Caffeine Allergy: Top 20 Symptoms
Way back in yesteryear (2005), we published a post entitled “Yes, You Can Be Allergic to Caffeine” .
Since then this post has received over 190 comments from mostly those who have experienced some type of adverse reaction to caffeine.
I have painstakingly sifted through all those comments and have derived the top 20 caffeine allergic reactions in order from most common to least common. Note that this is entirely anecdotal evidence so don’t take it as gospel, but rather consider these caffeine allergy symptoms as possible since they were reported by a number of people.
Also, there is a fine line between caffeine sensitivity and allergy, but overall we’re dealing with the body not being able to correctly process the caffeine molecule so whether you want to call that sensitivity or allergy it’s up to you. In most cases these symptoms were reported after only having a little to moderate amount of caffeine.
- Skin problems such as hives, eczema, rashes, acne, severe itching.
- Headaches/ migraines.
- Anxiety and panic attacks.
- Can’t focus or concentrate
- Tongue, glands, or throat swelling.
- Heart racing/ palpitations.
- Angry, irritable, bad mood.
- Fatigue.
- Dizziness.
- Extreme jitters.
- Chest Pain.
- Depression.
- Numbness in face, hands, or feet.
- Muscle pain.
- Shortness of breath/ tightness of chest.
- Delusions/ hallucinations.
- Flu/ cold like symptoms.
- Vision problems.
- Cold sweats.
- Eyes swollen shut.
Most people reported several of the above symptoms and some of the caffeine allergy symptoms were quite bizarre. The ones that take the cake were itchy ears and anus suffered by one poor soul and a sweaty butt crack reported by another……..
13 Comments
I’m wondering how much of that is caffeine allergies and not a reaction to another ingredient. Take for instance my Co work and I both now after months and months of drinking have Adverse reactions to Monster Khaos or Lost 50 same drink different can. My co-work breaks out in a rash and i get Pain in the chest but other energy drinks don’t seem to have any adverse effects.
number one makes me laugh. i used to have skin problems (most notably eczema) but seemingly since i started to really pump in the caffeine i haven’t seen a trace of it. could just be coincidental timing, but idk..
Oh thank god I don’t have this….
On the other hand, I am allergic to beer, *expletives*
Still I guess mushy head symptom is better than itchy anus every day of the week
I don’t think i have a caffeine allergy – I think it is a trigger for something else, but that something else has yet to be diagnosed even after an MRI, an ultrasound, and a colonoscopy. Any caffiene from any source gives me extreme abdominal pain, with enough quantity i will be screaming and moaning for several minutes, and sometimes pass out. this may or may not involve spastic crapping. I am not exaggerating. I have had to avoid caffeine as though it would kill me, because i have had one of these episodes strike me while driving and it almost did kill me.
And all any doctor can tell me is “it sounds like a reaction to stress” or it might be IBS, but IBS wouldn’t just go away completely if you didn’t have one trigger, but as long as i never have caffeine again, i’m fine.
at this point, i’m just crossing my fingers to never have this reaction to chocolate.
@Helen – doesn’t chocolate have some caffeine in it?
Good Luck!
Ugh… I have a caffeine allergy and it’s no fun. I didn’t discover it until I was a teenager (I’m 23 now). Ever since, I’ve avoided it like the plague, but it’s unfortunate that there really is no cure for it, and not much treatment to speak of.
I’m completely fine with avoiding caffeine, but having some sort of treatment would be nice. Every once in a blue moon I might drink a glass of pepsi in hopes of being “cured”, but I quickly realize it’s not the case, and always regret it. Yet I still push my limits from time to time, which is absolute idiocy on my part.
However, that’s all stopping now, because just yesterday I decided to drink a can of soda and the symptoms are worse than ever. What worries me is no neurological it really is. The physical symptoms are bad enough, but when your brain starts getting affected, that’s when things get scary. After doing more research, I’ve learned that, depending on how severe your allergy is, having a “relapse” could be potentially life threatening. After what I’ve had to endure in these two little days from something so simple as having a can of soda, I believe it.
Awareness would be nice. When I went to the doctor about this seven years ago, they assumed it was a heart problem. Although, after rigorous testing, it was discovered that my heart was completely healthy and I was in great shape physically, not having a single problem in any area. My doctor told me he didn’t know what was wrong and left it at that, and it was later that I discovered I had this allergy.
I just wish there was more information about it and help, because it’s not fun to live with. It’s fine when I avoid caffeine (which I do), but every once in a while it will rear its ugly head in, and it’s very dangerous.
Drinking coffee/caffiene etc since I was 21. Always on the heavy side and it moved into monster proportions. My crutch through 2 university degrees / demanding jobs/ stress/ a middling feeling about life/ not especially happy to mild depression. Some 30 years later I’m getting raised bumps and sores on my arms/very itchy that I scratch and break open. Took me a few of those years to self-diagnose myself as having hives due to caffiene allergy. Do something long enough and in medicinal quantities and you will become allergic to it. This was hard to self diagnose because information about it on the internet was not very prevalent until recently. I’ll have to quit but right now shooting for moderation at 50-100mg a day and the use of loratadine/antihistamine…all related to hives. Quitting would be best though.
Well I have the heart racing & Jitters, and maybe anxiety, but i’m not allergic to caffiene.
Hives, caffiene allergy also known as caffeine urticaria (Hives, welts, etc deriving from caffeinated beverages). Some people develop this from alcohol/tobacco also..usually after years of abuse.
This is why your skin goes crazy.
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I have had sever hives for 3 years. I have recently stopped drinking coffee and am doing better. I also have had vision problems, heart racing, and facial numbness. I thought I was having mimi strokes, but I believe it is the caffine.
Im thinking I definitely have a caffeine allergy,big red patches (painful) appear some hours after I have coffee, tea, chocolates and even coca cola for close to half a year. it comes wih difficuly breathing the more I take and pain in the chest. it sucks but I might have to drink hot ho milk in the morning!
that has got to suck