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Coffee & Early Menopause

Many associate menopause with its symptoms including hot flashes, night sweats, moodiness, difficulty sleeping and fatigue. Menopause is a natural part of every woman's life. For most women, menopause occurs at a time after the life goal of having children has been achieved. For some, however, menopause comes early. Many factors are linked to early menopause, including smoking and coffee consumption. While studies confirm smoking is a culprit related to early menopause, there is no agreement on the role played by coffee consumption.

  1. Menopause

    • Menopause marks the cessation of menstrual cycles in a woman's life. Most women enter menopause in their mid to late 40s although there are documented cases of women entering menopause in their 20s. (See Reference 2). Women who enter menopause before the age of 45 are in early menopause (See Reference 1).

    Early Menopause Risks

    • Several factors hasten the onset of menopause, including smoking and a diet high in fat and cholesterol (See Reference 3). Early menopause increases the health risks associated with some diseases and conditions, including osteoporosis and ischemic heart disease. Conversely, the onset of early menopause may protect women against breast cancer (See Reference 1).

    Coffee and Early Menopause

    • Researchers from the Institute of General Practice and Community Medicine of the University of Oslo, Norway, conducted a research study to determine lifestyle factors involved with the onset of early menopause. The lifestyle factors included smoking, alcohol consumption and caffeine consumption. The study involved 2,123 postmenopausal women born in 1940 or 1941. The study results indicate drinking coffee does not contribute to early menopause. Other studies suggest drinking coffee may actually help protect against early menopause (See Reference 1).

      Not all researchers agree with the above findings. Two other studies conducted in 1998 and 2002 suggest that coffee consumption does contribute to early menopause (See Reference 3).

    Coffee and Menopause

    • Coffee is extremely high in caffeine, which can have various adverse effects on a woman's body. Studies indicate coffee and other caffeine drinks can actually worsen menopausal symptoms including anxiety, hot flashes, sleeplessness and bone loss (See Reference 2). Other studies confirm menopausal women who drink coffee are more likely to suffer from more severe symptoms than their menopausal counterparts who do not drink coffee (See Reference 3).

      Caffeine increases cortisol levels. Cortisol is known as the stress hormone. Caffeine has also been associated with fatigue and interfering with the absorption of vital minerals, including magnesium, potassium, calcium and iron. Drinking coffee during menopause has been linked to the development of Parkinson's disease in post menopausal women (See Reference 2).

    Conclusions

    • There is no clear evidence coffee drinking is positively associated with early menopause. Some studies show there is no relation while others indicate coffee drinking does play a role in early menopause. However, there is no argument on the impact of coffee drinking on women in menopause. Menopausal women who consume coffee are more likely to experience the unpleasant side effects associated with menopause.

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