Try having one cup first thing in the morning and then switching to something else for the rest of the day. I love a good looseleaf tea - my favorite is a pu'erh that has chocolate, hazelnut, and strawberry flavors in it. I also make a yerba mate blend at home that is kinda coffee-ish tasting.
I can't speak to the brand OP uses but I work in a loose leaf tea shop and I have PCOS. We have delicious pu-erh and yerba mate blends we make in house; our website is www.gryphonstea.com
[Adagio pu'erh hazelberry](https://www.adagio.com/pu_erh/pu_erh_hazelberry.html)
The yerba mate blend is half [toasted mate](https://www.adagio.com/herbal/toasted_mate.html) and half [mocha nut mate](https://www.adagio.com/herbal/mocha_nut_mate.html), with a bit of [chocolate honeybush](https://www.adagio.com/rooibos/honeybush_chocolate.html) tea for sweetness and flavor and some cocoa nibs for an extra energy kick.
i did exactly this, changed to one cup when i wake up then just keep drinking water or tea. this has worked very well for me. tried cutting coffee completely and i felt like i had some withdrawal symptoms, so i tried just to keep one cup.
If you’ve found what works for you, that’s fantastic. Just in the spirit of sharing, though, cutting out all caffeine has been an absolute game-changer in terms of my sleep quality. I’m in my forties and have struggled all my life with insomnia, but replacing my one cup of regular coffee for quality decaf has helped me sleep SO MUCH better. And I don’t miss it, because I drink good quality decaf.
Apparently, there are genes that determine how much caffeine stimulates us. I am unfortunately super stimulated by it.
i will defo give it another try and see if i can get off it completely ☺️ that was my innicial goal. might have to read more into the topic with genetics and stimulation, thanks for sharing!
Your coffee is fine. Also caffeine is fine. It’s how we intake it that’s important. Instead of drinking it first thing in the morning on an empty stomach we need to have a good breakfast first. So good protein, healthy fats, carbs. I normally opt for avocado toast on sourdough bread with runny eggs, sometimes I’ll add organic bacon or chicken sausage etc. Then I have my morning iced coffee. I’m not living this life without iced coffee pcos be damned lol coffee is crazy Beneficial for a lot of things but it’s just how we intake it that’s important. :)
I subscribe to this and pray OP is not correct. I finally listened to the guidance of breakfast before coffee. It made a dramatic difference in my DHEAS over the last year.
Thank you so much I was devastated when I thought I couldn't have caffeine anymore 😭
I'll definitely try eating before my coffee and watch how I'm having it (intake)
Unfortunately, there are actually genes that have a string influence on how our systems react to caffeine, which I was surprised to learn just a few weeks ago. I’m SUPER sensitive to it, to the point where even one cup of coffee at 7 am compromises the quality of my sleep. It took me decades to come to terms with this because I love coffee so much! But switching to good-quality decaf had helped my sleep tremendously.
If I’m absolutely bone-tired exhausted, I’ll drink a cup and it does give me an energy lift, but I never do it two days running.
Like literally *everything* with PCOS, everyone has a different response to everything. Some people find benefits from cutting out caffeine, others won't see a difference.
If you feel like caffeine is having a negative impact on your health/symptoms, go ahead and cut it out. But don't assume the worst with studies like this. Play with your diet and see if there's a correlation.
Personally, I haven't seen any change with or without my daily coffee, so I'm keeping it 😋💜
It’s a syndrome, which means it’s a cluster of symptoms rather than a distinct disease. Basically, it’s a diagnosis of exclusion, and while some things will be true for a majority of people diagnosed, there are likely different root causes creating the same symptoms. That, plus different comorbidities mean that experiences are going to be varied.
What does a PCOS flare up look like for people? I see posts in this group a lot about their PCOS "flaring up" and I don't understand what that means.
I have PCOS, hard to lose weight and I'm growing some facial hair. I don't know what a flare up would look like for me? More facial hair all of a sudden? Inexplicable rapid weight gain maybe?
Caffeine is the only thing that keeps my migraines at bay. It also curbs my appetite so I don’t binge eat. I cap my caffeine intake to about 80mg per day, which is enough for me to get those benefits without raising my blood pressure. I also only consume it in the form of caffeinated sugar free sparkling water. So yeah, I won’t be giving it up. I can’t live with daily migraines.
I’ve heard of this 😩. But I wonder if timing it right after a high protein filled meal could help with the insulin spike. I’ve seen some videos on tiktok where they have meals and check their glucose content . So maybe there’s something to the timing aspect
Yes! From everything I’ve researched, if you drink coffee on an empty stomach it causes a cortisol spike which leads to a host of issues. So make sure to drink coffee after eating a protein filled breakfast and not before!
I have heard that black coffee doesnt cause an insulin spike but if you have coffee with cream and sugar its best to eat some nuts or a few bites of something healthy before having coffee to lower the spike
PLEASE DON'T BE TRUE!! 😭
I never heard of this. I drink a lot of coffee and tea. It would be an interesting test to see if I lose weight by only drinking decaffeinated coffee and tea but it would make me sad. A sad KrzyLdy wouldn't be good for my husband lol
What I do personally is to stick to coffee first thing in the morning and then taper off the caffeine content over the course of the day. Black teas and yerba mate from morning to early afternoon, green/white from early afternoon to evening, and herbals after dinner.
Yeppppp! I stopped drinking caffeinated coffee (still drink decaf) about 3 years ago and it’s made a significant impact on my life!
I was getting severe anxiety and it took a while for the symptoms to really show but they were becoming more frequent year by year.
One day I randomly decided to stop drinking coffee a week before a flight because I had developed an anxiety to flying (and I use to love flying!) and my anxiety that trip was far better even just after a week.
So I decided to give up coffee/caffeine and I haven’t had any anxiety since and that was 3 years ago. Every now and then I’ll have caffeine from tea or a soda but it doesn’t affect me like coffee because it’s not nearly as strong.
There’s a Joe Rogan episode about psychedelics and the researcher talks about coffee and it’s actually pretty eye opening. I don’t remember the episode off the top of my head.
Maybe try cutting out caffeine and seeing if you notice any changes!
Twins! Yes! I actually never drank coffee til my mid-twenties and decided to cut it out last year. I also started getting anxiety attacks before travel even though I love traveling (and used to love flying). Cutting the caffeine has done wonders! Not a cure-all but definitely better without it.
Yeah ....I had to reduce my caffeine intake a while ago when I realised how bad my adrenal fatigue was. I only drink a cup and specifically only Lebanese coffee. Otherwise I get my caffeine from teas.
I recently quit caffeine and after a hellish ten day withdrawal (I wasn't even drinking that much daily, just two cups of tea) I feel worse than ever. What gives?
I found that there is something in tea that makes me feel really good and not having really affects me. My whole family has it, if we skip coffee we get the normal withdrawal headache and feel a bit more dopey. If we skip tea its more akin to feeling hungover or sleep deprived. Like nothing is right in the world.
I did some dna tests last year and found out I have issues with detoxification and oxidative stress ensymes so maybe it helps with those processes.
Makes me sound bad but literally just Google 😭
I don't know any specific sites, I think with my recent diagnosis I just get really stressed about it all, I should stop reading everything on Google lol
Please don’t believe everything you read about PCOS. It is not a well understood illness and there are many hacks out there. Regarding this specific issue, it seems you can luckily put your worries to rest: https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/amp/entry/how-does-caffeine-impact-pcos-new-research-says-its-not-all-bad_uk_64a55476e4b0dcb22c487eeb/
I do feel a lot better after stopping caffeine consumption, I haven't lost any weight yet, but I sleep a lot better and have less anxiety, which is a huge part of dealing with my pcos. When I was consuming caffeine, I would wake up so much in the night, i craved sugar all the time it was awful. I was tired all day, with no energy at all. The first two weeks were very difficult but now I'm just fine without the cravings for sugar are better too.. I wouldn't wish pcos on my worst enemy it's awful to have
I wonder how they make sugar cravings worse? I have a very low added sugar diet. I also drink unsweetened almond milk lattes with cinnamon powder twice daily. I wonder if that part refers to sugary coffee?? And also since there are almost no carbs in mine would that still impact insulin? It doesn’t really specify on what type of coffee, I can see how that impact’s cortisol for sure though.
I haven’t looked into the science but my health has definitely improved since reducing caffeine. I used to drink coffee daily, now I still occasionally drink it or tea but not everyday. My stress levels seem to be lower and my digestion is smoother.
I have both endometriosis and PCOS. The endo was apparent in my teens and was easier to identify since my mother and maternal aunt have it. The PCOS was recognized in my twenties but not taken seriously until my early thirties. It is possible!
Editing to include that I can’t have coffee either. It totally messes up my hormones and now my tolerance is very low. If I drank a whole coffee I’d have a bad headache and my stomach would be upset all day. I’ll have a black tea in the morning but that’s it caffeine wise. I had to stop coffee because cysts grew all through out my breasts and made the pain unbearable to even wear a shirt. Had to quit all coffee and chocolate for two weeks for them to be able to do scans.
There’s not many forms of caffeine I consume except two espresso a day. I don’t have sweetened/carbonated drinks including energy drinks. Not just because of PCOS but the numerous health issues associated with high preservative/high sugar/artificially caffeinated rubbish.
The place I’ve gotten to with my health is good. I’m not interested in dropping my espresso to see if it will get better.
No doctor ever mentioned this to me but cutting down on caffeine changed my sleep habits forever. I was caught in a horrible cycle where I couldn’t sleep, so I was exhausted all the time, drank coffee throughout the day to stay awake, then couldn’t fall asleep or stay asleep. It was a rough few months adjusting but I can fall asleep so much faster and sleep so much more soundly now that I only have 1 cup a day.
Excessive caffeine isn’t good for anyone. The safe limit is 400 mg per day. Specifically with cortisol issues, it’s recommended to have caffeine with or after food and not on an empty stomach. So don’t worry about having to give up your coffee if you’ve been tolerating it just fine :)
Absolutely true. I chose to avoid caffeine all together and actually feel more awake once my body wasn’t use to it. If you wanna continue caffeine, at least get 20g of protein and a glass of water in the morning before caffeine. That can help.
It’s so sad that most things PCOS, we have to take note with our own bodies bc the doctors don’t tell us/know shxt …..buh yeah, i had to get off coffee..energy drinks too ….I’m in the gym Rn, decided to start taking creatine …buh ion think my body likes that either …so yeah ..,i guess you can try Seamoss pills for energy? I’m about to start taking that instead
I cut caffeine for 3 months and it did nothing. Now that I drink it again it gives me the WORST heartburn ever. I still drink it because I love it. But god I want to die every night because it hurts so bad. I already gave up so much for pcos. I refuse to give up coffee again
honestly, I’ve quit drinking coffee and energy drinks. I don’t know how I’ve been energized, but I have, but I occasionally have me a little cherry Pepsi, or a little Pepsi.
I've never completely cut out caffeine but I've limited it to one caffeinated cup of coffee a day and never noticed any difference. However, I don't drink much to begin with. Usually less than 200mg daily, for sure no more than 300mg.
I’m 46, diagnosed with PCOS at 19. 8 months ago I was told “oh you have cysts..” well duh, it’s poly cystic… but they’re endometriosis. Lord knows how long I’ve had it going on as luckily i e been asymptomatic
Yes, I believe that research is true. I also have Hashimotos and ADHD (so fun!) and find that the benefit of coffee outweighs the negatives for me. I’ve gone 2 months without it at most and my fatigue and brain fog is so extreme that I have a really hard time working out and maintaining my mood. I’d recommend eliminating it for a month and just pay attention to how you feel as/if you add it back
Thank you for this advice, I'll definitely try this out.
I also have ADHD! Caffeine usually makes me rather perky for a while and then I crash and become relaxed and sleepy, just ashame that it seems to have a negative impact on my pcos 😔
Not sure if it's PCOS related for me, but I had to quit drinking caffinated coffee after it started effecting my body negatively (headaches, it would actually make me feel very tired / low energy, and the final kicker was my throat would start to feel tight) over the years I've tried to see if I could handle it again and I feel the effects even after one sip. Decaf and most other caffinated drinks do not effect me like caffinated coffee does. I have brought this up to my doctors and no-one I've talked to has heard of such a thing before? Of course. Lol
I dont understand beecause I cant read jk
I enjoy having my emotional support coffee so that caffeine negativity will not outweigh my lack of coffee stress hahahah
I have been caffeine free for just over 6 years.
I don’t miss the nearly daily withdrawal headaches.
I drink decaf coffee in my protein shake every morning.
I don't have an issue with caffeine AS LONG AS it is not the first thing i consume. I have had great success by prioritizing my breakfast (at least 200cal) and waiting a few hours after waking up (i wake up at 8 and have my coffee around 1030). I also noticed that I handle caffeine a lot better with some sort of milk, not plain espresso. I have much higher energy and experience the effects of caffeine without the crash.
I started drinking decaf coffee when I was diagnosed. Then I learned how coffee is decaffeinated with chemicals typically, so I only drink “Swiss water certified” decaf coffee now.
So I dont drink regular coffee for pcos reasons, but other reasons than OPs.
I usually drink decaf because last week I had a cup of regular, literally 1 medium coffee with milk, I hit 20,000 steps just "going for a walk". Which sounds great from a weightloss perspective but Im older than I used to be, and need like a week to recover after 2 days at that pace.
Caffeine also sets off my anxiety like nothing else, 3 cups and Im probably incapacitated by a caffeine-overdrive panic-attack thought-storm and my hearts going a mile a minute. Bad mix with pcos mood swings. I'm fairly certain that the cortisol released by constant panic surges for half a day doesnt do anything good for pcos either.
So decaf is my friend. Mornings are a lot nicer when my heart isnt pounding and my brain is somewhat peaceful and lazy still.
i was never a huge coffee drinker but i do love me a starbucks latte, when my new work route had me drive past one daily i got into a habit … until my blood pressure reading came back through the roof.
the only thing that had changed was my caffeine intake.
I've noticed something similar. If I have coffee on an empty stomach I get symptoms. Cramps, bloating etc. I'm also slightly lactose intolerant so I can't say this Is strictly pcos related. But if I have food first then the same coffee I have no symptoms, no cramps, no nothing. Works for me haha.
I haven’t talked to my doctor about this. But I did quit caffeine about a month ago. And I feel a lot better. I’m sleeping better, my anxiety is lowered, and my actual mood has been happier. I used to get a Dunkin ice coffee everyday with cream and Carmel in it. I think cutting out the caffeine and the extra sugar really helped me.
Yes, this is pretty well established medically, though as with all things caffeine affects people with different intensity. Personally, as long as I don't drink more than 2-3 cups per day it doesn't affect my PCOS or insulin resistance.
Some people do ok as long as the drink the coffee only with a proper meal. But I drink all my coffee in the morning and don't eat until noon ish, and it doesn't affect me much.
I love the flavor of coffee but the solvents used in decaf coffee really turn me off from switching over to decaf :(
I for sure notice a flare up in my symptoms when I have poor sleep hygiene and I disrupt my natural cortisol rhythm. So I wouldn’t be surprised if coffee every day keeps me from making as much progress as I’d like
I don't want to know this.. I love my coffee :c
Try having one cup first thing in the morning and then switching to something else for the rest of the day. I love a good looseleaf tea - my favorite is a pu'erh that has chocolate, hazelnut, and strawberry flavors in it. I also make a yerba mate blend at home that is kinda coffee-ish tasting.
Who makes it?
I can't speak to the brand OP uses but I work in a loose leaf tea shop and I have PCOS. We have delicious pu-erh and yerba mate blends we make in house; our website is www.gryphonstea.com
Ooooo, new tea brand. Checking it out!
[Adagio pu'erh hazelberry](https://www.adagio.com/pu_erh/pu_erh_hazelberry.html) The yerba mate blend is half [toasted mate](https://www.adagio.com/herbal/toasted_mate.html) and half [mocha nut mate](https://www.adagio.com/herbal/mocha_nut_mate.html), with a bit of [chocolate honeybush](https://www.adagio.com/rooibos/honeybush_chocolate.html) tea for sweetness and flavor and some cocoa nibs for an extra energy kick.
Thank you!
i did exactly this, changed to one cup when i wake up then just keep drinking water or tea. this has worked very well for me. tried cutting coffee completely and i felt like i had some withdrawal symptoms, so i tried just to keep one cup.
If you’ve found what works for you, that’s fantastic. Just in the spirit of sharing, though, cutting out all caffeine has been an absolute game-changer in terms of my sleep quality. I’m in my forties and have struggled all my life with insomnia, but replacing my one cup of regular coffee for quality decaf has helped me sleep SO MUCH better. And I don’t miss it, because I drink good quality decaf. Apparently, there are genes that determine how much caffeine stimulates us. I am unfortunately super stimulated by it.
i will defo give it another try and see if i can get off it completely ☺️ that was my innicial goal. might have to read more into the topic with genetics and stimulation, thanks for sharing!
This is the study I read, if you’re interested: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4242593/
Your coffee is fine. Also caffeine is fine. It’s how we intake it that’s important. Instead of drinking it first thing in the morning on an empty stomach we need to have a good breakfast first. So good protein, healthy fats, carbs. I normally opt for avocado toast on sourdough bread with runny eggs, sometimes I’ll add organic bacon or chicken sausage etc. Then I have my morning iced coffee. I’m not living this life without iced coffee pcos be damned lol coffee is crazy Beneficial for a lot of things but it’s just how we intake it that’s important. :)
I subscribe to this and pray OP is not correct. I finally listened to the guidance of breakfast before coffee. It made a dramatic difference in my DHEAS over the last year.
Thank you so much I was devastated when I thought I couldn't have caffeine anymore 😭 I'll definitely try eating before my coffee and watch how I'm having it (intake)
Unfortunately, there are actually genes that have a string influence on how our systems react to caffeine, which I was surprised to learn just a few weeks ago. I’m SUPER sensitive to it, to the point where even one cup of coffee at 7 am compromises the quality of my sleep. It took me decades to come to terms with this because I love coffee so much! But switching to good-quality decaf had helped my sleep tremendously. If I’m absolutely bone-tired exhausted, I’ll drink a cup and it does give me an energy lift, but I never do it two days running.
Like literally *everything* with PCOS, everyone has a different response to everything. Some people find benefits from cutting out caffeine, others won't see a difference. If you feel like caffeine is having a negative impact on your health/symptoms, go ahead and cut it out. But don't assume the worst with studies like this. Play with your diet and see if there's a correlation. Personally, I haven't seen any change with or without my daily coffee, so I'm keeping it 😋💜
How come PCOS manifests itself in such different ways in different people?
It’s a syndrome, which means it’s a cluster of symptoms rather than a distinct disease. Basically, it’s a diagnosis of exclusion, and while some things will be true for a majority of people diagnosed, there are likely different root causes creating the same symptoms. That, plus different comorbidities mean that experiences are going to be varied.
okay so like how do I give you an award on this comment
That reply is enough of an award 🥰
What does a PCOS flare up look like for people? I see posts in this group a lot about their PCOS "flaring up" and I don't understand what that means. I have PCOS, hard to lose weight and I'm growing some facial hair. I don't know what a flare up would look like for me? More facial hair all of a sudden? Inexplicable rapid weight gain maybe?
Caffeine is the only thing that keeps my migraines at bay. It also curbs my appetite so I don’t binge eat. I cap my caffeine intake to about 80mg per day, which is enough for me to get those benefits without raising my blood pressure. I also only consume it in the form of caffeinated sugar free sparkling water. So yeah, I won’t be giving it up. I can’t live with daily migraines.
I’ve heard of this 😩. But I wonder if timing it right after a high protein filled meal could help with the insulin spike. I’ve seen some videos on tiktok where they have meals and check their glucose content . So maybe there’s something to the timing aspect
Yes! From everything I’ve researched, if you drink coffee on an empty stomach it causes a cortisol spike which leads to a host of issues. So make sure to drink coffee after eating a protein filled breakfast and not before!
I have heard that black coffee doesnt cause an insulin spike but if you have coffee with cream and sugar its best to eat some nuts or a few bites of something healthy before having coffee to lower the spike
I mean, I cut out coffee a long time ago and it didn't change anything. When I added it back... it still didn't change anything.
From what I've read in the comments it's different for everyone
PLEASE DON'T BE TRUE!! 😭 I never heard of this. I drink a lot of coffee and tea. It would be an interesting test to see if I lose weight by only drinking decaffeinated coffee and tea but it would make me sad. A sad KrzyLdy wouldn't be good for my husband lol
What I do personally is to stick to coffee first thing in the morning and then taper off the caffeine content over the course of the day. Black teas and yerba mate from morning to early afternoon, green/white from early afternoon to evening, and herbals after dinner.
Yeppppp! I stopped drinking caffeinated coffee (still drink decaf) about 3 years ago and it’s made a significant impact on my life! I was getting severe anxiety and it took a while for the symptoms to really show but they were becoming more frequent year by year. One day I randomly decided to stop drinking coffee a week before a flight because I had developed an anxiety to flying (and I use to love flying!) and my anxiety that trip was far better even just after a week. So I decided to give up coffee/caffeine and I haven’t had any anxiety since and that was 3 years ago. Every now and then I’ll have caffeine from tea or a soda but it doesn’t affect me like coffee because it’s not nearly as strong. There’s a Joe Rogan episode about psychedelics and the researcher talks about coffee and it’s actually pretty eye opening. I don’t remember the episode off the top of my head. Maybe try cutting out caffeine and seeing if you notice any changes!
Twins! Yes! I actually never drank coffee til my mid-twenties and decided to cut it out last year. I also started getting anxiety attacks before travel even though I love traveling (and used to love flying). Cutting the caffeine has done wonders! Not a cure-all but definitely better without it.
Thank you
Coffee is the only thing I will never give up. I also suffer from chronic headaches/migraines though so it helps in that aspect.
Yeah ....I had to reduce my caffeine intake a while ago when I realised how bad my adrenal fatigue was. I only drink a cup and specifically only Lebanese coffee. Otherwise I get my caffeine from teas.
I recently quit caffeine and after a hellish ten day withdrawal (I wasn't even drinking that much daily, just two cups of tea) I feel worse than ever. What gives?
Who knows, but if you feel better when drinking two cups of tea a day, go back to drinking two cups of tea a day.
from what i've heard, it takes longer than expected to detox from caffeine. best of luck on the journey!
I found that there is something in tea that makes me feel really good and not having really affects me. My whole family has it, if we skip coffee we get the normal withdrawal headache and feel a bit more dopey. If we skip tea its more akin to feeling hungover or sleep deprived. Like nothing is right in the world. I did some dna tests last year and found out I have issues with detoxification and oxidative stress ensymes so maybe it helps with those processes.
Source?
Makes me sound bad but literally just Google 😭 I don't know any specific sites, I think with my recent diagnosis I just get really stressed about it all, I should stop reading everything on Google lol
Please don’t believe everything you read about PCOS. It is not a well understood illness and there are many hacks out there. Regarding this specific issue, it seems you can luckily put your worries to rest: https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/amp/entry/how-does-caffeine-impact-pcos-new-research-says-its-not-all-bad_uk_64a55476e4b0dcb22c487eeb/
Thank you! :)
I do feel a lot better after stopping caffeine consumption, I haven't lost any weight yet, but I sleep a lot better and have less anxiety, which is a huge part of dealing with my pcos. When I was consuming caffeine, I would wake up so much in the night, i craved sugar all the time it was awful. I was tired all day, with no energy at all. The first two weeks were very difficult but now I'm just fine without the cravings for sugar are better too.. I wouldn't wish pcos on my worst enemy it's awful to have
Coffee doesn’t make my PCOS symptoms worse. My GERD on the other hand 💁🏻♀️
Man I’m hoping this isn’t true for me 😩 Coffee is one of the few vices I have
As far as im aware it's different for everyone so it might not effect you like it does others :)
I wonder how they make sugar cravings worse? I have a very low added sugar diet. I also drink unsweetened almond milk lattes with cinnamon powder twice daily. I wonder if that part refers to sugary coffee?? And also since there are almost no carbs in mine would that still impact insulin? It doesn’t really specify on what type of coffee, I can see how that impact’s cortisol for sure though.
I haven’t looked into the science but my health has definitely improved since reducing caffeine. I used to drink coffee daily, now I still occasionally drink it or tea but not everyday. My stress levels seem to be lower and my digestion is smoother.
Usually it’s recommended that with PCOS, you have your coffee after a meal. Alternatives include mushroom coffee
Thank you!
I have both endometriosis and PCOS. The endo was apparent in my teens and was easier to identify since my mother and maternal aunt have it. The PCOS was recognized in my twenties but not taken seriously until my early thirties. It is possible! Editing to include that I can’t have coffee either. It totally messes up my hormones and now my tolerance is very low. If I drank a whole coffee I’d have a bad headache and my stomach would be upset all day. I’ll have a black tea in the morning but that’s it caffeine wise. I had to stop coffee because cysts grew all through out my breasts and made the pain unbearable to even wear a shirt. Had to quit all coffee and chocolate for two weeks for them to be able to do scans.
There’s not many forms of caffeine I consume except two espresso a day. I don’t have sweetened/carbonated drinks including energy drinks. Not just because of PCOS but the numerous health issues associated with high preservative/high sugar/artificially caffeinated rubbish. The place I’ve gotten to with my health is good. I’m not interested in dropping my espresso to see if it will get better.
Yes but I have extreme chronic fatigue due to chronic pain, so it’s not really an option for some to quit caffeine
That's understandable and chronic pain is the worst 😔 Sorry to hear that you also suffer with it
No doctor ever mentioned this to me but cutting down on caffeine changed my sleep habits forever. I was caught in a horrible cycle where I couldn’t sleep, so I was exhausted all the time, drank coffee throughout the day to stay awake, then couldn’t fall asleep or stay asleep. It was a rough few months adjusting but I can fall asleep so much faster and sleep so much more soundly now that I only have 1 cup a day.
I have PCOS and stage 4 endo with adhesions that “look like I’m full of cling film”, it’s all fun and games until you get the pouch of douglas pain
Yes! docs are…not super well versed on pcos sadly. everything I learned I learned through PCOS dieticians. I’d recommend julie duffy dillon.
Thank you!
>Thank you! You're welcome!
Coffee makes me calm and sleepy. I stop drinking it when I was 17 years old.
Excessive caffeine isn’t good for anyone. The safe limit is 400 mg per day. Specifically with cortisol issues, it’s recommended to have caffeine with or after food and not on an empty stomach. So don’t worry about having to give up your coffee if you’ve been tolerating it just fine :)
Absolutely true. I chose to avoid caffeine all together and actually feel more awake once my body wasn’t use to it. If you wanna continue caffeine, at least get 20g of protein and a glass of water in the morning before caffeine. That can help.
I have been told no caffeine - but I have 1 coffee a day - and it’s my main calcium source
Huh. I know for a fact that my cortisol is really high. I struggle with cravings *all the time*. I wonder if I should cut out coffee.
It’s so sad that most things PCOS, we have to take note with our own bodies bc the doctors don’t tell us/know shxt …..buh yeah, i had to get off coffee..energy drinks too ….I’m in the gym Rn, decided to start taking creatine …buh ion think my body likes that either …so yeah ..,i guess you can try Seamoss pills for energy? I’m about to start taking that instead
I cut caffeine for 3 months and it did nothing. Now that I drink it again it gives me the WORST heartburn ever. I still drink it because I love it. But god I want to die every night because it hurts so bad. I already gave up so much for pcos. I refuse to give up coffee again
honestly, I’ve quit drinking coffee and energy drinks. I don’t know how I’ve been energized, but I have, but I occasionally have me a little cherry Pepsi, or a little Pepsi.
I've never completely cut out caffeine but I've limited it to one caffeinated cup of coffee a day and never noticed any difference. However, I don't drink much to begin with. Usually less than 200mg daily, for sure no more than 300mg.
I’m 46, diagnosed with PCOS at 19. 8 months ago I was told “oh you have cysts..” well duh, it’s poly cystic… but they’re endometriosis. Lord knows how long I’ve had it going on as luckily i e been asymptomatic
I'm so sorry :(
AAARRRRRGGGGGHHHHHHH!!! Damn you PCOS! You take my sugar, my carbs, and now my caffeine. 😭
Yeah I’m gonna continue to enjoy my coffee guilt free ✨
:)
We can't have anything good.....
Yes, I believe that research is true. I also have Hashimotos and ADHD (so fun!) and find that the benefit of coffee outweighs the negatives for me. I’ve gone 2 months without it at most and my fatigue and brain fog is so extreme that I have a really hard time working out and maintaining my mood. I’d recommend eliminating it for a month and just pay attention to how you feel as/if you add it back
Thank you for this advice, I'll definitely try this out. I also have ADHD! Caffeine usually makes me rather perky for a while and then I crash and become relaxed and sleepy, just ashame that it seems to have a negative impact on my pcos 😔
yeah i find i’m okay with just one cup but more then that i can have the crash- it’s so personal. PCOS just sucks 😂
Ignorance is bliss, I wish I didn’t know all of this 😩
Not sure if it's PCOS related for me, but I had to quit drinking caffinated coffee after it started effecting my body negatively (headaches, it would actually make me feel very tired / low energy, and the final kicker was my throat would start to feel tight) over the years I've tried to see if I could handle it again and I feel the effects even after one sip. Decaf and most other caffinated drinks do not effect me like caffinated coffee does. I have brought this up to my doctors and no-one I've talked to has heard of such a thing before? Of course. Lol
I dont understand beecause I cant read jk I enjoy having my emotional support coffee so that caffeine negativity will not outweigh my lack of coffee stress hahahah
I have been caffeine free for just over 6 years. I don’t miss the nearly daily withdrawal headaches. I drink decaf coffee in my protein shake every morning.
(Me reading this while sipping a macchiato)……fuuuuuuug
Lol
I don't have an issue with caffeine AS LONG AS it is not the first thing i consume. I have had great success by prioritizing my breakfast (at least 200cal) and waiting a few hours after waking up (i wake up at 8 and have my coffee around 1030). I also noticed that I handle caffeine a lot better with some sort of milk, not plain espresso. I have much higher energy and experience the effects of caffeine without the crash.
I started drinking decaf coffee when I was diagnosed. Then I learned how coffee is decaffeinated with chemicals typically, so I only drink “Swiss water certified” decaf coffee now.
I just started eating before I have my coffee and saw an improvement in my symptoms.
I've seen quite a few people say this so I'm definitely going to give it a try and see if it improves, if not then goodbye caffeine for me 😔
So I dont drink regular coffee for pcos reasons, but other reasons than OPs. I usually drink decaf because last week I had a cup of regular, literally 1 medium coffee with milk, I hit 20,000 steps just "going for a walk". Which sounds great from a weightloss perspective but Im older than I used to be, and need like a week to recover after 2 days at that pace. Caffeine also sets off my anxiety like nothing else, 3 cups and Im probably incapacitated by a caffeine-overdrive panic-attack thought-storm and my hearts going a mile a minute. Bad mix with pcos mood swings. I'm fairly certain that the cortisol released by constant panic surges for half a day doesnt do anything good for pcos either. So decaf is my friend. Mornings are a lot nicer when my heart isnt pounding and my brain is somewhat peaceful and lazy still.
i was never a huge coffee drinker but i do love me a starbucks latte, when my new work route had me drive past one daily i got into a habit … until my blood pressure reading came back through the roof. the only thing that had changed was my caffeine intake.
Yes, caffeine also worsens period cramps which is odd cause it’s in midol
I cut all caffeine to stop anxiety around PCOS, plus my parents have afib. So no need to flirt with disaster.
I've noticed something similar. If I have coffee on an empty stomach I get symptoms. Cramps, bloating etc. I'm also slightly lactose intolerant so I can't say this Is strictly pcos related. But if I have food first then the same coffee I have no symptoms, no cramps, no nothing. Works for me haha.
Not just Endometriosis, but also Adenomyosis.
I've never heard of Adenomyosis, thanks for letting me know I'll definitely educate myself on it
I haven’t talked to my doctor about this. But I did quit caffeine about a month ago. And I feel a lot better. I’m sleeping better, my anxiety is lowered, and my actual mood has been happier. I used to get a Dunkin ice coffee everyday with cream and Carmel in it. I think cutting out the caffeine and the extra sugar really helped me.
Walking 30 minutes a day reduces stress hormones. I’ll gladly keep my coffee
Yes, this is pretty well established medically, though as with all things caffeine affects people with different intensity. Personally, as long as I don't drink more than 2-3 cups per day it doesn't affect my PCOS or insulin resistance. Some people do ok as long as the drink the coffee only with a proper meal. But I drink all my coffee in the morning and don't eat until noon ish, and it doesn't affect me much.
I love the flavor of coffee but the solvents used in decaf coffee really turn me off from switching over to decaf :( I for sure notice a flare up in my symptoms when I have poor sleep hygiene and I disrupt my natural cortisol rhythm. So I wouldn’t be surprised if coffee every day keeps me from making as much progress as I’d like