Coffee is something that most people cannot live without. An average person consumes 1-2 cups of the beverage per day. Most women consume large amounts of caffeine-containing beverages in order to get through their hectic schedules. Though this may seem reasonable, a high caffeine intake is harmful to women’s bodies in the long run.
Increased Symptoms of PMS
A study of 400 healthy women found that women who drank more coffee were more likely to suffer from severe premenstrual syndrome. PMS symptoms include mood swings, anxiety, cramping, irritability, and food cravings. Women suffering from PMS tend to drink more coffee in an attempt to boost their energy levels, which causes additional harm to the body. An increase in caffeine consumption may result in increased tension, anxiety, difficulty sleeping, and exhaustion.
Short cycles
Caffeine has been linked to shorter cycles in women. Women who consume a lot of coffee are twice as likely to have short cycles instead of 28 days, and some of them even go below 25 days. The 28-day cycle is the monthly reproduction cycle that women go through to prepare their bodies for pregnancy. Caffeine’s effect on sex hormones or hormone receptors is thought to be the likely cause of shorter cycles in women who consume more coffee or caffeine beverages.
Longer/Irregular period
These women also experience longer and heavier periods because of their high caffeine intake. According to research done by the Taibah University, Medical Sciences, caffeine affects the follicular and luteinizing hormones. ‘ Caffeine inhibits the action of adenosine, which in laboratory studies affects luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone, which could, in turn, affect the length of the menstrual cycle.’’ says the research paper.
Increased stress levels
Caffeine raises your stress levels if you consume it on a regular basis. It directly affects hormones in our bodies such as norepinephrine, epinephrine, and cortisol, which are responsible for increasing your heart rate and blood pressure in stressful situations, causing you to be anxious. In the long run, this may result in a reduced sex drive, irregular periods, or delayed conceptions in women.
Breast cysts
Caffeine is linked to the development of breast cysts in women. But this also applies to women who are prone to ovarian cysts. Women who have PCOS, Fibroids, Endometriosis, or Fibrocystic breasts should avoid coffee completely. This is because it has been shown to worsen their conditions. Coffee is almost a sure way for cysts to develop in women with the conditions mentioned, so switching to non-caffeine beverages will do them far more good than coffee could ever do.
What you can do…
Thus, instead of relying on coffee for day-to-day living. Women are advised to change to something that will not interrupt their hormones. It is far advantageous to drink and eat natural energy-boosting nutritious food. Green tea, oatmeal, spinach, sweet potatoes, fruits, and green tea are foods that provide good nutrients and can be used in place of coffee to provide you with healthy energy.
Conclusion
Though many people really enjoy coffee, it is also important to consider our bodies’ well-being. After all, if you don’t take care of your own body, no one else will. Reduce your caffeine intake as much as possible and replace it with more nutritious natural energy-boosting foods for a healthier and more fulfilling life.
