Coffee Lovers Listen Up: How Raising a Mug Can Raise Your Estrogen

   By drodriguez  Feb 07, 2012

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January was “International Coffee Gourmet Month” and many of our members had reason to celebrate. A recent SheSpeaks poll finds that almost 45% of us enjoy several mugs throughout the day and about 24% of us will start our day with just one cup.

Whether you are a coffee lover or just have an occasional cup, you’ve probably heard conflicting health studies on whether the caffeinated beverage is beneficial or not. From heart health to mental health, researchers always have something new to say about consuming coffee.

One of the latest studies coming from the National Institutes of Health suggests women who drink coffee may see some fluctuation in their hormone levels. A recent New York Times report discusses how coffee may affect women depending on their race.

Researchers found that Asian women who drink 200 milligrams of coffee (about 2 cups) or more had higher levels of estrogen than women who drank less. Black women saw a similar rise in estrogen levels though not as significant as Asian women.

The opposite was true for white women who actually saw a slight drop in their estrogen levels when they consumed the same amount of coffee. Though still unclear why race is a factor, researchers believe our genetic make up may help determine how we metabolize caffeine.

Since an estimated 90% of women ages 18 to 34 report consuming the equivalent of a cup or two of coffee a day, even slight effects on hormones may be significant. Author of the study, Dr. Enrique Schisterman, says, “We don’t know if there are long-term effects of these small shifts in hormonal levels” He adds that more research needs to be done on coffee and how it relates to hormone levels in premenopausal women to determine long term effects.

What do you think of the latest study suggesting coffee can affect hormone levels in women?

How many cups do you have each day?