diet, then seeing whether your symptoms subside. You could even reintroduce small amounts of caffeine back into your diet at a level that you feel comfortable with. However, if it turns out that you have an allergy to caffeine, then this means you will have to find alternatives to the foodstuffs you regularly consume. Ideally, you would benefit from finding alternatives that can help make up for the fibre that you would miss out on from your diet. However, when most people are asked what they miss about drinking coffee and caffeine, they say the buzz it gives them to wake up in the morning – and that’s why it’s crucial that you take steps now to identify a potential caffeine intolerance. Want to know more about a coffee intolerance or what else Sensitivity Check tests for? Log on to sensitivitycheck.com and see how we can help.

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