The Straight Dope on caffeine

Factual Questions
1

Is caffeine bad for a female’s reproductive system? Here’s where I read so http://www.babycentre.co.uk/preconception/activelytrying/caffeineandfertility/?_requestid=21401

One of my vices is strong sugared black tea with milk, a common drink in Britain, a really common drink, you cannot move for the amount of tea we drink in this country. And I’m not even pandering to stereotype :smiley:

There have been lots of studies taken that show different results according to the article I posted so I’m after the straight dope on how caffeine really does affect/effect not sure which, a woman’s body. If I drink two mugs of tea a day until I’m ready for a baby, which is a good seven or ten years off, when the times comes will I be able to fall pregnant easily?

2

Here are some studies regarding caffeine in pregnancy. It does seem to reduce fertility, and increase miscarriage, and may also affect birth weight, but my understanding is that it’s only a problem if you’re drinking it while actively trying to get pregnant, I don’t think there are cumulative effects (but someone can correct me if I’m wrong on that).

3

Cecil wrote a column on the supposed evils of caffeine. Here’s what he has to say about caffeine and pregnancy:

4

Thanks for the replies, I didn’t even think to search Cecil’s columns. The trouble is there are so many differing studies and the research isn’t always “groundbreaking” or testing on animals isn’t going to have the same effects for a human blah blah.

I mean, I imagine there are loads of women, millions, who drink caffeine, more than I drink, over a number of years and still have a healthy reproductive system.

5

There are enough women who consume caffeine in the world that if it did have long-term consequences on reproduction, it’s hard to imagine how we could possibly have failed to notice them for so long. I’d interpret “inconclusive” as meaning “no effect”, in a case like this.

If you wanted to play it safe, it would probably not be unreasonable to cut back or completely omit caffeine during pregnancy itself, or when breast-feeding. There’s lots of things it’s prudent not to do when pregnant or nursing. But that, you say, is well off in the future.

6

I am sorry to nitpick, especially since I can’t add anything useful, but your statement is paradoxical. Since black tea, by definition, has no milk in, when you add milk it ceases to be black tea.
I am so very, very sorry but that really bothered me!

7

Black tea vs green tea vs herbal tea. That stays true whether or not you put milk in it.

“Black” for “without milk” only applies to coffee.

8

That was very very nitpicky! :stuck_out_tongue:

Yeah! In my OP I was just explaining the type of tea I and lots of other people drink. :slight_smile:

And Chronos, you’re completely right.