Ok, here's my story, and I'm hoping I'm not jumping the gun on this one, but it is very exciting.
So I decided to pull an all nighter from the 16-17th of October to help me re-adjust my sleeping pattern. To do this I drank 2 Rockstar Energy Drinks, which is roughly 320mg of Caffeine. I sort of succeeded because even though I crashed and had a 6 hour nap from 12-6pm on the 17th; today on the 18th I woke up at 5:30am which means it was a success! However I did have to use tryptophan and magnesium to help me fall asleep again because that 6 hour nap was really refreshing. So anyway I feel like I've successfully readjusted my sleeping pattern.
Now what happened during the early morn of the 17th, was simply amazing. Caffeine has always sucked for me. Completely sucked. I mean, I've tried it with theanine, and then by it's own. In coffee, or energy drinks, or tea. I've tried to recreate the nootropic effect others have, whether it be focus or motivation, and haven't succeeded. What happens instead, is I get a range of negative effects of caffeine, which are:
1. Caffeine gives me brain fog, and a spaced out feeling.
2. Caffeine stays in my system for a loooong time. For example, I would be scared of drinking it any time other than right in the morning when I wake up, because I would get major insomnia. In fact, the reason I had to readjust my sleeping pattern, is because I ate a lot of dark chocolate before bed a few weeks back (forgetting dark chocolate has a high caffeine content), which resulted with bad insomnia.
3. Caffeine can give me major nausea (though I think this is mainly from coffee only). I don't get nausea from anything. But coffee especially can give me it.
So I pretty much avoid caffeine.
So recently I've been experimenting with high/mega doses of vitamin C. I've been taking some 1g tablets many times throughout the day. I'm not really following any sort of regime. However 2g every few hours seems to be what I've settled for. These tablets contain 1g of vitamin c, and 500mg bioflavanoids.
Anyway I was taking these when doing the all nighter. I also had drank 2 energy drinks energy drinks which contained roughly 320mg. What happened next was nothing short of amazing. I decided to go for a jog at 5am. And when I went for a jog, I didn't end up jogging, I was sprinting, and enjoying it. It was super easy for me to push myself to the limit, and I felt really happy and positive. I also felt really healthy and fit, like I could breath better, and my circulation was much better. Obviously high on adrenaline.
Then when I got home. I started doing loads of research on vitamin c. My mind was sharp, clear, and awake. I started emailing my friend about different health things we talk about, this time mainly about vitamin c, my experiences with it recently, and it's research. And I was writing at a super speed with hardly any mistakes. I sent him a looooong email. Then continuing my research, I sent him another two! Then I think either the caffeine was wearing off, or I was on a come down (though I didn't feel like it), and then I got a bit more normal. However remember I was pulling an all nighter.
However for at least I'd say, within a 5 hour span, I experienced the power of caffeine on enhancing my motivation, fitness level, mood, and clarity of mind! And all without a comedown or crash. It was amazing.
Oh and after I fell asleep during the day, I was pretty damn refreshed from that 6 hour nap, hence why I needed to take tryptophan and magnesium last night to force myself asleep again. (The original goal was to stay up until 7pm, but I didn't make it that far).
Right now I really need some caffeine. Because of last nights tryptophan and magnesium to force myself asleep, my mind is not clear, I keep making mistakes and rewriting, and I have no energy. However this was to be expected as I am making major adjustments to my sleeping pattern in a short time.
I must note I did have a negative side effect, which I do get with caffeine even without the vitamin c. And that is, I get pissed off much more easily. Like I was talking to another friend on instant messaging at 8am, and he said some things that pissed me off, basically acting like a troll/being a dick. However that's his personality sometimes, and usually it doesn't bother me much. But with caffeine, my tolerance to people who are messing around is lowered considerably. Just like anyone who's having a bad day or is highly stressed and they can't put up with people messing around, too much caffeine does the same for me. Infact it can put me in a really negative mood/thoughts of that other person.
Anyway that's pretty much it. I think the shop might have opened now (7:30am) and I'll see if I can get a rockstar down me now before it too late and effects my sleep. At the moment I'm a bit sleepy still, but that's to be expected. But tomorrow morning, after having woken up at 4:30-5am. Get 2-3g of Vitamin C down me, and a rockstar (which I'll buy in advance so I have it next morning). Then wait 30 mins, and then go for a jog. Will be what I'm really looking forward to testing.
So basically if your caffeine sensitive, and want to experiment with caffeine again. Try taking megadoses of vitamin c throughout the day.
I pretty much guess it's something about the vitamin c helping my adrenal glands and cortisol levels a lot.
All thoughts and discussion are welcome.