While coffee doesn't cause acne, some studies suggest it can make it worse. Caffeine makes you feel alert and awake but also leads to a heightened stress response in the body. Stress hormones, such as cortisol, may increase the amount of oil produced by your sebaceous glands, meaning you can be more prone to breakouts.
Coffee contains beneficial antioxidants that can be good for skin and overall health. However, drinking too much caffeinated coffee and adding sugar or milk may make acne worse. People who are prone to acne may wish to cut back on caffeine, dairy, and sugar to see if it helps improve their skin.
The high acidity of coffee can interfere with your hormones and impact the amount of oil your skin produces. Coffee drinks with dairy products increase your risk of developing acne. Dehydration from coffee and other drinks such as soda or alcohol may also cause skin redness or inflammation.
You can still reap many benefits for your skin just by drinking coffee. Our favorite skin benefit that comes from drinking coffee is that it can help to fight against skin cancers like malignant melanoma and basal cell carcinoma due to its high level of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds.
Some of the most notable benefits include; Clearer skin. Brighter eye area. A healthier glow.
Examples include white bread, corn flakes, puffed rice, potato chips, white potatoes or fries, doughnuts or other pastries, sugary drinks such as milkshakes, and white rice. Findings from small studies suggest that following a low-glycemic diet may reduce the amount of acne you have.
Hu said that moderate coffee intake—about 2–5 cups a day—is linked to a lower likelihood of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, liver and endometrial cancers, Parkinson's disease, and depression. It's even possible that people who drink coffee can reduce their risk of early death.
Coffee containing caffeine can cause insomnia, nervousness and restlessness, stomach upset, nausea and vomiting, increased heart and breathing rate, and other side effects. Consuming large amounts of coffee might also cause headache, anxiety, agitation, ringing in the ears, and irregular heartbeats.
Applying coffee directly to your skin may help decrease the appearance of sun spots, redness, and fine lines. In fact, one study found a direct correlation between drinking coffee and a decrease in photoaging effects.
Wash your skin twice a day with a mild soap. Don't use a brush or washcloth — use your fingers instead. Over-the-counter skin cleansers that contain benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid can be applied to affected areas to help the pimples clear.
Symptoms of a coffee allergy
Symptoms can affect many areas of the body and will usually get worse over time. Symptoms of an allergic reaction to coffee include: skin rashes, such as hives or blotches of red skin. nausea and vomiting.
“When used in skin care, caffeine reduces blood flow to the skin and makes it look brighter and tighter,” Dr. Hsu says. “It's often seen as an anti-aging or wrinkle-smoothing ingredient in face care, eye care, and even body care.”
"If you regularly experience anxiety or panic attacks, you may want to consider avoiding or reducing your caffeinated coffee intake." Research from General Hospital Psychiatry found that higher levels of caffeine (around 5 cups of coffee per day) could potentially bring on panic attacks in those with existing anxiety.
As a general rule, you can assume that an average 8-ounce (240-ml) cup of coffee offers around 100 mg of caffeine. Several sources suggest that 400 mg of caffeine per day — the equivalent of 4 cups (945 ml) of coffee — is safe for most healthy adults ( 3 , 5 ).
The level of caffeine in your blood peaks about one hour later and stays at this level for several hours for most people. Six hours after caffeine is consumed, half of it is still in your body. It can take up to 10 hours to completely clear caffeine from your bloodstream.
You can still get some of the potential health benefits by drinking one cup of coffee a day, or even decaf. Also, remember that what you add to your coffee can make a difference in how healthy the beverage really is.
Multiple studies have found that a daily coffee intake of four cups is a safe amount. Even federal dietary guidelines suggest three to five eight-ounce cups of coffee per day (providing up to 400 milligrams of caffeine) can be a part of a healthy diet.
So what'll really happen if you drink only coffee and tea all day? Webster says, “You'll probably be extremely over-caffeinated! When caffeine is consumed in large doses, like the amount in 5 cups of coffee, it can induce a small diuretic effect.” However, this doesn't mean caffeine is less hydrating.
You Might Experience Withdrawal Symptoms
Though there are quite a few benefits to quitting or cutting back on caffeine, devoted coffee drinkers should expect some withdrawal symptoms after going cold turkey. These symptoms can include headaches, fatigue or irritability and should only last one to three days.
The cold turkey method is the fastest way to quit caffeine. The downside is you may be out of commission for a few days while your body readjusts. Plan to start your first caffeine-free day on a weekend or holiday. This way, you can avoid headaches or hits to your productivity while you're at work.