Any time a woman discovers a lump in her breast, she should always consult her doctor for a definitive diagnosis. Caffeine works as a stimulant, and while it does not necessarily cause lumps to appear, it can affect a woman's hormone levels. When your hormone levels change because of a high caffeine intake, it may cause pain and discomfort in preexisting benign fibroid cysts in your breasts especially when you're premenstrual, according to MayoClinic.com.
Causes
The National Institutes of Health indicates that there are many causes for lumps in a woman's breasts. Some lumps naturally occur during the menstrual cycle of certain women, other lumps may be due to an infection, fatty tissue, cancer, fibrocystic breast disease or other cause, according to the NIH. Most lumps in women under 40 are benign in nature. The NIH indicates that caffeine intake may affect the lumpiness of your breasts.
Caffeine in Foods
Many foods and beverages contain caffeine, and consuming large amounts of foods containing caffeine may contribute to the breast changes and pain in lumps caused by fibrocystic breast disease. Brewed coffee has about 85 mg per 8 oz., while brewed tea averages about 40 mg, according to Clemson University. Hot cocoa has about 6 mg, 1 oz. of dark chocolate has about 20 mg and caffeinated soft drinks average about 24 mg per cup.
Expert Insight
A study published in the April 2011 edition of "Public Health Nutrition" examined whether caffeine intake affected a woman's risk of breast cancer. In studying over 67,000 women, the authors found an average caffeine intake of 164 mg per day. The authors also found no indication that caffeine intake affected the incidence of breast cancer in women. A foundational study, published in the spring 2002 issue of the "Journal of the American Medical Women's Association, examined over 25 years of research on non-cancerous breast pain in women. They found associations between caffeine and fibrocystic breast disease, and advised doctors to counsel women who had this condition to reduce their caffeine intake.
Strategies
After consulting with your doctor about lumps in your breasts, try reducing or eliminating the amount of caffeine your consume each day. Abruptly stopping all caffeine intake may result in strong headaches, so you may find it easier to gradually reduce your consumption. Perform regular self-breast examinations as you reduce your caffeine to monitor whether you notice less lumpiness in your breasts, and whether your breast pain diminishes as your caffeine intake drops.
References
- MayoClinic.com; Breast Cysts; What Role Does Caffeine Play?; Sandhya Pruthi; November 2010
- National Institutes of Health; Lumps in the Breast; Jeffrey Heit, et al.; August 2009
- Clemson Cooperative Extension; Caffeine; Janis Hunter, et al.; September 2005
- "Public Health Nutrition"; No Association Between Coffee, Tea or Caffeine Consumption and Breast Cancer Risk in a Prospective Cohort Study; Guy Fagherazzi, et al.; April 2011
- "Journal of the American Medical Women's Association; F.E. Norlock; Spring 2002
- Johns Hopkins Medicine; Caffeine Withdrawal Recognized as a Disorder; Trent Stockton; September 2004
