Have you started your iced coffee routine yet this summer? For many, a nice iced coffee or cold brew (check out the difference between the two here) is just what it takes to get going on a summer morning. But that raises the perennial question: Is it okay to start your day with a (cold) cup of Joe? Is it harmful to your body to be jolted into daylight with a burst of caffeine in a typical cup of coffee? While some on social media are claiming that coffee at the crack of dawn can interfere with your body’s own natural abilities to wake up, the reality is that there’s really no research to support that viral thesis. 

There are, however, reasons you may want to limit or avoid coffee, especially if it’s caffeinated. For some, caffeine is linked with an increased risk of anxiety. Those who experience this side effect need to carefully monitor and gauge their caffeine consumption. While millions of Americans avoid caffeinated coffee due to such health concerns as caffeine sensitivity, sleep disruptions, or other issues (it’s reported that 26 million Americans drink decaf coffee), the reality is that coffee has many health benefits beyond the mental alertness provided by caffeine, and decaffeinated coffee can still provide those benefits, including the valuable antioxidants found in coffee beans. 

But it’s not all hunky dory (or cream and sugar) if the caffeine in your coffee interferes with the important medications you take. For that reason, you may want to consult your physician about your coffee habits. There is clear evidence that coffee can affect the way certain medications are absorbed, distributed, and processed in your body, such that the effectiveness of the medications may be in jeopardy. For example, coffee can affect the anti-depressants you take and hamper the benefit of hypertensive medications. It can also get in the way of absorbing medications or supplements for osteoporosis, such as calcium and Vitamin D, along with Thyroid medications. The caffeine in coffee can also be ramped up by certain cold medications and it can interfere with certain asthma inhalers. It can also heighten the effects of certain pain medications or anti-inflammatories. For these reasons, it’s best to consult your physician, especially if you are starting a new medication. You can also avoid some of these problems by taking medications an hour before ingesting coffee or 2 hours after you’ve finished your coffee, to give your body time to allow the caffeine to work its way through your system.

One interesting research study involving coffee was recently published and should be of special interest to those of you guilty of sitting too much. Published in BMC Public Health, this new research out of China examined the harmful effects of prolonged sitting in light of coffee consumption. Those who consumed the most coffee were able to counteract some of the most harmful aspects of prolonged sitting, such that coffee consumption was associated with a lower risk of mortality in those who sit 8 hours a day compared to those sedentary sitters who don’t consume coffee. No cause and effect was proven, but it suggests that you may want to grab a cup of coffee (or 2 or 3) if you plan to be sedentary for an extended period.

One other recent study about coffee might be of interest. There is new research that your coffee cravings are at least in part influenced by your genetics. 

Finally, if you have more interest in delving into the origins of coffee and its role in our culture and cuisine, pour yourself a cold brew and take a look here.