Caffeine during periods: Why should you cut down on your consumption

You need energy in the morning or just want to stay up, you grab a cup of coffee or tea. Caffeine seems to be the perfect solution for someone who needs additional energy to get through a long day at work. So, it can be a great remedy. In fact, some need to have a cup of coffee or tea on their desk at all times. But should you have caffeine during menstruation? Will having caffeine make your period cramps worse? Let’s find out what an expert has to say about consuming caffeine during periods.

Health Shots connected with Hari Lakshmi, Consultant, Dietitian, Nutritionist, Motherhood Hospitals, Alwarpet, Chennai, to find out if having caffeine during menstruation is a good idea or not.

Caffeine and menstruation

Caffeine isn’t limited to your coffee, but can be found in some chocolates and energy drinks too. So, it can go into your body through various foods or drinks. If you are a caffeine addict, excessive caffeine consumption can be quite harmful, especially for menstruating women, says Lakshmi. Here’s how it will affect your health:

1. Sleep

You should limit your intake of caffeinated beverages throughout your menstrual cycle to prevent sleep disturbances and energy level changes.

2. Mood

Limiting the intake of caffeinated drinks during menstruation is also advised because they can cause anxiety, jitters, tension and stress on the adrenal glands, says the expert.

3. Dehydration

Large coffee consumption may increase urination during menstruation. This in turn leads to a loss of vital physiological fluids. Instead of a caffeinated beverage, drink lots of water to keep the body hydrated and lessen your chance of getting bad period symptoms.

How much caffeine can you consume during periods?

Coffee inhibits a hormone that can constrict blood arteries and impede blood flow. It can contribute to bloating and stomach pain. So, consuming caffeinated drinks may worsen cramps or period pain.

How we metabolise caffeine depends on factors like genetics, tolerance, age, weight, and liver function. According to the Food and Drug Administration, most people can safely consume 400 mg of caffeine daily that is around four cups of coffee. If you just got down, limit your caffeine intake. But the expert says that the exact amount of how much you should cut down, depends on how your body processes caffeine.

Expert says that coffee contains caffeine, which might boost oestrogen, worsening the situation for women on periods. Although some claim that it eases menstrual discomfort, the truth is that it just makes periods more uncomfortable. Consuming coffee during periods is also connected to longer, heavier periods and other irregularities, according to a 2014 study published in the Journal of Taibah University Medical Sciences. It also says that habitual use of caffeine needs to be considered as a risk factor for most of the menstrual abnormalities.

Well, caffeine is not only responsible for missed or irregular periods, but there are other factors too. Some of them are a high-carbohydrate diet, rapid weight loss, stress and heavy drinking.

Things you can do to ensure you have healthy periods

Taking a break from caffeine is one way to have healthy periods. You can also experience healthy periods by doing the following!

• Performing yoga
• Eating a well-balanced healthy diet
• Engaging in more physical activities
• Lowering the consumption of dairy products
• Avoiding smoking

So, take some time off from caffeine while you are down.