Should I Cut Out Caffeine with PCOS?

How to know how much caffeine is right for you? On this episode, we help you learn the side effects of caffeine, how it impacts those with PCOS, and what you can do to avoid the negative effects of caffeine!

What does caffeine do? We help you learn the impact caffeine has on the production of stress hormones and how this can de-prioritize the production of essential hormones for ovulation!

Can caffeine cause adrenal fatigue? We discuss how consistent coffee intake can overwork the adrenal glands and cause you to be tired all the time! You’ll also learn how to gradually cut out caffeine as well as find a level that could be right for you!

Definitely tune in to the episode if you love the audio format, and for those of you that prefer to read, have tons of info below for you too!

This isn’t a straightforward answer as your ability to break down caffeine is individual to you. Some people are more sensitive, some people aren’t as sensitive. It just depends on your ability to withstand high stress hormones. Which depends on the person.

We know that women with PCOS struggle with cortisol, stress, and hormone dysregulation. “Caffeine causes neural excitation in the brain, which the pituitary gland perceives as an emergency and stimulates the adrenal glands to release adrenaline” ( source ). This may sound good, but it’s a balancing act. Cortisol (AKA, the stress hormone) is important for our health—it keeps us alert and focused. However, too much adrenaline from cortisol can have us feeling anxious and wired, contributing to PCOS anxiety and mood swings.

In addition to that, caffeine can interrupt your sleep cycles, especially if you’re consuming caffeine later in the day. Sleep is imperative for balancing hormones and stress regulation! In fact, studies show that poor sleep can reduce your immunity, worsen cravings, contribute to weight gain, and increase your risk of heart disease—all due to imbalances of hormones like cortisol, estrogen, progesterone, and melatonin stemming from poor sleep.

So as women with PCOS, limiting caffeine is probably a good idea. We won’t recommend cutting it out all together if caffeine works for you, but maybe try limiting, only drinking it in the morning, or trying different options like green tea or black tea.

What Caffeine Does To The Body?

At the end of the day, caffeine is a stimulant. It impacts your circulatory system, respiratory system, brain chemistry, sex hormones, you get the gist. Caffeine consumption can have both positive and negative affects. Coffee is a powerful antioxidant, plus it can increase alertness, help you feel more accomplished, and increase dopamine (which can improve your mood.)

However on the flip side, coffee consumption can increase anxiety by raising your blood pressure, interrupt your sleep cycles, worsen hormone imbalance, and strain your adrenal glands. Coffee can also be addictive both physically and mentally. All of this also depends on the amount of caffeine your drinking and what type.

Caffeine in energy drinks for example, has less benefits than say coffee or tea. For more detailed information on the effects of caffeine on the body, we highly recommend you check out this post.

Does Caffeine Affect PCOS?

This is a complicated question. There are many scientific studies showing that caffeine unfortunately increases insulin resistance and blood glucose levels, which negatively impact PCOS and weight loss goals you may have. (This is concerning for any Cysters who many also have type 2 diabetes.) However, if you maintain good gut health, quality sleep, and low stress levels, some scientific studies claim that biological properties of coffee and caffeine might be helpful.

One of the well documented negative impacts of caffeine on PCOS is that PCOS is associated with low levels of SHBG, or sex hormone binding globulin. Caffeine seems to increase these levels of SHBG, which is a protein that binds to sex hormones and inactivates them. However, there is still much research to be done in the space and much is unknown.

So, the long answer is that everyone is different and metabolizes caffeine differently. Plus, you all have different physical and mental states. So while the statistics and studies would tell you to avoid caffeine, it’s important to take your personal health and body into account and come to a decision that works for you with your doctor.

Is Caffeine Bad For PCOS?

As we stated above, this is really an individualized question based on your body and mind. There are studies that suggest caffeine can be both good and bad depending on the environment. We would definitely recommend limiting your caffeine if you are having trouble sleeping or experiencing a period of stress. If you sleep like a baby or feel exhausted in the morning, a cup of coffe or two is okay. Again, this is our opinion but you should always consult your doctor.

Can Caffeine Cause Adrenal Fatigue?

Caffeine alone will not cause adrenal fatigue. However it can impact it or make it worse. So if you’re experiencing adrenal fatigue or suspect you might be, it’s better to avoid caffeine ESPECIALLY if you have PCOS. More on the impacts of caffeine on adrenal fatigue HERE.

PCOS Coffee Substitute Options:

Mushroom Elixirs or Mushroom Coffee

Adding mushroom elixir powders to your coffee or drinking mushroom coffee directly, can limit the amount of caffeine you consume per cup. Plus, mushrooms have tons of medicinal properties that are great for PCOS including hormone balancing, insulin regulation improvement, mood improvement, and more.

Teas:

Teas are a great option if you want additional health benefits with a little bit of caffeine. It varies by tea, some even have no caffeine, but typically even caffeinated teas have far less caffeine than coffee per serving. Here are my top teas for PCOS and how you can make them!

Decaf Coffee:

This is a great option if you love the taste of coffee but want to limit the caffeine content. The caffeine content varies depending on brand and methods, but overall you’re reducing your caffeine intake big time, sometimes even by 95% when you drink decaf.

Chicory Coffee

Chicory coffee is made from the roots of the chicory plant. It can be used to dilute your coffee or as a coffee substitute. It is caffeine free, great for hormone balancing, & contains prebiotic fiber.

Will you drink coffee with PCOS?

For more on this topic, we highly recommend you tune in to our episode on coffee and PCOS. We hope you enjoy it and hope this article is helpful for you to make a decision on whether coffee is right for you.

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