Health & Wellness

Q&A: Is drinking coffee a bad idea when you are on your period?

Well, that depends on how you look at it!
Coffee (the caffeinated kind) is linked to breast tenderness, breast cysts, irritability, painful periods, difficulty sleeping and irritability/anxiety. Whew, what a list. So, if you suffer from any of these issues around your period, coffee might not be your friend.
However, coffee can also be a nice treat, the perfect way to start the day or a great way to spend an hour with a friend. Coffee can also help keep you regular (like where BM-pooping-is concerned). So, the flip side of the coin shows coffee could have some benefits around your period.
Really it’s a personal decision based on how you feel on your period and whether that cup of Joe could warm up your day or make it a bitter one!
Well, that depends on how you look at it!
Coffee (the caffeinated kind) is linked to breast tenderness, breast cysts, irritability, painful periods, difficulty sleeping and irritability/anxiety. Whew, what a list. So, if you suffer from any of these issues around your period, coffee might not be your friend.
However, coffee can also be a nice treat, the perfect way to start the day or a great way to spend an hour with a friend. Coffee can also help keep you regular (like where BM-pooping-is concerned). So, the flip side of the coin shows coffee could have some benefits around your period.
Really it’s a personal decision based on how you feel on your period and whether that cup of Joe could warm up your day or make it a bitter one!
I drink the same amount I usually do which is 3 cups of coffee a day. The only time it bothers me, is right before my period when my breasts seem to ache a bit more during PMS time. If you do not have any issues that you are noticing, I would just keep on with your normal routine. As always, I like to see what our healthcare expert Sandy has to say, because she went to school for this kind of thing. Thank you for your question as we all live in a caffeine generation these days.
As far as I know, drinking coffee does't have any negative affects on your period. Some period-related medications even have caffeine added to them to help fight fatigue and to help reduce bloating. Since I am not a healthcare provider I am not sure what that does exactly, so I am interested to see what our health expert has to say. I am not a coffee drinker, but sometimes hot tea does help me feel better on my period, mostly because it relaxes me. As long as you do it in moderation, I don't see anything wrong with having a cup of coffee while on your period, but be sure to check with our healthcare expert just to be sure.