# Are Some People Not Effected By Caffeine? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 25, 2010, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-some-people-not-effected-by-caffeine/547981 "2010-07-25T21:38:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2010, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-some-people-not-effected-by-caffeine/547981/1 "2010-07-25T21:38:38Z")
I sometimes work overnights at a temp job in a factory. There was a new girl and she came from the first shift. (They only had open spots in the overnight shift) She was all tired, so I told her to drink some coffee before she came next time. The next day she said she had three cups before she came but she didn’t feel any more awake. She said she was not a coffee drinker but drank some that night, “just to see” So the next day I brought her two of the Vivarin (Caffeine pills), each pill has 200mg of caffeine). I said, take only one and in a half hour if you’re not awake take the other. She didn’t drink any coffee that day. She told me she took both pills and still didn’t feel nothing. I asked her if she felt shaky or her heart was racing or anything like the jitters. She said, “No, I don’t feel anythings. it’s like the pills were just sugar pills. No effect at all.” So I said “Well I guess you’re just one of those people that caffeine doesn’t effect.” I don’t know if that’s true or not, but I would venture there is always someone that isn’t effected by something. I do seem to recall someone claiming that people that suffer from Attention Deficit Disorder or hyperactivity or something like that aren’t effected by caffeine. Is this true? And also are some people just not effected by caffeine? ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2010, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-some-people-not-effected-by-caffeine/547981/2 "2010-07-25T21:51:40Z")
Affected. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2010, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-some-people-not-effected-by-caffeine/547981/3 "2010-07-25T21:54:26Z")
I am not affected by caffeine in the ways other people seem to describe. I don’t drink coffee but I can drink soft drinks or anything else with caffeine in it and go straight to bed. I can’t relate to what other people are feeling either. I wish it did work because I have needed something that would keep me awake while say driving but caffeine isn’t it. I know that I am not completely immune to the effects though because I have downed enough coffee before to make me jittery and uncomfortable but no less tired. I may have ADD because my mother and oldest daughter do but I am not diagnosed myself. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2010, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-some-people-not-effected-by-caffeine/547981/4 "2010-07-25T21:56:29Z")
well, it doesnt wake me up but it negatively effects my heart rate. I used to love my expresso before bed but now it just triggers tachycardia and makes me worry about dying … since I am now on 3 different cardiac meds for blood pressure I dont do coffee or any caffeine bearing liquids any longer =( I really miss my bedtime coffee ( ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2010, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-some-people-not-effected-by-caffeine/547981/5 "2010-07-25T21:56:40Z")
> [@](#): > > I do seem to recall someone claiming that people that suffer from Attention Deficit Disorder or hyperactivity or something like that aren’t effected by caffeine. More precisely, they’re not affected the same way by caffeine. Depending on the dosage, caffeine can help someone with ADD calm down and focus better, which seems opposite of how it affects most of us. The same is true for many other stimulants (Ritalin is a stimulant, too). The theory is that ADD folks don’t produce as many natural stimulants as normal folks, and so go hyperactive as a means of trying to compensate. ---
**Author:** ![C.Montgomery\_Burns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ecd19e/32.png) [@C.Montgomery\_Burns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C.Montgomery_Burns)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2010, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-some-people-not-effected-by-caffeine/547981/6 "2010-07-25T22:00:46Z")
I’m never really affected by caffeine much, except by coffee for some strange reason. Soda pop and even Red Bull never give me a buzz. I can go to sleep after drinking a couple Red Bulls. But I feel edgy and my heart races after a cup or two of coffee. I may have developed a high enough tolerance level for caffeine that it takes a pretty high dose for me to feel it. ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2010, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-some-people-not-effected-by-caffeine/547981/7 "2010-07-25T22:10:06Z")
> [@C.Montgomery\_Burns](#): > > I’m never really affected by caffeine much, except by coffee for some strange reason. Soda pop and even Red Bull never give me a buzz. I can go to sleep after drinking a couple Red Bulls. But I feel edgy and my heart races after a cup or two of coffee. I may have developed a high enough tolerance level for caffeine that it takes a pretty high dose for me to feel it. Usually, energy drinks use [other things](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taurine) besides caffeine. You might be overly sensitive to it. I have also found that caffeine quality varies by product. I get the jitters after a half cup of Starbucks house blend, but 2 cups of Maxwell House instant barely wakes me up in the morning. ---
**Author:** ![BaneSidhe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c5a1d2/32.png) [@BaneSidhe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BaneSidhe)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2010, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-some-people-not-effected-by-caffeine/547981/8 "2010-07-25T22:47:20Z")
Caffeine doesn’t do diddly for me either. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-some-people-not-effected-by-caffeine/547981/9 "2010-07-26T00:17:47Z")
I don’t get a high from caffeine - that is, I’ve never felt an increase in energy level, or gotten the jitters, or increased heart rate, or anything like that - but I do get the rebound downer a while later. So caffeine tends to make me tired. ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-some-people-not-effected-by-caffeine/547981/10 "2010-07-26T00:53:14Z")
Most people have distorted ideas of how much [caffeine is in various products](http://www.cspinet.org/new/cafchart.htm#table_energy_drinks). Red Bull=80mg Colas are limited by law to 71mg or less. Coke 16oz=54 Mt Dew 16oz=54 Diet Coke 16oz=47 Dr Pepper 16oz=42 Diet DP 16oz=44 Tea 8 oz=53 (40-120) Coffee 8oz=133 (102-200) espresso 2oz= 150 ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-some-people-not-effected-by-caffeine/547981/11 "2010-07-26T01:01:02Z")
> [@picunurse](#): > > Mt Dew 16oz=54 The link you provided says that a 12oz Mountain Dew is 54 mg of caffeine, not a 16oz. ---
**Author:** ![rhubarbarin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eb9ed0/32.png) [@rhubarbarin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rhubarbarin)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-some-people-not-effected-by-caffeine/547981/12 "2010-07-26T01:11:33Z")
I have an ADD diagnosis,and while I wouldn’t say I am ‘not affected’ by caffeine, I can consume a shitload of it (and have many times) without feeling any different. I’ve never gotten the shakes or a faster heartbeat or felt ‘revved up’ from caffeine. Frankly I’ve never felt ‘revved up’ from anything. Caffeine seems to help me focus a bit and I’ve been drinking coffee and tea since I was about 10. I am physically dependent; I get a migraine if I don’t have at least a little early in the day. Lately I consume a lot of caffeine every day from strong coffee-house espresso and coffee. Probably in excess of 600mg every day according to picunurse’s link. ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-some-people-not-effected-by-caffeine/547981/13 "2010-07-26T01:27:24Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > I do seem to recall someone claiming that people that suffer from Attention Deficit Disorder or hyperactivity or something like that aren’t effected by caffeine. That would explain something. I can’t stand the taste of coffee, but when I’m tired I sometimes drink a lot of Coke. It mostly does diddly squat. Or maybe it has minute effectiveness for me, but not the bouncing-up-and-down-at-three-A.M. reaction people talk about. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-some-people-not-effected-by-caffeine/547981/14 "2010-07-26T02:11:05Z")
Yeah, coffee doesn’t keep me awake or anything. Having soda or coffee or whatever at night doesn’t stop me from falling asleep. ---
**Author:** ![Jormungandr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@Jormungandr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jormungandr)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-some-people-not-effected-by-caffeine/547981/15 "2010-07-26T02:58:53Z")
I drink almost 2 liters of Pepsi a day and still go to sleep at 11 PM. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-some-people-not-effected-by-caffeine/547981/16 "2010-07-26T03:10:23Z")
> [@picunurse](#): > > espresso 2oz= 150 Who drinks only 2 oz of espresso? When I have it, I usually order a ten-shot. I have a so-called ‘six cup’ moka pot. (Really, two mugs.) One or two pots, and I’m fine. If I have three pots, my scalp itches. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-some-people-not-effected-by-caffeine/547981/17 "2010-07-26T03:39:47Z")
I love caffeine. I’d freebase the stuff if possible. It’s a beautiful, natural drug that does so much with, compared to other stimulants, little negative health benefits. I can’t tell you how many night shifts I wouldn’t have been able to complete with full competency if it weren’t for caffeine. My mother, on the other hand. I’ve seen her on many, Many, MANY occasions over the years drink 1, 2, even three cups of strong (120mg+) cups of black coffee and an hour or 2 later sleep like a baby for 8-10 hours. WTF?😕 ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-some-people-not-effected-by-caffeine/547981/18 "2010-07-26T03:51:34Z")
I love coffee and tea but I can’t tolerate caffeine at all (about a third of a cup of coffee is my limit before the jitters start); my husband hates coffee and tea and can drink pots of it with virtually no affect (he had a ridiculous amount of caffeine one day and just got a headache from it). I wouldn’t say people are completely unaffected by it, but there are obviously personal differences (we’re the same way with painkillers - two Tylenol work great for me, and he needs the real hard stuff before he gets any pain relief). ---
**Author:** ![kim\_jung\_il](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/54ee81/32.png) [@kim\_jung\_il](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kim_jung_il)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-some-people-not-effected-by-caffeine/547981/19 "2010-07-26T03:59:53Z")
I am not affected by caffeine either. I could take a whole pack of caffeine tablets, wash it down with a 2 litre bottle of Coke and some coffee, and go to sleep 10 minutes later. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-some-people-not-effected-by-caffeine/547981/20 "2010-07-26T04:15:24Z")
I didn’t think I was affected by caffeine until I got into benzo withdrawal. And then it was just the jitters that it gave me. It’s never made me feel energized. Adderall, on the other hand, did make me feel energized, without any jitters. Sometimes I wonder if my rediagnosis of not having ADHD is accurate. But there’s no way I’m testing stimulants while in this grueling withdrawal. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-some-people-not-effected-by-caffeine/547981.md?page=2)