Is Caffeine Good or Bad for You? Benefits, Risks, and Recommendations for Women

Potential Health Benefits of Caffeine

Caffeine. It's good for you. It's bad for you. What's the truth? And how do you make decisions about, if you're a woman, when you should drink caffeine and how much?

This is Dr. Kirtly Jones from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at University of Utah Health Care. So come on over for a cup of coffee, and we'll talk about caffeine.

Caffeine's been in the human diet for thousands of years, but never has it been so readily available in so many forms. Coffee, tea, cola drinks, energy drinks, caffeine-enhanced truffles, my personal favorite, Turbo Truffle. A hundred and fifty milligrams of caffeine, I only eat half of it because a whole one was just too much. But what is too much? And who shouldn't take any?

Recommended Limits for Healthy Adults

The good news: moderate consumption of caffeine, less than 400 milligrams a day or four cups of coffee, is not associated with health care risks in adult, non-pregnant women. An 8-ounce cup of coffee has about 100 milligrams of caffeine. If you go big, you do the math. A 12-ounce can of Coke has about 45.

Caffeine in moderate doses has not been associated with risk for cancer or heart disease. Coffees and teas have moderate to large amounts of antioxidants, which may be good for overall health. Caffeine in moderate doses has been associated with a lower risk of diabetes and Alzheimer's. But remember, this is an association study. Maybe coffee drinkers are more active, and that's why there's less diabetes.

Caffeine and Pregnancy: What Expectant Mothers Should Know

Now, the troublesome news. There are several studies that suggest that more than 300 milligrams of caffeine per day is associated with a slight increase in miscarriage. Again, this is an association study, so maybe there are other behaviors of coffee drinkers that put them at risk for miscarriage.

But we tell women who are planning a pregnancy to limit caffeine to less than 300 milligrams a day, less than 3 cups of coffee or the equivalent, per day. High caffeine intake in pregnancy has been associated with a slightly lower birth weight, but a randomized trial restricting caffeine in Scandinavian women didn't show a difference in the babies of those who restricted their coffee after 20 weeks and those who didn't.

How the Body Processes Caffeine Differently During Pregnancy

Remember, caffeine is easily absorbed and hangs around a little longer in the body in women later in pregnancy and easily passes through the placenta to the fetus. We don't know what the short and long-term effects of caffeine on the fetal brain are, but it's something for a pregnant mom to consider. The recommendations are to limit caffeine to less than 300 milligrams a day in pregnancy.

Caffeine and Children

Young Children Should Avoid Caffeine

Now, the ugly. At least 25% of children two to five years of age, two to five years of age, get some caffeine on a regular basis. It might be tea, soda, or chocolate. The average amounts are small, about 25 milligrams per day for little kids, but the American Academy of Pediatrics states that children shouldn't consume caffeine on a regular basis. Caffeine is associated with decreased sleep time, and kids need their sleep.

Teens, Energy Drinks, and Excessive Caffeine

Adolescents have never been known to be moderate about anything. An increased consumption of caffeinated sodas, energy drinks, and other caffeinated products has led to increased hospitalizations for caffeine overdose in adolescents: mania, meaning going crazy, anxiety, and cardiac arrhythmias. The Academy of Pediatrics recommended that adolescents consume no more than 100 milligrams of caffeine per day. Now, that may be the one cup of coffee in the morning to combat the late-night screen time and middle-of-the-night text checking on their phone.

Moderation Matters When It Comes to Caffeine

So moderate intake of caffeine for women who aren't pregnant and aren't children is okay, and it may actually be kind of good for you. There's no place for caffeine in the diet of children and adolescents should be educated about the risks of excessive caffeine. And good luck with that. Now, would you like another cup before you go?

_{updated: June 12, 2026
originally published: October 15, 2015}