When we view health through the lens that “everything is connected” it becomes clear that everyday habits, like caffeine consumption, can have an impact on how we experience major transitions like menopause.
Let’s ground ourselves on what Menopause is and what the symptoms might be: Menopause is defined as “a point in time when you’ve gone 12 consecutive months without a menstrual period”. Prior to this you can run the gammut of symptoms like: hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, sleep disturbances, vaginal dryness, cognitive changes, joint pains, muscle aches, weight gain, changes in hair and skin texture among others. Most of these symptoms are due to the hormonal shifts that are happening in the body throughout the 10 year + perimenopausal timeframe. It is a normal part of aging where you are winding down your reproductive years and heading into your golden years. Your ovaries start decreasing estrogen production, which is picked up by your adrenal glands and fat cells. For most of our lives we eat and drink whatever we want. It’s considered “normal” to drink caffeine every day, but in the context of menopause and hormonal shifts, it’s worth asking: What is caffeine actually doing to our body? Let’s take a closer look. How caffeine different body systems Upon ingestion, caffeine is quickly and almost completely absorbed into the bloodstream, reaching its peak about 1 hour after consumption, 80% then goes through the GI tract and 20% is absorbed by the stomach. Once in the bloodstream, caffeine is then distributed throughout the body, nearly every organ system is affected.
What can you do?
Final Thoughts While caffeine may seem like a harmless daily habit, it’s interactions with our body systems and overall health become more significant as you enter into perimenopause and menopause. By understanding how everything is connected, you can make small, meaningful changes to support your body through this powerful transition. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21841-menopause Caffeine Blues ~ Stephen Cherniske
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AuthorKerri Ferraioli Archives
April 2025
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