Coffee and Autoimmune Disease (2024)

FAQs

Is drinking coffee bad for autoimmune disease? ›

Protection against autoimmune diseases

Comparatively, within the acquired immune system, the caffeine content within coffee potentially suppresses the proliferation of Th1 and Th2 cells. As a result, coffee can reduce the damage caused by the release of cytokines due to overactive T- and B-cells.

The first thing to consider if you have autoimmune issues, is that coffee is a seed. If you are following a strict Autoimmune Protocol, seeds are cut out of the diet for a period of time, and then reintroduced. Therefore, you would want to remove coffee for the first few weeks, along with any other seeds.

Caffeine is the first thing that comes to mind when you think about coffee. But coffee also contains antioxidants and other active substances that may reduce internal inflammation and protect against disease, say nutrition experts from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Foods such as red meat, dairy, pastry, and beverages containing caffeine and alcohol trigger systemic inflammation, aggravating the autoimmune disease. If you are struggling with this condition, check out the most common foods that worsen autoimmune diseases so you can avoid them altogether.

There's no perfect drink for people with autoimmune diseases. However, polyphenol-rich dry red wine and clear liquors mixed with soda waters or lower sugar swaps, like some green juices, are your friends. Hard kombuchas with no added sugar also go down easy and support your gut with probiotics.

High doses of caffeine can also trigger excessive cortisol release from your adrenal glands, leading to large fluctuations in blood sugar, weight gain, and muscle loss. All triggers in the autoimmune process. So for some, it is not the coffee per say, but it is the quantity consumed on a regular basis.

It may be difficult to believe that coffee may offer some health benefits beyond the buzz it brings, even for individuals with lupus. Coffee may help the immune system regulate more efficiently as well as help protect from tissue damage.

Individual factors are at play here, such as genetics, age, the concentration and dose of caffeine and the body's metabolising processes. Such inflammation can manifest in several forms, including infections, headaches, fatigue, pain, mood changes and digestive issues, to name a few.

Who should avoid coffee? ›

Diabetes: Caffeine might affect the way the body uses sugar. If you have diabetes, use caffeine with caution. Diarrhea: Caffeine, especially when taken in large amounts, might worsen diarrhea. Epilepsy: People with epilepsy should avoid using caffeine in high doses.

According to studies, decaf coffee may have similar advantages to normal coffee. Results from a few studies suggest that drinking decaffeinated coffee as opposed to caffeinated coffee may result in a small reduction in inflammatory markers.

Nightshade vegetables: Potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants, tomatillos, and peppers or spices derived from them, like paprika, can make immune diseases worse. Beverages: Certain drinks containing alcohol, caffeine, or added refined sugars may worsen inflammation.

Caffeine has also been reported to suppress human lymphocyte function as indicated by reduced T-cell proliferation and impaired production of Th1 (interleukin [IL]-2 and interferon [IFN]-gamma), Th2 (IL-4, IL-5) and Th3 (IL-10) cytokines. Studies also indicate that caffeine suppresses antibody production.

sex hormones – autoimmune disorders tend to strike during the childbearing years. Some disorders seem to be affected, for better or worse, by major hormonal changes such as pregnancy, childbirth and menopause. infection – some disorders seem to be triggered or worsened by particular infections.