So you have heard this topic back and forth... One day it is okay to consume caffeine, the next it's not! Caffeine is found in many beverages and foods. Humans have consumed caffeinated foods and beverages for hundreds of years. Caffeine is found in leaves, seeds and/or fruits in over 63 natural plant species worldwide. The average person consumes 200 mg per day, while pregnant woman tent to consume less. Before I input my personal opinion here are some myths and facts about Caffeine.
Caffeine Fact:
Caffeine is a diuretic. So be sure to drink more fluids if consuming caffeine.
Myth or Fact?
Caffeine Causes Miscarriage:
Few studies have shown an increase in miscarriages among woman who consume HIGH levels of caffeine. I capitalized high because this means woman would have to drink 6 cups of coffee a day or 700 mg/day. Moderate levels of caffeine have not been found to have a negative impact on pregnancy. A moderate intake would be 150mg-300mg a day. Here is a break down of a few drinks...
*Coffee Brewed (8 ounces) 105-135 mg
*Coffee Instant (8 ounces) 57-95 mg
*Espresso 100 mg
*Cappuccino 100 mg
*Decaffeinated coffee 5 mg
*Tea (8 ounces) 50 mg
*Arizona Iced Tea (16 ounces) 15-30 mg
*Snapple Iced Tea (16 ounces) 48 mg
*Decaffeinated Tea less than 5 mg
*Barqu's Root Beer 23 mg
*Coca-Cola, Classic and Diet 46 mg
*Dr. Pepper, Regular and Diet 41 mg
*Sprite and 7-up 0 mg
*Jolt 71 mg
*Josta 58 mh
*Mellow Yellow 52 mg
*Mountain Dew 55 mg
*Pepsi, Regular and Diet 36 mg
*RC Cola 36 mg
*Hot Cocoa (8 ounces) 5 mg
*Hershey Bar (1.5 ounces) 10 mg
*Hershey's Special Dark (1.5 ounces) 31 mg
*Anacin (2 tablets) 64 mg
*Excedrin (2 tablets) 130 mg
*NoDoz (1 tablet, regular strength) 100mg
Caffeine Affects Fertility:
There have been reports from the Center for the Evaluation of Risks to Human Reproduction and the National Institutes of health and from researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at Harvard University that have done many studies on caffeine and a woman's fertility. Their studies prove that moderate amount of caffeine (about 300 mg per day) had no impact on a woman's fertility. There were studies also conducted on the amount of time it took a woman to conceive by how much caffeine intake they used daily. The studies showed there was very little to no effect on the time it took to concieve verses caffeine intake. To read more about these studies please visit: http://cerhr.niehs.nih.gov/genpub/topics/caffeine-ccae.html
Caffeine Causes Birth Defects:
The FDA carried out a study in 1986, which rats consumed high doses of caffeine in their drinking water. They did two studies and found by the second study that it had no effect on the offspring. There have been more studies done by the FDA, which show no association between birth defects and caffeine. Even children born of women who've consumed the highest amount of coffee weren't at a risk of developing birth defects.
Breast-Feeding and Caffeine:
Studies done by the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Drugs has observed the effects of caffeine and breast-feeding. Consumption of moderate caffeine (around 300 mg/day) had no effect on the child. Woman can safely consume up to 300 mg/day a day without passing a significant about of caffeine to their child.
Before you throw out that cup of coffee in the morning sit back and relax. So many studies are being done on caffeine consumption and women. The media is the worst on how they sway to one end or the other. It all comes down to moderation… Don’t over-do or under-do anything. Listening to your body is the most important key element. Keep drinking that coffee, tea or soda. Although caffeine should not be used excessively it does have health benefits. For more information regarding the health benefits of caffeine unrelated to conception please email me. Everything in moderation is the best!
Information collected for this article was found at
The National Toxicology Program (NTP)
Center for the Evaluation of Risks to
Human Reproduction
(CERHR)
