{"id":54374,"date":"2022-10-05T09:30:20","date_gmt":"2022-10-05T13:30:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=54374"},"modified":"2022-11-18T15:03:45","modified_gmt":"2022-11-18T20:03:45","slug":"phentermine-and-caffeine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/phentermine-and-caffeine\/","title":{"rendered":"Is it safe to mix phentermine and caffeine?"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you are someone who takes phentermine for weight management, you might be wondering if it\u2019s okay to have a cup of coffee every now and then. How about tea, soda, or other forms of caffeine? After all, phentermine is a<\/span>\u00a0stimulant<\/span><\/a> and can have some of the same<\/span> side effects<\/span><\/a> as caffeine, such as rapid heartbeat and jitteriness. Is it possible that combining phentermine and coffee will have some unpleasant\u2014or even harmful\u2014side effects?<\/span><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s take a look at what happens when you mix phentermine and caffeine, and whether you can drink caffeine while taking <\/span>phentermine<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What is phentermine?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Phentermine<\/span><\/a> is a medication that can suppress your appetite. It\u2019s often used to help overweight or obese people who are having trouble losing weight. The medication is usually combined with other weight loss strategies such as calorie reduction and exercise. If you\u2019re wondering how much caffeine is in phentermine, the answer is zero. Phentermine doesn\u2019t have caffeine in it, but like caffeine, it\u2019s a stimulant, and has many of the same side effects as caffeine.<\/span><\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/b>Is phentermine for weight loss safe?<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

Do phentermine and caffeine interact?<\/span><\/h2>\n

There is little published data out there to answer questions like, \u201cCan you drink coffee with phentermine?\u201d But in theory, phentermine and caffeine could interact with each other, says<\/span> Laura Purdy<\/span><\/a>, MD, a board-certified family medicine physician.<\/span><\/p>\n

The reason for this, Dr. Purdy says, is because both phentermine and caffeine stimulate the nervous system, and if combined together, you could potentially experience intense side effects. \u201cI would expect that someone who is using phentermine and also chooses to take caffeine will have a very high blood pressure and heart rate, likely palpitations, have trouble with sleeping, and will likely have racing thoughts and a dry mouth,\u201d Dr. Purdy explains.<\/span><\/p>\n

Does caffeine interact with topiramate?<\/span><\/h3>\n

Phentermine is often combined with <\/span>topiramate to maximize effects in people looking to lose weight. In 2012, the FDA approved a combination drug called Qsymia, which contains phentermine and topiramate, to be used as an appetite suppressant. As such, if you are taking topiramate along with <\/span>phentermine,<\/span> you may be wondering if you can consume caffeine.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to Erika Gray, Pharm.D., chief medical officer and co-founder of<\/span> Toolbox Genomics<\/span><\/a>, there is some<\/span> research indicating<\/span><\/a> caffeine interacts with topiramate by making it less effective. \u201cThis is especially problematic if you take topiramate for seizures,\u201d she says. (Topamax, a single-ingredient drug that contains the active ingredient topiramate, is used to treat certain types of seizures.) However, she notes that there isn\u2019t any research showing that caffeine decreases the effectiveness of topiramate when it comes to appetite suppression.<\/span><\/p>\n

How much caffeine can you have with phentermine?<\/span><\/h2>\n

There are no set rules about how much caffeine you can consume with phentermine, says Dr. Purdy. Still, she recommends using precautions. \u201cI would really advise that people drastically cut back, and they probably won\u2019t even feel like they need caffeine when they are taking phentermine,\u201d she explains.<\/span><\/p>\n

It’s also important to remember that not all caffeine sources have the same amount of caffeine in them. \u201cA Starbucks quadruple espresso has much more caffeine than a cup of green tea,\u201d says Dr. Purdy. It\u2019s possible there is a dose dependent impact when it comes to mixing phentermine and caffeine. \u201cThe more that you take, the more symptoms of caffeine excess or stimulant excess the person may have,\u201d she explains.<\/span>\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

How does caffeine affect people on appetite suppressants?<\/span>\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n

Phentermine isn\u2019t the only stimulant appetite suppressant medication out there. The FDA has approved other stimulant medications for weight management,<\/span> such as<\/span><\/a>:<\/span><\/p>\n