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How does drinking coffee affect your breasts?

Credits : LenaSevcikova - jarmoluk - Pixabay
How does drinking coffee affect your breasts?
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Do you need your cup of coffee every morning, if not several cups a day, to give yourself a boost and concentrate at work? This is the case for many people around the world. But what women who drink coffee may not know is that it can affect their breasts -even if some of the negative impacts are balanced out by its illness prevention properties. Read on to see what the effects are!

How coffee can benefit your body

Health benefits

Rich in minerals, vitamins and antioxidants, coffee has numerous health benefits.

First of all, it fights effectively against free radicals, which are responsible for premature ageing of your body’s cells. Additionally, it reinforces the immune system and reduces the risk of cardiovascular illness, diabetes, Parkinson’s disease and many types of cancer (prostate, liver, mouth, etc.). According to a recent study, drinking one cup of coffee per day (200 ml) increases the antioxidant capacities of the body’s plasma.

Furthermore, caffeine, contained in coffee and tea, acts as a stimulant which improves attention, concentration and memory, and relieves migraines and headaches.

Effects on your breasts

Doctor Helena Jernström, a professor of oncology at Lund University in Sweden, analysed the effects of daily consumption of three cups of coffee per day on the size of women’s breasts and on their risk of breast cancer. Conducted on 270 women, this study showed that for almost half of the participants, drinking three cups of coffee a day was linked to having smaller breasts and a lower risk of breast cancer, or later onset of the disease.

In fact, coffee affects feminine hormones, reducing the secretion of oestrogen, which is responsible for the development of the sex organs and the breasts. The reduction in this hormone can therefore reduce the size of the mammary glands.

The majority of cancers (ovarian, breast, cervical and prostate) are hormone-dependent, which means that a reduction in hormones reduces the risk of developing such cancers. As for breast cancer,  it is generally hormone dependent, like ovarian cancer, cervical cancer and prostate cancer. A different study conducted by the Karolinska Institute, which was published in Breast Cancer Research, also confirmed that drinking three cups of coffee a day reduces the risk of breast cancer. 

Negative effects of coffee on your health

Make sure to avoid drinking more than 3 cups of coffee or tea per day, as this could have a negative impact on your health. Drinking too much caffeine increases the risk of conjunctivitis, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, tachycardia, gastric problems and sleep difficulties.

Pregnant women should not consume caffeine because it increases the risk of miscarriage and sudden infant death syndrome. Even if coffee has a protective effect against certain types of cancer, it can increase the risk of developing other types, such as bladder cancer, colon cancer or cancer of the rectum.

Otherwise, non-organic coffee and tea can contain chemicals (see our recent article on the dangers of GMOs). Therefore go for organic products and don’t overdo it!

Source : Santé Plus Mag