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At Healthfully, we strive to deliver objective content that is accurate and up-to-date. Our team periodically reviews articles in order to ensure content quality. The sources cited below consist of evidence from peer-reviewed journals, prominent medical organizations, academic associations, and government data.
- National Institutes of Health: Coffee Consumption and Risk of Rheumatoid Arthritis
- National Institutes of Health: Coffee Consumption and Risk of Rheumatoid Arthritis
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Coffee & Arthritis
Coffee has become synonymous with mornings for many people. Whether it’s the burst of energy from the caffeine or just the smell of the brewing pot, coffee signals the start of the day. When you have arthritis, coffee can have a different meaning. Coffee may by a necessity--or a hindrance--to your daily life.
Pain Levels
A few studies, including one by kinesiology professor Robert Motl at the University of Illinois, showed caffeine as helpful to alleviating the pain of exercise. Coffee drinkers who consumed three to four cups a day felt less pain from their workouts. The conclusion was that the caffeine works on part of the brain and spinal cord that processes pain, one of the most prevalent symptoms of arthritis.
Gout Preventative
How Caffeine Affects the Joints
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Gout, a form of arthritis, may be prevented by the consumption of coffee 12. Johns Hopkins reports that a study conducted in Canada of more than 14,000 participants showed a reduced risk of gout for those who consumed coffee. The men and women in the study drank at least four cups a day and cut their chance of getting the disease in half. Though the benefit was a bit better for those drinking caffeinated coffee, those having decaffeinated also lowered their risk of gout.
- Gout, a form of arthritis, may be prevented by the consumption of coffee 1.
- The men and women in the study drank at least four cups a day and cut their chance of getting the disease in half.
Rheumatoid Arthritis Risk
Doctors at Helsinki’s National Public Health Institute concluded that excess coffee consumption--at least 11 cups a day--could increase a person’s risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis 12. Similar findings were obtained in the Nurses Health Study. The National Institutes of Health examined findings on rheumatoid arthritis and coffee and concluded that the risk of getting rheumatoid arthritis from drinking coffee was low 12.
Considerations
Can Caffeine Cause Leg Cramps at Night?
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There are many factors that need to be taken into consideration when considering coffee consumption if you have arthritis. If sleep is a problem, consuming caffeine may interfere with sleep patterns. It can also affect energy levels. Though the beverage makes you feel more awake at first, levels drop when it wears off. In addition, there may be interaction between certain drugs and coffee. Discuss with a health-care professional whether or not coffee may affect your arthritis 1.
- There are many factors that need to be taken into consideration when considering coffee consumption if you have arthritis.
- If sleep is a problem, consuming caffeine may interfere with sleep patterns.
Role of Caffeine
The effect that coffee has on arthritis can be directly related to caffeine levels. With the exception of gout, most of the research does not show harm or help from the actual coffee bean itself. This would mean that other caffeinated items--such as tea and chocolate--would have the same effects on arthritis as coffee does. If your doctor tells you to eliminate coffee from your diet, question the need to avoid other caffeinated beverages.
- The effect that coffee has on arthritis can be directly related to caffeine levels.
- This would mean that other caffeinated items--such as tea and chocolate--would have the same effects on arthritis as coffee does.
Related Articles
References
- ABC News: Copious Coffee May Up Arthritis Risk
- National Institutes of Health: Coffee Consumption and Risk of Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Arthritis Today: Instant Energy Boosters
- MSNBC: Coffee Helps Douse Workout Pain
- Coffee consumption and health: umbrella review of meta-analyses of multiple health outcomes
- Coffee consumption and health: umbrella review of meta-analyses of multiple health outcomes
- Impact of coffee components on inflammatory markers: A review - ScienceDirect
- Coffee consumption and health: umbrella review of meta-analyses of multiple health outcomes
- Impact of coffee components on inflammatory markers: A review - ScienceDirect
- Coffee consumption and health: umbrella review of meta-analyses of multiple health outcomes
- Consumption of coffee or caffeine and serum concentration of inflammatory markers: A systematic review - PubMed
- Associations of coffee drinking with systemic immune and inflammatory markers
- Effects of coffee consumption on subclinical inflammation and other risk factors for type 2 diabetes: a clinical trial - PubMed
- Consumption of coffee or caffeine and serum concentration of inflammatory markers: A systematic review - PubMed
- Consumption of coffee or caffeine and serum concentration of inflammatory markers: A systematic review - PubMed
- Coffee consumption modulates inflammatory processes in an individual fashion - PubMed
- Chronic Inflammation - StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf
- Consumption of coffee or caffeine and serum concentration of inflammatory markers: A systematic review - PubMed
- Coffee consumption and health: umbrella review of meta-analyses of multiple health outcomes
Writer Bio
Marcia Frost is a writer covering travel, food, wine/spirits, and health. She writes for many on and offline publications, including The Daily Meal, Girls Getaway, Travelhoppers, and Princess Cruises.She also has a popular blog, Wine And SpiritsTravel. She has a Bachelor of Arts in journalism from Long Island University.