Caffeine Replacement

[AnaBULLic]

Hello. I am AnaBULLic, 20 years old, pharmacy student, from Greece. Weight training since 14 years old.
So, I've been using pre-workouts (with caffeine) all this year. (BSN NO-Xplode 2.0, C4 and now: Stacker Rush) and I've had the best workouts. I like the boost caffeine gives mostly mentally and the feeling of optimism I get! I used to drink coffee before trying pre-workouts but (since I drink it with sugar) it was too hard on my stomach thus my workouts didn't end very well since I have stomach problems during the whole workout! (sometimes I almost puked...)
So I find pre-workouts to give me what coffee gave but even more and without the stomach problems!
However I would like to stop using caffeine, for a few months at least. I want to take a break from it for a couple of reasons I can tell you if you want (and you will probably disagree and we will have to argue and change subject and I don't want that very much). But workouts...they are tough and I need some boost before them.
What are my options?
1)Caffeine is out because we want to replace it (and please don't say guarana because it's the same, we want to find something else)
2)Alcohol can give a mental boost and feeling of strength and confidence (I get that easily after drinking a bottle of beer very fast) but it ruins your athletic performance and your concentration from what I feel when I experimented going to work out after a bottle of beer. 8)
3)Some mental preparation without substances could be useful but is not enough (like motivational videos and stuff, or pictures of my ex's boyfriend haha).
4)Suggest something more potent maybe? But I am not sure if I will be able to find it and the side effects... Hmm... I would prefer something that tends to be on the healthy side. But I am open to ideas.
I believe a lot of people have this question too.

What do you have in mind?
Thank you

 

[Serotonin101]

Ephedrine or synephrine.

 

[Genetic Freak]

Hello. I am AnaBULLic, 20 years old, pharmacy student, from Greece. Weight training since 14 years old.
So, I've been using pre-workouts (with caffeine) all this year. (BSN NO-Xplode 2.0, C4 and now: Stacker Rush) and I've had the best workouts. I like the boost caffeine gives mostly mentally and the feeling of optimism I get! I used to drink coffee before trying pre-workouts but (since I drink it with sugar) it was too hard on my stomach thus my workouts didn't end very well since I have stomach problems during the whole workout! (sometimes I almost puked...)
So I find pre-workouts to give me what coffee gave but even more and without the stomach problems!
However I would like to stop using caffeine, for a few months at least. I want to take a break from it for a couple of reasons I can tell you if you want (and you will probably disagree and we will have to argue and change subject and I don't want that very much). But workouts...they are tough and I need some boost before them.
What are my options?
1)Caffeine is out because we want to replace it (and please don't say guarana because it's the same, we want to find something else)
2)Alcohol can give a mental boost and feeling of strength and confidence (I get that easily after drinking a bottle of beer very fast) but it ruins your athletic performance and your concentration from what I feel when I experimented going to work out after a bottle of beer. 8)
3)Some mental preparation without substances could be useful but is not enough (like motivational videos and stuff, or pictures of my ex's boyfriend haha).
4)Suggest something more potent maybe? But I am not sure if I will be able to find it and the side effects... Hmm... I would prefer something that tends to be on the healthy side. But I am open to ideas.
I believe a lot of people have this question too.

What do you have in mind?
Thank you

At 20 years old you shouldn't need a stimulant to be able to train, natural testosterone and hGH should be at a premium, this should be sufficient without the need for a pre-workout...

If coffee with sugar gives you stomach issues, cut out the sugar...

If you want to reduce caffeine intake, limit coffee to leg/back days only...

You shouldn't become reliant on pre-workouts just to get you in the gym, especially not at your age... (mind over matter, use aggression not pills)..

 

[NeighborMike]

Yeah GF covered it, but going to the gym can be a strain sometimes but you at all costs want to avoid becoming depending on something to give you energy to do something else

If you do that you kill the motivated to do anything without whatever taking whatever it is youre taking, especially at that young

 

[AnaBULLic]

Ephedrine or synephrine.

Hmm...I will check these out in the morning with a better mood

At 20 years old you shouldn't need a stimulant to be able to train, natural testosterone and hGH should be at a premium, this should be sufficient without the need for a pre-workout...

If coffee with sugar gives you stomach issues, cut out the sugar...

If you want to reduce caffeine intake, limit coffee to leg/back days only...

You shouldn't become reliant on pre-workouts just to get you in the gym, especially not at your age... (mind over matter, use aggression not pills)..

Hello
What is the relationship between stimulation and these hormones? I don't find any. You are right though I am too dependent on the caffeine for stimulation and natural stimulation such as will for progress is not strong enough. But please do not concentrate too much on the age. First of all replacing caffeine with something else, preferably healthier, is one step forward towards minimizing the addiction (or preferably "bad habit") to caffeine as stimulant for my workouts. But even if this is not the case, and I don't mind being "addicted" to a substance in order to go to the gym, is not too bad. We all have something that keeps us going. So please stay on my topic
Plus, why drink the coffee since I do not want to use caffeine anymore? And if I do, why drink black coffee (no sugar) instead of a pre workout that will be loaded with more stuff. Creatine, aminos, beta-alanine and stuff...
Plus I used the word "replace". Not limit

Yeah GF covered it, but going to the gym can be a strain sometimes but you at all costs want to avoid becoming depending on something to give you energy to do something else

If you do that you kill the motivated to do anything without whatever taking whatever it is youre taking, especially at that young

You could read my above answer as an answer to you too.

Anyway. I took the centrum vitamins lots of times too, the ones that dissolve and I can say that they give a good boost too. I tried drinking the preworkout after drinking the vitamins (which is not good because probably caffeine doesn't allow some vitamins to be absorbed - and that's one reason why I want to stop it) but it really didn't work as it works when I drink it with empty stomach. Which means these dissolving vitamins could be a good and healthy replacement Maybe work as a placebo too. However I was thinking about buying the pill version that is enhanced but I never saw any difference with vitamin pills.
So...what do you think? Any other suggestions?

 

[Genetic Freak]

Hello
What is the relationship between stimulation and these hormones? I don't find any. You are right though I am too dependent on the caffeine for stimulation and natural stimulation such as will for progress is not strong enough. But please do not concentrate too much on the age. First of all replacing caffeine with something else, preferably healthier, is one step forward towards minimizing the addiction (or preferably "bad habit") to caffeine as stimulant for my workouts. But even if this is not the case, and I don't mind being "addicted" to a substance in order to go to the gym, is not too bad. We all have something that keeps us going. So please stay on my topic
Plus, why drink the coffee since I do not want to use caffeine anymore? And if I do, why drink black coffee (no sugar) instead of a pre workout that will be loaded with more stuff. Creatine, aminos, beta-alanine and stuff...
Plus I used the word "replace". Not limit

In your first post you asked for advice, I have over 37 years of experience I am happy to share with you, so long as you don't come here behaving like a smart arse..!!

Being addicted to/believing you need a stimulant to train is not the way forward for you... You need time off any stims, and stay off, unless like I stated earlier you wish to add that extra boost once in awhile on a heavy leg or back day (once a month)...

The stimulant I got when I was your age was a mental one, seeing yourself grow and get stronger should be stimulus enough, obviously your age is a factor, as previously stated the hormones responsible for this premium growth are considerably elevated at your age, therefore there should be correlation between age, growth, and mental stimulation...

As with any stimulant your body will adapt and quickly negate that stimulus, until you either have to take more for the same effect, or you don't get the effect any more..
Therefore why start in the first place, or play clever like I stated: Use occasionally, not giving the body time to downregulate...

 

[AnaBULLic]

First of all I asked advice about the particular issue. Replacing caffeine with another substance(s) or anything else. I do not need parenting advice. Or be called arse. Or learning how much years of experience you have. No I do not need that.
Neither I want to limit caffeine as you keep saying, I need to replace it. Take it out from my diet. No caffeine. Nor "stay off stims". Why should I do that and who are you to judge?
And testosterone is not a stimulant. Maybe higher levels make you more competent or aggressive...and I am not, so what, should I inject testosterone to replace my preworkouts? That's what you want me to think?
Plus I didn't say I need "motivation". I need stimulation. Different things. Aggression/passion are motivations mostly. They make you wanna train, hard. Stimulation makes you train harder and works in a particular moment.
All above are why I believe your two posts lead the conversation to another topics. So please accept my opinion and disagreement with you, and continue our discussion
Btw I asked for suggestions, not advice, as you say.

 

[manboychef]

First off. Ginseng. Natural energy.

Second: The two guys you are disagreeing with have been on bluelight for a long time, have probably been working out and bodybuilding since you were a twinkle in your fathers eye, and lastly they are giving you advice. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth. They replied to your thread and gave you their advice, they could have just as easily decided not to.

When it comes to advice go by this "If the shoe fits, wear it. If it doesn't don't insult the shoemaker"

 

[AnaBULLic]

First off. Ginseng. Natural energy.

Second: The two guys you are disagreeing with have been on bluelight for a long time, have probably been working out and bodybuilding since you were a twinkle in your fathers eye, and lastly they are giving you advice. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth. They replied to your thread and gave you their advice, they could have just as easily decided not to.

When it comes to advice go by this "If the shoe fits, wear it. If it doesn't don't insult the shoemaker"

In what form is ginseng available? Which would be better for my case?

You have a point but if a beggar asks me for money and I say to him "go find a job" well do not expect him to thank me. (Even though it's a good advice)

 

[CFC]

I have lots of suggestions I could offer. However with your attitude I won't bother, and I doubt anyone else will be inclined to either....

 

[AnaBULLic]

I have lots of suggestions I could offer. However with your attitude I won't bother, and I doubt anyone else will be inclined to either....

Hello
I would really like to know these suggestions
And could you please explain what this attitude you are talking about is? Because it's not that bad trying to keep things in the right direction like making sure the word "replace" is not confused with "avoid" or "limit", as it already happened.

 

[NeighborMike]

First of all I asked advice about the particular issue. Replacing caffeine with another substance(s) or anything else. I do not need parenting advice. Or be called arse. Or learning how much years of experience you have. No I do not need that.
Neither I want to limit caffeine as you keep saying, I need to replace it. Take it out from my diet. No caffeine. Nor "stay off stims". Why should I do that and who are you to judge?
And testosterone is not a stimulant. Maybe higher levels make you more competent or aggressive...and I am not, so what, should I inject testosterone to replace my preworkouts? That's what you want me to think?
Plus I didn't say I need "motivation". I need stimulation. Different things. Aggression/passion are motivations mostly. They make you wanna train, hard. Stimulation makes you train harder and works in a particular moment.
All above are why I believe your two posts lead the conversation to another topics. So please accept my opinion and disagreement with you, and continue our discussion
Btw I asked for suggestions, not advice, as you say.

This is the attitude, you sound like a giant dick head
"i dont need parenting help" "who are you to judge" are you serious?
youre not looking for advice or suggestions youre just gonna do whatever you want so whats the point of asking

First and foremost bluelight is a harm reduction board and all of us are goin to advocate that you uses the lowest amount of supplements possible especially when you dont need them
You got good advice and variable options but you choose to be be a dick about the information being given to you, so why would anyone continue to try to help you?

 

[AnaBULLic]

This is the attitude, you sound like a giant dick head
"i dont need parenting help" "who are you to judge" are you serious?
youre not looking for advice or suggestions youre just gonna do whatever you want so whats the point of asking

First and foremost bluelight is a harm reduction board and all of us are goin to advocate that you uses the lowest amount of supplements possible especially when you dont need them
You got good advice and variable options but you choose to be be a dick about the information being given to you, so why would anyone continue to try to help you?

I'm sorry but your attitude is very offending.
And yes I didn't ask for advice in general. Only for suggestions about possible replacements because I want to eliminate caffeine from my diet for health reasons (isn't that harm reduction?) so if an answer is not what I am looking for I need to say it. You can see how I react in my first response. And yes judging is something that requires more information, and these are not given so judging what I need to do is very general and doesn't help. It complicates the discussion and that's why I do not want this to happen. Is it a crime?
And I have the right to disagree since I state the reasons. Don't I?
And answering is not only about helping me, it is about helping other people with the same question so yes you can bother with answering even though you do not agree or like my way of writing, because you have the right to, or you may not answer if you do not feel like answering, I am not the one to judge too and I can't force you answer :D

 

[NeighborMike]

I'm sorry but your attitude is very offending.
And yes I didn't ask for advice in general. Only for suggestions about possible replacements because I want to eliminate caffeine from my diet for health reasons (isn't that harm reduction?) so if an answer is not what I am looking for I need to say it. You can see how I react in my first response. And yes judging is something that requires more information, and these are not given so judging what I need to do is very general and doesn't help. It complicates the discussion and that's why I do not want this to happen. Is it a crime?
And I have the right to disagree since I state the reasons. Don't I?
And answering is not only about helping me, it is about helping other people with the same question so yes you can bother with answering even though you do not agree or like my way of writing, because you have the right to, or you may not answer if you do not feel like answering, I am not the one to judge too and I can't force you answer :D

If you want advice take the advice, replacing something with something similar is not a good idea especially not since youre saying u have health reasons
your attitude came off as shit to everyone in the thread, i could care less what you think of my attitude

 

[AnaBULLic]

Thank you for your input

 

[NeighborMike]

Thank you for your input

No problem, im here for the people
I dont do it for me i do it for yall

 

[AnaBULLic]

I forgot to mention, I have also used taurine pills from scitec nutrition and didn't feel the slightest thing. Either with food or on empty stomach before training.
Someone suggested combining L-tyrosine, coconut oil and cocoa powder but that's weird as a combination, has anyone heard anything about that?

 

[NeighborMike]

I forgot to mention, I have also used taurine pills from scitec nutrition and didn't feel the slightest thing. Either with food or on empty stomach before training.
Someone suggested combining L-tyrosine, coconut oil and cocoa powder but that's weird as a combination, has anyone heard anything about that?

Thats not something you really feel, my guess is theyre telling you to get energy from healthy fats

 

[AnaBULLic]

He suggested it as a preworkout combination and to absorb the fats you need a few hours. It's not a bad idea because cocoa has theobromine and L-tyrosine is said to have some mental benefits from what I remember. I don't know about coconut oil.
Maybe I will research more about l-tyrosine and find a way to consume cocoa powder without adding sugar.
I'm also thinking about panax ginseng and GABA.

 

[Daz-69]

First of all I asked advice about the particular issue. Replacing caffeine with another substance(s) or anything else. I do not need parenting advice. Or be called arse. Or learning how much years of experience you have. No I do not need that.
Neither I want to limit caffeine as you keep saying, I need to replace it. Take it out from my diet. No caffeine. Nor "stay off stims". Why should I do that and who are you to judge?
And testosterone is not a stimulant. Maybe higher levels make you more competent or aggressive...and I am not, so what, should I inject testosterone to replace my preworkouts? That's what you want me to think?
Plus I didn't say I need "motivation". I need stimulation. Different things. Aggression/passion are motivations mostly. They make you wanna train, hard. Stimulation makes you train harder and works in a particular moment.
All above are why I believe your two posts lead the conversation to another topics. So please accept my opinion and disagreement with you, and continue our discussion
Btw I asked for suggestions, not advice, as you say.

If someone with almost 4 decades of experience took the time to offer me advice, I might be grateful, consider their reasoning and maybe wonder why it differed to mine...

You state you are a "pharmacy student", look at the mechanism of receptor internalization/down regulation after using popular stimulants, and homeostasis...

Motivation can be more powerful than a stimulant, that is if you have a strong will to succeed, and doesn't it down regulate overtime...

The supplement industry is renowned for controversy over claims of expensive overpriced products and proprietary blend of ingredients that either don't make that much of a difference, or don't work, of which pre-workouts are just part, most contain caffeine as the main ingredient that actually does anything, 1,3-dimethylamylamine was popular but suppressed appetite, N,alpha-Diethylphenylethylamine is an analogue of methamphetamine, not something you should be taking anytime especially every day pre-workout...
As previously stated any stimulant will quickly lead to your body taking counter measures that negate the initial response, homeostasis sucks, but that's kind of how it is...

Being successful in sport isn't about taking stimulants just to get you off your lazy arse to go gym, its about something you obviously haven't got, and would never understand..!!

Should you be blessed one day with the onset of maturity, you may come to realize the advice you have been given is correct whether you like it or not..