Coffee (adic) or the caffeine that causes flushing?

[skwpt]

My apologies in advance, as I imagine this question has already been asked a bazillion times — but neither coffee nor caffeine came up a search in the FAQ.

For those of you who still drink coffee, is it the caffeine or the acid from coffee (which could be decaf) that causes flushing. Or is it *any* cup of hot beverage?

I realize we all react differently, but I am just wondering if members here have noticed a trend.

It was a HUGE achievement when I gave up cream in my coffee last February. That step alone helped me avoid dairy most days. I still drink 2-3 cups of coffee a day, but it's black and when I make it myself, it's only 1/4 caffeine (I mix 1 scoop of Trader Joe's decaf with 1 scoop of their half caf).

I hadn't given coffee much further thought since last winter ... until I discovered this forum. Lately I have been noticing a mild tingle in my left cheek, and when I look in the mirror, I can see some visible pinkening, but not every time I drink the brew.

I'm unsure how much of it is physiological versus psychological. In the last few days, I have become hyper vigilant to every little reaction my body has.

I don't know about you, but figuring out my triggers is as much a PITA as figuring out food sensitivities -- though it does seem like rocacea-based reactions occur more immediately -- like if I drink red wine, even my ears get red!

[redhotoz]

You could try this instead:

Lemon Drink Recipe

Juice of half a lemon
1/4 teaspoon of a good quality ocean sea salt (eg. Celtic - it's course and grey - non-processed, unlike table or rock salt)
Top your large coffee cup with boiling water

It's a nice alternative to drinking caffiene drinks (which can be dehydrating). Up to 6 cups a day. It's an electrolyte drink, to help keep your body hydrated (no sugar though like the commercial drinks).

You can also add 1/4 teaspoon of Ascorbic Acid powder (Vitamin C) and 1/4 teaspoon of Bicarbonate of Soda. Makes it like a lemon cappuccino, as the bicarb makes it froth up. Kind of fun!

Jen

[Melissa W]

Hi skwpt,

As you said everyone is different and some can drink caffeinated beverages without any issues whereas others cannot. Personally, I still drink my 2 cups of coffee a day (love coffee ) without any problems. The only caveat is to make sure the beverage is not too hot. I can no longer drink it piping hot but rather more on the warm side. So, for me it is purely the heat factor. You could try drinking it less warm or even iced and see if you still react.

Also, do you put anything else in your coffee? Some people cannot tolerate dairy so if you add milk that could be the culprit. Or if you add sugar that could be what you are reacting to. Unfortunately rosacea necessitates a bit of detective work when figuring out what is and what is not a trigger.

Good luck and welcome to the RF

Best wishes,
Melissa

[skwpt]

Thanks for the welcome and feedback, Jen and Melissa. I am so glad I discovered this forum.

My British grandmother used to drink hot lemon water every morning, but I doubt she added salt. I drank warm salt water for about a year to help my burned out adrenals, and I have nothing in the house but celtic and kosher salt.

I already put lemon in my cold water, so I will give the hot beverage a try. The addition of salt sounds interesting.

I don't consume that much caffeine. I probably get more caffeine from chocolate than I do from coffee. <blush> When I make a half pot for myself I am probably getting less than 4 ounces (liquid) of caffeine. I was just curious if the rise in cortisol from any caffeine might lead to a flush, as it makes sense that it would.

Lately I have been noticing a flush when I drink the water at work. I suspect high levels of fluoride and will have to consider bringing my own water from home.

Melissa, I always drink my coffee after it's cooled a bit. I have sensitive teeth, so I don't do extremes with hot or cold. But I love the taste of coffee. Nothing else compares.

I now add nothing to my coffee. :

It was a HUGE achievement when I gave up cream in my coffee last February. That step alone helped me avoid dairy most days.

I was never a big on sugar in my coffee, though I do drink iced coffee black with stevia. Yum.

Thanks for the tips. As you say, I'll have to ferret out the triggers myself, but it definitely helps to put a pin in the map based on the experiences of all the people who have gone before me!

[drummond]

Yes its very interesting how you have noticed this phenomenon.
It will be more interesting to see if you will eventually develop this thought into something more concreate.
Whatever you do hold on to it!

[skwpt]

drummond, I can't tell if you're making fun of me or not. Since I try not to take myself too seriously, I choose to see your post as supportive instead of ironic.

[drums]

drummond, I can't tell if you're making fun of me or not. Since I try not to take myself too seriously, I choose to see your post as supportive instead of ironic.

Please be assured it is meant to be extreemly supportive.
I like the way you have approached your rosacea problems using your own instincts and suspicions from reactions you are experiencing then trying to find a true scientific explanation.
In many ways I have become to realise so many things through having rosacea and in many ways I am so pleased to have suffered from it for the wealth of knowledge it has imparted upon me.
I would like you to think seriously how you would feel if you were told that rosacea is actually caused by ones own self.

[Gilly78]

Not sure about the acid theory but it could be from the caffeine which is a stimulant or purely from the heat of the drink.

I drink a lot of tea in both caffeine and de-caf forms and seem fine with that but I'll go slightly red if it's too hot.

[skwpt]

I like the way you have approached your rosacea problems using your own instincts and suspicions from reactions you are experiencing then trying to find a true scientific explanation.

Thanks. And apologies if I seemed sensitive. I belong to a few forums where people get really thrashed.

Finding scientific explanation means a lot to me. I prefer empirical evidence and peer-reviewed studies to anecdotal evidence. Plus, knowing how something works helps me get to the root and fix it there, not slap a Band-Aid on top.

Unfortunately, it seems that a lot about Rosacea is still unknown.

[skwpt]

Not sure about the acid theory but it could be from the caffeine which is a stimulant or purely from the heat of the drink.

Good point. In today's online reading, I came across recommendations for an alkaline diet for rosaceans — to the point of veganism. I wouldn't have too much trouble being a vegetarian, but I could never be vegan.

Aren't our stomachs almost pure hydrochloric acid? Seems they'd be pretty well equipped to deal with just about anything we send down there, as long as we don't overload it with volume or send huge unchewed things down the chute.

I drink a lot of tea in both caffeine and de-caf forms and seem fine with that but I'll go slightly red if it's too hot.

I will have to pay more attention to temperature. I think I take my first sip after things have cooled down, but I know that I sometimes take big sips and hold it inside like I am tasting wine! Holding that heat inside my cheeks can't be good, whether or not the beverage is caffeinated or acid based.

I try not to drink too much tea because of the natural fluoridation. I have a thyroid issue, and I don't need any additional fluoride, which is an endocrine disruptor.

It's too bad because I love tea, but sometimes the tannic acid makes me feel very queasy. That why taking tea with milk helps, but I am trying to avoid dairy. I've tried to drink green tea, but I have no sense of smell, so the delicacy is lost on me. Oolong I can take black, and I do like it very much.