Caffeine is the substance at the root of coffee allergies. Coffee allergies can be hard to detect because the stimulating properties of caffeine hide the allergic symptoms. Caffeine is found in a number of beverages such as soda, tea, chocolate, and even decaffeinated coffee. In allergic individuals, every cup of coffee poisons the cells and lengthens and intensifies the allergic response.
Common Symptoms
Allergic responses to coffee may vary considerably in nature and intensity, depending upon the extent of the person's allergy and the amount of caffeine consumed. When people are exposed to caffeine repeatedly over a period of time, they may simultaneously develop a tolerance and an allergy to it. The stimulating effects of the caffeine mask the allergic symptoms, so people often continue to drink coffee, not attributing their symptoms to the caffeine.
Symptoms include a tingling or itchiness in the mouth or throat, the development of lesions on the roof or cheeks of the mouth and tongue, skin rash or sensitivity to bright light. Those with caffeine toxicity may have a whitish or grayish coat on their tongues. Mood symptoms such as restlessness, agitation, excitement, chattiness, nervousness, mood swings or anger are also common.
Caffeine poisoning can cause rhabdomyolysis, a condition in which tissue and muscle fibers break down, releasing toxic matter into the blood stream. Symptoms of rhabdomyolysis include general muscle weakness or cramping; however, symptoms may be masked by caffeine which, when it accumulates in the bloodstream, acts like morphine and alleviates muscle pain and stiffness.
Anaphylactic Symptoms
A very severe allergic reaction to coffee can result in anaphylactic shock. Anaphylactic symptoms usually come on very suddenly. Symptoms of anaphylactic shock include hyperventilation, chest pains, heart palpitations, a tightness or "closing up" of the throat and problems breathing. One of the byproducts of caffeine (called theophylline) acts to keep the bronchial tubes open. Consequently, allergic individuals having an anaphylactic response are unlikely to suffer a respiratory collapse. Nonetheless, anaphylactic shock can be deadly, so if you are experiencing any of these symptoms, call 911 for emergency medical help immediately.
Mental Symptoms
A coffee allergy can produce such severe mental symptoms that they are mistaken for psychological disorders. For example, it can create symptoms that mimic panic disorder such as parasthesia (pins and needle sensations), a feeling of choking, hyperactivity, chest pains and hyperventilation. It can also create psychotic symptoms (including delusions, hallucinations, and paranoia) that could be confused with schizophrenia; repetitive thought and action that resembles obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD); and an inattention and inability to concentrate that may be mistaken for attention deficient disorder (ADD). Coffee allergy has also been known to mimic symptoms of mania (such as those seen in bipolar disorder), including impulsiveness, impaired judgment, aggression, omnipotence, delirium, buying sprees, lack of sexual inhibition and loss of values. Symptoms of depression and anxiety can also occur at levels so severe that there are records of individuals being erroneously admitted into a psychiatric hospital for treatment.
