Coffee has become one of the world's most popular beverages. Although coffee includes disease-fighting antioxidants and anti-inflammatory chemicals and helps to improve mood, too much of it can lead to the development of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), a hormonal illness that affects women of childbearing age. Dr. Surabhi Siddhartha, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynecologist at Motherhood Hospital in Kharghar, expresses her opinion.
Caffeine lowers insulin sensitivity and elevates blood glucose levels, both of which are detrimental to PCOS. Caffeine is well-known to be one of the components that influences the body's central nervous system and metabolic processes. Several investigations published in medical journals such as Lancet have discovered a link between frequent coffee users and secondary infertility. Caffeine affects reproductive health by altering endogenous hormone levels via changes in ovarian function or hormone metabolism.
Caffeine functions as a non-selective adenosine antagonist in the body. It raises the intracellular concentration of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (AMP), which affects glycogen, sugar, and lipid metabolism, and changes catecholamine blood vessels.
Coffee includes a variety of bioactive chemicals, including lignans and isoflavones, which are phytoestrogens with a high affinity for oestrogen receptors. Because both caffeine and oestrogen are metabolised by the liver, it is possible that these coffee bioactive compounds may interact with estradiol levels via shared metabolic pathways. As a result, variations in hormone levels may have an effect on a woman's menstrual cycle.
Coffee use has also been linked to lower levels of oestrogen and hCG during pregnancy. In reality, coffee drinking raises catecholamines, which combine dopamine, adrenaline, and noradrenaline and may have an effect on placental blood flow. Caffeine also boosts the stress hormone cortisol, which stimulates the synthesis of the insulin suppressing hormone progesterone (a female hormone that affects the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and embryogenesis).
Taking these and other research into account, the European Food Safety Authority and WHO suggest that caffeine consumption be limited to less than 200mg3 per day for women trying to conceive and pregnant women. Coffee, when eaten in moderation, can help with weight loss. If you have a coffee desire, consider substituting it with green tea, which has one-tenth the caffeine of a cup of coffee. It is also alkaline, so it does not deplete important nutrients like coffee. Coffee, among other things, helps to prevent age-related cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease, increases productivity at work by lowering weariness, enhances mood, and instils a sense of well-being. The main point is that it should be ingested in moderation on a regular basis.
