Coffee is toxic for women with hormonal issues. We live in a culture that not only encourages coffee consumption, but celebrates it, with a whole industry built around emphasizing the necessity and purpose of coffee as something like a lifestyle choice for women (ever seen those “but first coffee” tees, mugs, and memes, for a start?), so this might come as a shock.
The information we receive about the healthiness of coffee is confused by the fact that the majority of scientific research focuses entirely on men alone. Men can drink coffee, that’s true. But, women should avoid caffeine entirely. We are not biological compatible with caffeine and caffeine is a root cause of many common women’s health problems. However, coffee addiction is real. As someone who used to love coffee – the morning ritual, the taste, everything – I know it’s not as simple as turning off a switch to stop drinking coffee. There’s the psychological dependence, and then there’s the physical dependence that makes caffeine addiction a situation that requires a detox strategy.
Why coffee is bad for women
If you’re skeptical about my assertion that coffee is toxic for women, let me give you a quick rundown of the reasons here. I have written more extensively about this in a previous post.
- Coffee promotes the creation of cysts in the breasts and ovaries
- Coffee, like alcohol, stays in a woman’s system for longer
- 1 cup of coffee disrupts your hormones for 24 hours
- Coffee depletes your body of essential nutrients and minerals
- Coffee is acidic and this negatively impacts your gut health
- 3 cups a day increases infertility rates in men and women!
So, coffee, it’s just not worth it I’m afraid when you are already struggling to regain your optimal endocrine function. We women need to start a backlash against coffee to regain our hormonal health and vitality.
How to detox from coffee
Here’s how to detox from coffee without getting any withdrawal symptoms and without feeling you’re losing out on energy reserves. If you follow these steps you won’t find you feel bad coming off caffeine and you will feel much less inclined to go back to it.
- Decide to detox at the right time in your hormone cycle – and that’s your ovulation phase when you have the most natural energy reserves and feel buoyant.
- Nourish your adrenals with adaptogens that help combat stress like rhodiola, ashwagandha and maca root powder. I like maca root powder from The Maca Team. Jarrow’s Adrenal Optimizer is also a good option for a range of adaptogens in one supplement.
- Use magnesium to replenish your mineral reserves, balance your mood, and combat any headaches you might experience. I recommend Epsom salt baths or topical magnesium.
- As well as your usual B-complex, take added B5 and B12.
- Rehydrate with coconut water that is rich in electrolytes.
- DO gentle exercise like walks and yoga, but avoid heavy cardio in the week or two after stopping coffee.
- Eat a really good, big breakfast every morning, which will give you fuel for the whole day.
The best alternatives to coffee
So now you’re off the coffee, what can you drink instead? At home in the morning to replace that great taste, and also when you’re out meeting friends, and all those other times when everyone else seems to have a coffee cup in hand.
- Kukicha or “twig” tea doesn’t taste like most herbal teas and in fact has a very similar taste to coffee that’s kind of nutty.
- Maca root powder in warm non-dairy milk with a little raw honey as a sweetener – it tastes coffee-like and helps with your detox
- A herbal tea with dandelion root
- Burdock root tea
Always remember, that once you have the right information about how your body really works, you can start making health choices that finally start to work for you! You can do this – the science of your body is on your side!
to your FLO,
Alisa
Good things come in threes:
I want to hear from you!
First, do you have a coffee addiction?
Second, do you have low energy?
Third, everyone you know is hormonal – spread a little good ovary karma and share this article on social 😉
Is Your Period Healthy?
How do you know if your hormones are healthy? The answer is in your 5th vital sign – your period.
The color of your flow, frequency of your period, and symptoms you have each month can tell you a lot about your health. There are 5 different V-SIGN TYPES, and knowing which one you have will help you get healthy now and prevent disease in the future.
Alisa,
You make all these claims without telling us how or why. How are you supporting these statements?
she goes into more detail in the linked post under “why coffee is bad for you” section. but, i’d still like to know where she get this info. there are no citations. alisa, where do you get all this info??
There are citations in that post you mentioned.
Does organic decafe coffee have the same negative effect
Hi Mary,
Organic decaf still has caffeine. Depending on your sensitivity to caffeine, hormonal imbalance and adrenal health, removing all caffeine can be a life changer.
Alisa
Chocolate has caffeine. Particularly dark chocolate. So why don’t you talk about that also?
Hi alisa
Is decaf coffee ok?
Thank you!
Hi PK,
Please see my response to Mary above.
Alisa
I agree with Melanie. I would like to see some peer reviewed research. I’ve looked into this myself, and talked with a dietitian, and I don’t find the same claims in the scientific community.
It’s in the original post….
Alisa
I’m so happy you wrote this. I lovveeeee coffee, but I know I would be so much better if I quit drinking it! I have quit cold-turkey in the past, and although the withdrawal sucked, I felt great after! Now, I’m a single mom and full-time student. I hate to say this but I almost feel “trapped” into drinking caffeine, out of fear that quitting cold-turkey will hurt my grades or make me lose my stamina with housework and meal preparation for my daughter and I. Do you have any tips on how I can keep myself more balanced before I get a break where I can stop cold-turkey??? The professors keep piling on the work, and I am starting to crash faster. I know the caffeine has to go, but I am having a hard time with the “how”
Thank you 🙂
Amanda O
I understand about the acidity in coffee being a problem but is decaf acceptable every now and then? Is the bigger issue the caffeine or coffee itself?
I quit coffee several months ago, when my anxiety became unbearable and I was no longer able to sleep. I have a diagnosed anxiety disorder that is responding well to meds, too, but the lifestyle change of no coffee has been helpful. My husband makes it every day and sometimes I can’t resist and will have a tiny bit – less than half a cup.
Many years ago I suffered painful cystic acne along my jawline – it was so deep that it actually left bruises, and a large patch of my face was varying shades of red, black, and blue. When I went gluten-free in 2013 it cleared up a lot, and now that I have cut out caffeine it improved even more! Now I just get one here and there if I have a bad night’s sleep or eat a crummy diet. It’s so nice to finally know I do have some control over something so seemingly uncontrollable.
Thanks for the article. I don’t drink coffee and have never done so, as my body and system is very sensitive to caffeine. I do, however drink tea (black and green). Can you tell me if the same applies to tea as you have just stated? I know that my body responds differently to tea.
Look forward to your views. Thanks, Gilly
Hi Gilly,
Caffeine has a specific effect on the body, regardless of source!
Alisa
Thanks. I am aware of that. But does tea have less caffeine in it than coffee, and therefore has less effect?
I agree with others above, I love your articles and input on women’s health but would also really love you to back these up with some studies that support your claims. It really does make you appear more credible. I am a (newly qualified) nutritionist and love to share your work with people I know but it is something required in this world full of doubt…
By the way, I quit coffee now going on maybe 2 months and I didn’t like the side effects when I was coming off it which tells me that it’s probably not good for my body. However, I don’t feel any more energetic or different. I’m not craving it anymore which is great but I no longer feel like sitting down in cafes because I would only ever have coffee…sigh, goodbye coffee.
Hi Alisa,
Thank you for information on coffee. I am sensitive to caffeine but I know my body can tolerate one small espresso a day. Some days I do not need coffee at all but having small children I need some help:) I know if I drink more than one espresso a day, I am in trouble:) I have an autoimmune disease so I have to watch what I am eating and drinking so I stay clear of my symptoms.
Hi Petra,
If your body is struggling it is best to remove all stimulants, as this will only deplete you further!
Alisa
Is Maca safe while pregnant and nursing? I’m looking into coffee alternatives now and am nursing + planning on baby #2. Thanks!
I have been drinking Crio Bru. It is a coffee alternative that is made from ground up cocoa beans. Is this still acceptable on the Flo Protocol?
Hi Alissa,
What about green tea? Same thing, contains caffeine so negative effects for fertility?
Hi Rachelle,
If you are trying to optimize fertility I would stop all caffeine.
Alisa
Kukicha is a green tea, not an herbal, so it contains caffeine as well. It’s made from the stems, stalks, and twigs of the Camellia sinesis plant. It has less caffeine than other green teas, but it’s still there, so if someone is avoiding all caffeine, then kukicha would also be off-limits.
What about the caffeine in tea and matcha?
Thanks!