What Are The Side Effects Of Coffee In Females? Pros & Cons

crazy by Editorial Staff | Updated on August 6th, 2022

There is numerous information about coffee out there. However, few of these publications particularly address the effects of coffee on women’s bodies. Because men and women are physiologically different, it’s understandable that they don’t react to coffee in the same way. 


There has been a lot of contradicting data published on the effect of caffeine on women’s health. We don’t pretend to have all the answers, but we did some research and gathered material from reputable sources. When you read this essay, we hope it will help you understand things a little better.

woman drinkng coffe

In this article, we’ll look at the often-overlooked realm of coffee and women’s bodies. Coffee has a lot of negative influence on women’s bodies. Some of these are quite frightening and serious. Others, on the other hand, are exceedingly rare or even so minor that they are considered a minor annoyance.

The side effects of coffee on women

Breast and ovary cysts are more likely to develop

Fortunately, cysts that may form in your breasts or ovaries due to excessive caffeine use are typically benign. Still, going to the doctor for a lump in your breast must be one of the most dreadful experiences you’ll ever have apart from childbirth.

So, why does coffee make cyst formation more likely? It turns out caffeine affects your hormones, particularly if you’re hormonally sensitive. We already have plenty of those floating around without adding to the mix. Caffeine use will likely cause additional cysts to form if you have PCOS, Fibroids, Endometriosis, Ovarian Cysts, or Fibrocystic Breasts.

Genetically-influenced caffeine metabolism for women

Caffeine is broken down in your liver when you consume coffee. All of the heavy work is done by an enzyme called CYP1A2. You may drink a lot of coffee and not feel it if your body generates a lot of this enzyme.

The CYP1A2 gene controls CYP1A2 production. Mutations in this gene lead you to manufacture either a lot or very little of this enzyme. Approximately 10% of the population is blessed with an abundance of this gene. 

On the other hand, those of us who are mere mortals must make do with ordinary amounts or very little. If you’re one of the unlucky few who doesn’t have enough of this enzyme, even two cups a day can raise your risk of a heart attack.

Estrogen metabolism is similarly controlled by CYP1A2. You may also battle estrogen-dominant disorders like PCOS, Fibroids, and Endometriosis if you have too little of this enzyme. You can’t consume a lot of coffee without risking heart failure, and cystic breast tumors are also possible.

The frightening thing is that having a low CYP1A2 level puts you at an increased risk of breast cancer. So, if a member of your family has been diagnosed with breast cancer, and coffee makes you nervous, it could be a good idea to avoid it.

Caffeine is linked to an increase in infertility rates

woman holding stomach

According to experts, it is unclear if caffeine impacts the likelihood of pregnancy Caffeine should be avoided when attempting to conceive and throughout pregnancy.

According to research, women who use a lot of caffeine may take longer to get pregnant and have a slightly increased risk of miscarriage and low birth weight. Caffeine use of 300 mg/day is connected with a 37% higher risk of spontaneous abortion, according to data compiled from over 25 research.

Looking into it further, it appears that certain women may be more vulnerable to the negative effects of coffee when it comes to keeping a safe pregnancy.

According to research, women with a certain genetic polymorphism (CYP1A2) are more likely to have recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) than those who do not have this gene variation.

Micronutrients are depleted by coffee.

Caffeine drains magnesium from your system when you consume coffee. Other essential nutrients and minerals, particularly B vitamins, are lost due to this. B vitamins are necessary for happy hormones, which might explain why you’re irritable after a cup of coffee.

Magnesium is required for the health of your ovaries. Furthermore, because coffee is so acidic, it affects your intestinal flora. Even if you eat a highly nutritious diet, your body will struggle to absorb nutrients if this happens. The good news is that your body may heal if you avoid coffee and take certain essential nutrients.

Incontinence

Coffee affects your bladder. As a result of overexposure to the chemical, the development of incontinence is conceivable. Several studies have been undertaken that relate coffee chemicals to incontinence.

Coffee’s incontinence problem can be severe in those with hyperactive bladders. However, overdoing it can cause incontinence in persons with a healthy bladder.

According to studies, those who eat roughly 450mg per day have a much higher risk of having incontinence than people who ingest 150 mg per day.

If you need to use the restroom more frequently after consuming caffeine, you can reduce your average consumption rate to see if it improves. If you see a shift in the pattern and a decrease in the number of visits to the restroom, it’s reasonable to assume the major cause was excessive coffee consumption.

Cellulite formation

Oh, the horror! It’s the worst thing to see dimples on your thighs. When you consume a lot of coffee, your chances of acquiring cellulite rise. This is because coffee dehydrates your body, causing it to cling to the water it already has. Cellulite develops in this manner.

Many topical creams and other medications used to prevent cellulite include caffeine, which is paradoxical. Caffeine appears good for your skin when applied topically but terrible for you when consumed. So there you have it.

PMS symptoms may worsen

If you’re prone to severe PMS, drinking a lot of coffee will likely make things worse. Please accept my apologies, ladies. As if that weren’t awful enough, I’ve got more bad news: chocolate consumption boosts PMS intensity.

So, what should a female do? When you know your period is coming, avoiding the juice and sweet chocolate pleasure is the best advice.

Insomnia

Insomnia is a current condition that affects people around the country. As time passes, many individuals struggle to get a decent night’s sleep. If not handled properly, it may utterly destroy your body and mind and have major long-term implications.

When the world’s sleeplessness epidemic is almost out of control, the arrival of coffee culture has elevated it to a new level.

Caffeine increases the length of time necessary to fall asleep, which is the primary cause of insomnia, and this has been shown scientifically. On the other hand, women who work risk developing a major tiredness problem since it has been shown to reduce sleeping hours. For older women, the danger is significantly greater.

Emotional exhaustion

woman in gray sweater seating on chair

You get a good high when you drink coffee and feel like you can conquer the world. And you do it frequently. The disadvantage is that coffee prevents you from sleeping. 

As a result, once the caffeine high wears off, you’ll likely feel much wearier than when you started. This has an impact on both your body and your emotions. To counteract this impact, we recommend that you drink coffee in moderation.

Coffee affects your hormone levels.

If you’re a woman of reproductive age, your daily dose of caffeine may affect your hormone levels. Your morning coffee may reduce your estrogen levels if you’re white. If you’re Asian, though, a cup of Jo might raise your estrogen levels. Fortunately for us, this effect is really small, so you shouldn’t be concerned.

Caffeine depletes key micronutrients for hormone homeostasis in the body

We all know not to consume coffee when pregnant or nursing, but the truth is that it is detrimental to your hormones at any time.

Coffee depletes your magnesium system and other nutrients and minerals important for happy hormones, such as B vitamins. Here’s some additional information on why magnesium is so vital for your ovaries from me. 

Coffee’s acidity disrupts your gut flora, making it difficult to absorb the nutrients from even the best of diets. This makes it more difficult for your endocrine system to balance your hormones. When healing from an injury, it’s essential to take vitamins.

Excessive drinking can potentially raise the risk of heart disease.

Heart disease is already recognized as the leading cause of death in women. Around the world, a significant number of women are killed as a result of it. According to studies, only a small percentage of women can effectively metabolize coffee; the remainder is called sluggish metabolizers of this chemical.

As a result, people who metabolize at a slower rate, which accounts for about 90% of the population, are at a higher risk of having a heart attack. Threats like these cannot and should not be dismissed by any woman. That’s why, if you drink around or near the danger line, we recommend cutting back as soon as possible.

Adding a lot of sugar to make them taste better might also be dangerous for women with heart disease. An additional calorie from the sugar would make it riskier overall. To counteract the negative effects of coffee, we recommend reducing your sugar intake.

Blood pressure

Study discovered gender disparities in caffeine’s cardiovascular and subjective effects. Females had higher blood pressure increases than men but lower heart rate changes. Caffeine’s effects on blood pressure varied according to salivary estradiol levels.

Addiction

Finally, coffee addiction is a major problem right now. Women, in particular, should be aware of this since the health risk associated with excessive coffee drinking is dangerously high for women.

Coffee has chemicals that might lead to addictive behavior in people. A study discovered that caffeine had harmful impacts on the brain. Coffee stimulates the same brain chemicals as amphetamine and cocaine, which is pretty concerning. It’s pretty intriguing, even though it doesn’t have the same amount of need as them.

It is fairly normal for frequent coffee users to suffer a certain amount of exhaustion, headaches, and physical weakness as a result of not having coffee, suggesting that there may be a withdrawal issue leading to addiction.

Benefits of coffee consumption in women

Woman with socks holding coffee in a fireplace

Should we just give up the lovely fragrance of coffee because of all the bad connotations? According to the International Food Information Council Foundation, you don’t have to. According to their findings, most women benefit from modest daily usage of about 300mg/day.

Caffeine is safe to consume

Caffeine is safe for human consumption, according to the FDA, AMA, and ACS, as long as it is used in moderation. If you have any medical issues that make you more sensitive to caffeine, you should avoid them. If it isn’t you, then have fun. But not excessively.

You can drink a little coffee while pregnant.

Coffee is typically considered safe if used in moderation of about one or two cups per day during pregnancy. If you didn’t drink coffee before you were pregnant, it’s probably not a good idea to start now. Coffee may also harm you and your baby if you have any underlying health concerns. To be on the safe side, you should consult your doctor. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

Coffee consumption doesn’t cause congenital disabilities.

There was no relationship between coffee drinking and low birth weight or other birth abnormalities in all the research on the subject. That’s great news for coffee drinkers.

It’s OK to drink coffee while breastfeeding.

Anyone who has ever had a young child knows how exhausting night feedings can be. When is this small human going to fall asleep? As a result, the fact that you can have your morning wake-me-up cup while nursing is good news. 

Coffee has the potential to burn fat.

Many people wish to slim down. If you want to reduce weight for health reasons, looking for safe, long-term solutions is a good idea. Caffeine is found in many commercial fat-burning products, and it can be beneficial in some circumstances.

Coffee can boost your metabolism sufficiently to help you burn fat in some situations. However, because your body gets immune to the effects of caffeine, this effect normally doesn’t last long. 

Appetite suppression is one area where it may help you in the long term. This might assist you in achieving and maintaining a healthy body weight. Keep in mind that drinking too much coffee might be harmful to your health. As a result, you’ll need to assess the benefits and drawbacks of this strategy while also considering your health and body.

General effects of caffeine

Caffeine affects your body’s metabolism in a variety of ways. 

  • It stimulates your central nervous system, making you feel more alert and giving you an energy boost.
  • It is a diuretic, which means it helps your body get rid of excess salt and water by making you urinate more frequently.
  • It increases the amount of acid produced in your stomach, which might cause an upset stomach or heartburn.
  • It increases blood pressure.  
  • It interferes with calcium absorption in the body.

Caffeine reaches its greatest amount in your blood after one hour of eating or drinking it. Caffeine’s effects might last for four to six hours after consumption.

What are the consequences of consuming too much caffeine?

Caffeine use of up to 400mg per day is not dangerous to most persons. Caffeine overdose can lead to a variety of health concerns, including:

  • Shakiness
  • Restlessness
  • Dizziness
  • Insomnia
  • Headaches
  • Palpitations
  • Anxiety
  • Dehydration

Because of the dependency, you’ll need to take more of it to achieve the same outcomes. Caffeine affects some people differently than it affects others.

Caffeine should be avoided or consumed in moderation by whom?

If you have any of the following situations, talk to your doctor about whether you should restrict or avoid caffeine.

  • If you’re expecting, caffeine travels through the placenta to your kid if you’re pregnant.
  • If you’re nursing, you should be aware that a tiny quantity of caffeine you ingest will be passed on to your infant.
  • If you have sleep problems, such as insomnia.
  • If you suffer from migraines or other types of persistent headaches.
  • If you suffer from anxiety.
  • If you have ulcers or GERD.
  • If you have arrhythmia or any heart rate rhythm issues
  • If you have hypertension
  • Use of certain drugs or supplements, such as stimulants, antibiotics, asthma medications, and heart medications, should be taken. 
  • Check with your doctor to see any possible interactions between caffeine and any medications or supplements you’re taking.
  • Suppose you’re a kid or a teen. Both should consume the same amount of caffeine as adults. Caffeine’s effects can be particularly harsh for children.

Caffeine at modest levels does not appear dangerous and may even be beneficial to one’s health.

Final thoughts

The FDA suggests that you consume no more than 400 mg per day. The impact, however, may vary depending on the amount ingested, the person’s size, sex, susceptibility to the effects, and any drugs or supplements they may be taking.

Caffeine in its purest form may be hazardous, even fatal, and should be avoided. Furthermore, the current practice of adding caffeine to foods like gum and ice cream, which youngsters often consume, is a source of concern, and research is still ongoing. To minimize unpleasant side effects, people who want to quit coffee should do so gradually over many days rather than all at once.

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Disclosure: No compensation or free products were received in exchange for writing this review.

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Editorial Staff

The editorial staff at Crazy Coffee Crave is a team of coffee enthusiasts & Baristas who enjoy the one thing we all think about as soon as we get up in the morning. Trusted by thousands of readers worldwide.