Published May 2020
We allll love that hot, steaming latte with the pretty swirls on top that always amaze me. You get up and start getting ready for the day and a steaming cup of joe (your preferred way) is the perfect addition. However, I have known for awhile exactly how I will feel about 5 minutes after my first sip. Jittery, anxious, suddenly overwhelmed by my list of to do’s for the day and sometimes even immediately moody. I have cut back on my caffeine intake significantly knowing this will happen every. single. time. but I’ve NEVER thought about giving it up entirely. Until now.
Check out my video below that will be available on both Instagram and YouTube for a quick breakdown ⬇️
I heard Alisa Vitti speak for the first time on Kelly Leveque’s podcast Be Well By Kelly. She talked about caffeine toxicity and I couldn’t believe how much it literally made so much sense. This is what truly made me realize (even more than I already knew) that my girls out there needed to hear this information and learn about the truth of women’s health.
We’ve talked the past few weeks on several different topics of infradian rhythms and hormone health. This week is all about that very much trendy addiction to caffeine. Me being the worst of just accepting “busy” as a badge of honor along with “God bless this stressed mess”. However, today let’s shed some light on the effect caffeine is having on your body.
How does this relate to skin? Health, wellness, fitness, beauty, makeup, its all welcome here. Also, it’s all intertwined. One affects the other, which affects something else. I struggled with acne and many other skin conditions for years. Now, I have the honor of healing others through their health and lifestyle changes to do the same. When your body is in homestasis, so is your mind, your gut and best of all: your skin. Remember, your skin is a way of elimination in the body. It is the window to see what is happening inside. Why can I tell immediately if you have been eating differently? Or been more stressed at work? Or not using your normal skincare products? There are patterns and your skin tells me that something is either wrong and it’s waving a white flag, or you’re doing all the right things for your body at this time and keep it up sister!
So. Let’s dive in shall we?! There are all kinds of links attached so you can see as much information as possible ?
Caffeine Intolerance and the Role it Plays in Your Hormones:
From the Flo Living Website, May 1, 2019 by Alisa Vitti
Did you know that caffeine disrupts your hormones for a full 24 hours?
That’s not all. Caffeine stays in women’s bodies longer than men’s and it robs them of essential hormone-balancing nutrients and minerals. Studies link coffee consumption with infertility and poor gut health, which interferes with your body’s ability to detox excess (toxic) hormones.
Then there’s the link between caffeine consumption and cysts in your breasts and ovaries.
In other words, coffee is dangerous stuff if you suffer from hormone imbalances… and it can be dangerous stuff in general. That’s because many people can’t tolerate caffeine and don’t know it.
So that brings up two key questions: how can you tell if you have a hormone imbalance? And how can you tell if you have a caffeine intolerance?
Let’s start with signs of a hormone imbalance…
How to Tell if You Have a Hormone Imbalance:
How do you know if your hormones could use a little TLC…and that caffeine might be something you should eliminate from your daily routine?
Here are some signs and symptoms of a hormone imbalance:
- PMS
- Severe period cramps
- Bloating
- Acne
- Moodiness/depression
- Anxiety
- You have been steadily gaining weight for a few months or years
- You can’t seem to lose weight even with a healthy diet and increased exercise
- Chronic exhaustion/fatigue
- Cyclical migraines
- Sugar cravings
- Breast or ovarian cysts
- Low sex drive
- Low energy
- Endometriosis
- PCOS
I encourage any woman who is experiencing one or more of these symptoms to ditch caffeine for good, especially if you don’t tolerate caffeine well…and research shows that only 10 percent of the population produces enough of the specific enzyme that helps breakdown and eliminate caffeine. That means 9 out of 10 of you reading this right now are caffeine intolerant, whether you suffer from hormone imbalances of not!
How to Tell If You Have a Caffeine Intolerance:
As I just mentioned, caffeine intolerance is surprisingly common, but most of us think of ourselves as immune. Three cups of coffee each morning might affect my coworkers or my sister, but not me! I explain the genetics of caffeine intolerance—and why hormone imbalances and caffeine intolerance often go hand in hand—below, but first let’s take a look at the signs and symptoms of caffeine intolerance.
Almost everyone who drinks coffee or other caffeinated beverages will recognize that familiar pick-me-up feeling that caffeine brings. But if you experience any of the symptoms on the following list—symptoms that are often attributed to other conditions or physiological responses—you might be caffeine intolerant. Symptoms like:
- Anxiety
- Insomnia
- Restlessness
- Fatigue (yes, fatigue!)
- High blood pressure
- Poorly balanced blood sugar
- Digestive distress
- Feeling wired but tired
- Racing heartbeat
In many cases, these symptoms are chalked up to other diagnoses, like adrenal fatigue or anxiety disorders, but the real culprit might be coffee OR the causes of your symptoms are multifactorial and coffee consumption is one of the factors.
Why Caffeine is SO BAD for Hormones:
Here’s why caffeine is so problematic for women with hormone imbalances:
Caffeine Problem #1: Caffeine may increase the risk of benign breast disease (BBD), and specifically a form of BBD called atypical hyperplasia, which is a marker of increased breast cancer risk. This is scary stuff! One in eight women will develop invasive breast cancer in her lifetime, so it is wise to take every step you can to protect yourself. Giving up caffeine is easy (and free!), and comes with a host of other benefits, like reducing anxiety and supporting better blood sugar balance.
The good news? The same study suggests that taking multivitamin supplements can have a protective effect against developing BBD.
Caffeine Problem #2: Caffeine consumption is linked to infertility. A woman is more likely to miscarry if she and/or her partner drink more than two caffeinated beverages per day in the weeks leading up to conception, according to research from the National Institutes of Health and Ohio State University. Women who consumed two caffeinated beverages every day during the first seven weeks of pregnancy were also more likely experience pregnancy loss.
Studies suggest that caffeine consumption may delay pregnancy among fertile women.
Male partners, beware! Some research suggests that caffeine consumption among wannabe dads may reduce the chances of conception. Men who drank two or more cups of coffee per day had only a one in five chance of conception through IVF.
Caffeine increases cortisol levels, and high cortisol sends signals to the body that it is not an ideal time for conception.
Finally, caffeine depletes the body of vital nutrients needed for ovulation and healthy fertility (including B vitamins and folate). If you hope to become a mom someday, you need optimal levels of five key micronutrients, which you will want to take in supplement form…and you won’t want to deplete them at the same time by drinking coffee! Don’t do the good work of getting your essential micronutrients and then shoot yourself in the foot by drinking caffeine.
Caffeine Problem #3: If you struggle with hormone imbalances (and if you’re reading this right now, you or someone you love probably does), it can be sign that your body has a hard time metabolizing caffeine. Hormone imbalances might be a sign that you don’t process caffeine efficiently. That’s because the same process in the liver that helps metabolize caffeine is also involved in the metabolism of estrogen.
Caffeine is broken down by the liver using the enzyme CYP1A2. Your ability to produce this enzyme is regulated by the CYP1A2 gene. If you have a mutation in this gene, it will affect how your liver breaks down and eliminates excess caffeine. You will also have a harder time processing and eliminating excess estrogen.
Based on your gene variation, you’ll either make a lot of this enzyme (and be a successful caffeine swiller) or a little (and have a tough time with caffeine). Turns out only 10% of the population make a lot of this enzyme. That’s just one in 10 of us! So if you fall into the majority — if you’re one of the 9 out of 10 women who don’t process caffeine efficiently — you also, very likely, have a buildup of estrogen in your body. And estrogen dominance is what gives rise to a lot of the unpleasant period problems you experience.
This is why getting off caffeine is such an important part of the FLO Protocol. Estrogen dominance gives rise to so many of the symptoms of hormone imbalance and you don’t want anything blocking your ability to detox estrogen.
Ready to Ditch Caffeine? Here’s How:
Ready to say no to the hormone-damaging effects of caffeine, but afraid of withdrawal? Never fear! You can quit caffeine without symptoms—and without losing energy. If you follow these steps, you will feel great as you wean off caffeine and you’ll be much less likely to relapse.
- Start to wean off caffeine during the ovulation phase of your 28-day menstrual cycle, when you naturally have the most energy.
- Nourish your adrenals with adaptogens that help combat stress, like rhodiola, ashwagandha, and maca root powder.
- Use magnesium to replenish your mineral reserves, balance your mood, and combat headaches.
- Supplement with B vitamins. Make sure you’re getting B5 and B12 as part of your B complex.
- 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 big, healthy breakfast every morning, which will give you fuel for the whole day.
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!
Yes, decaf will negatively impact hormones as it still contains enough caffeine. Decaf coffee still contains caffeine and is still a problem. If you do make the switch to reduce your caffeine intake, make sure that it is organic and that it is decaffeinated via the water process. If you are drinking it rarely, it shouldn’t be an issue!
Another alternative to continue that cozy, morning routine, try roasted dandelion tea with some frothed coconut milk!
Does Matcha play a role in this? Yes, caffeine is still caffeine. There are equal benefits to tea and even coffee, but they are not always worth it considering the side effects of the caffeine.
Dark chocolate does contain caffeine. I only recommend eating 1 or 2 squares in a 24 hour period, and not every day. You will learn more when you read about the cycle syncing aspect of my protocol. 1 square is about 8 to 12mg of caffeine. One cup of coffee is at least 95mg of caffeine. If you are very caffeine sensitive or find chocolate to be addictive, then this is not a food for you – there is no food that is good for everyone, every food has a potential down side. So, know your self and stick with what works for you!
If you feel fatigued or gain weight after giving up caffeine, look at ways to support your adrenal system – maybe some adaptogens, more sleep. Keep your workouts in sync with your cycle to optimize training and not create high cortisol which will undermine your fitness and health goals! Make sure you are supporting sleep, and try some herbs like chamomile, ashwaganda, and passionflower to support healing.
A Deep Dive into the CYP1A2 Gene:
Reference here: https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/gene/CYP21A2
The CYP21A2 gene provides instructions for making an enzyme called 21-hydroxylase, which is part of the cytochrome P450 family of enzymes. Cytochrome P450 enzymes are involved in many processes in the body, such as assisting with reactions that break down drugs and helping to produce cholesterol, certain hormones, and fats (lipids).
The 21-hydroxylase enzyme is found in the adrenal glands, which are located on top of the kidneys and produce a variety of hormones that regulate many essential functions in the body. 21-hydroxylase plays a role in producing hormones called cortisol and aldosterone. Cortisol helps maintain blood sugar levels, protects the body from stress, and suppresses inflammation. Aldosterone is sometimes called the salt-retaining hormone because it regulates the amount of salt retained by the kidneys. The retention of salt affects fluid levels in the body and blood pressure.
More than 100 mutations in the CYP21A2 gene have been found to cause 21-hydroxylase deficiency. Some of these mutations result from an exchange of genetic material between the CYP21A2 gene and a similar but nonfunctional piece of DNA called a pseudogene, which is located very close to the CYP21A2 gene on chromosome 6. This type of DNA exchange is called a gene conversion. The genetic material from the pseudogene contains errors that, when introduced into the CYP21A2 gene, disrupt the way the gene’s instructions are used to make a protein. Other mutations that cause 21-hydroxylase deficiency change single protein building blocks (amino acids) in the 21-hydroxylase enzyme or delete or insert pieces of DNA in the CYP21A2 gene.
Researchers have described three forms of 21-hydroxylase deficiency. Individuals with a form of the disorder called the salt-wasting type have CYP21A2 mutations that result in a completely nonfunctional enzyme. People with the simple virilizing type of this condition have CYP21A2 gene mutations that allow the production of low levels of functional enzyme. Individuals with the non-classic type of this disorder have CYP21A2 mutations that result in the production of reduced amounts of the enzyme, but more enzyme than any of the other types. All types of 21-hydroxylase deficiency interfere with the production of cortisol and aldosterone. The substances that are usually used to form these hormones instead build up in the adrenal glands and are converted to androgens, which are male sex hormones. The excess production of androgens leads to abnormalities of sexual development in people with 21-hydroxylase deficiency.
WOW, that’s a lot of info! There’s something for those just starting out or for those like me who needs allll the deets. I know this article will help so much. If you decide to take the leap and let go of caffeine, be sure to tag me on Instagram and let me in on the journey! If you have questions or need a friend to hype you up to do the same, DM me! Subscribe to my YouTube, follow me on Instagram and Facebook @alyssamillerbeauty for more videos, blog posts to come and to see those from the past few weeks!
To book an appointment or schedule a virtual consultation to talk about your skin and the best route for you, click here. I have three and a half years of skin experience under my belt and I specialize in acne, age management and pigmentation. I’m pretty good at what I do and my greatest passion is to help you feel confident to do best at your “thing”. Take care of yourself and book that appointment!✨
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Much love -A
