Why Coffee Might Be Beneficial
There are a few reasons why coffee may provide a protective effect against the buildup of uric acid. To understand why, we first need to understand how certain medications for gout work.
There are two types of gout medication that your doctor may prescribe: xanthine oxidase inhibitors and uricosurics.
Xanthine oxidase inhibitors function by inhibiting the activity of xanthine oxidase. Xanthine oxidase is an enzyme that helps the body metabolize purines. Since purines are a source of uric acid, inhibiting this enzyme can help to keep uric acid levels low.
Caffeine is considered to be a methyl xanthine . Therefore, it can also compete with and potentially block the action of xanthine oxidase.
Uricosurics function by helping the kidneys rid the body of uric acid. Although caffeine isnt necessarily considered a uricosuric, it may function in a similar manner.
Theres a lack of research that suggests coffee may contribute to raising your risk of gout. However, some researchers believe that theres insufficient evidence in favor of drinking coffee to reduce gout risk.
In one , 11 studies were investigated for their results on coffee intake and serum uric acid levels. The researchers found that while there was evidence to suggest coffee intake reduces gout risk, the results were not statistically significant enough to matter.
Does Excess Caffeine Cause Joint Pain
Too much caffeine might have several side effects, but clinical evidence suggests that joint pain isn’t one of them. Joint pain has several potential causes, mostly associated with forms of arthritis, such as gout and rheumatoid arthritis. While there is no direct link between too much caffeine and joint pain, caffeine can play a role in relieving some forms of joint pain.
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How Much Caffeine Is In Our Diet
The biggest sources of caffeine are coffee and energy drinks . Be aware of your portion size. Many mugs and coffee-shop drinks can hold as much as 20 ounces.
According to Harvard Universitys T.H. Chan School of Public Health, other sources of caffeine include a shot of espresso , a cup of black tea , green tea , 12 ounces of Mountain Dew or cola , an ounce of dark chocolate , and decaffeinated coffee .
Of course, dont forget to drink water, which not only hydrates the body, but helps counter the potential diuretic effects of caffeine.
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Advanced Glycation End Products
When you grill or fry your food or consume foods that have been cooked at high temperatures, including pasteurized foods, your body produces toxins called AGEs. These toxins can damage proteins in your body, which triggers your immune system to destroy the AGEs with cytokines. Cytokines cause inflammation.
How Much Is Too Much
The McKinley Health Center notes that about 300 milligrams of caffeine — 2 to 3 cups of coffee — daily is generally considered safe. Anything more can lead to side effects such as sleep disturbance, restlessness, an increased heart rate and stomach discomfort. Some people are more sensitive to caffeine and feel better when they consume less. There is no evidence that excess caffeine leads to joint pain, but it may be possible.
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Caffeine In Arthritis Research
A long-term longitudinal study investigating the effect of caffeine consumption on rheumatoid arthritis was published in the journal, Arthritis and Rheumatism in 2003. In this study, over 85,000 women were recruited and asked to complete food frequency questionnaires between 1980 and 1998.
The rate of diagnoses of rheumatoid arthritis was correlated with caffeine consumption in this group.
The analyses of the results of this study showed that caffeine does not increase the risk or symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.
Furthermore, the result found out the consumption of tea, caffeinated coffee, and decaffeinated coffee was not associated with an increased incidence of rheumatoid arthritis.
The study summarized above was called the Nurses Health Study. It was a cohort study investigating the role of diet in several diseases. Therefore, it is a rich source of insight into the role of caffeine in the progression of arthritis diseases.
A second paper was taken out of this study and published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2010.
This second paper also took the results of the long-term study to investigate the effects of coffee and caffeine on the incidence of gout in women.
With the diuretic property of caffeine, some people believed that caffeine may cause dehydration which is significant enough to trigger the crystallization of uric acid and the development of gout.
Caffeine For Pain Relief
Joint pain may stem from a number of different causes and people may experience various levels of severity. Medical conditions that cause pain in a person’s joints include osteoarthritis, a degenerative disorder, or rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disorder. Temporary pain might also happen due to an infectious disease, or inflammation of a person’s joints from exercise and overexertion, or chronic pain from conditions such as gout. Despite the cause, a person may experience discomfort and like most people, want to decrease the intensity and duration of the pain. Prior to using any substance to relieve persistent pain it is important to consult a doctor in order to receive an accurate diagnosis and to ensure you treat the cause of the pain, not simply to mask it with random medications.
Gout is a form of arthritis that is associated with high uric acid buildup that often times causes repeated episodes of pain and inflammation in a person’s joints. The Arthritis Foundation summarized the results of a study by researchers H.K. Choi and colleagues published in, ‘Arthritis and Rheumatism, ‘ when it said that men who drink 4 cups or more of caffeinated coffee each day experience a reduced risk of gout. The study revealed that caffeine lowers the level of uric acid in a person’s blood quite notably, which is the main risk factor for developing gout.
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Should You Watch Your Caffeine Intake For Joint Pain
As we begin Caffeine Awareness Month, some of us may be holding a steaming mug of dark roast, trying not to think of how our daily pick-me-up effects us. If you have a love-hate relationship with coffee, or any drink with a substantial amount of caffeine, you may alternately think of cutting down while looking forward to your next boost. Caffeine has, some may argue, health benefits, but is it good for you?
If you do a search on caffeine and joint pain, youll find conflicting reports. One study reported on WebMD revealed consumption of caffeine may increase risk of rheumatoid arthritis, while The Arthritis Foundation lists tea and coffee among beverages that can help with pain. Aside from caffeine, tea and coffee contain antioxidants which fight the free radicals that bring on pain.
400 milligrams of caffeine is the recommended maximum amount for daily consumption, according to the Mayo Clinic. If you were to consume the full amount, you would need to have:
- About a dozen 12-ounce cans of cola, or
- About eight and a half 12-ounce cans of diet cola, or
- Six 12-ounce cups of black tea, or
- About five 8-ounce cans of an energy drink like Red Bull
While its not likely for one person to drink like this on a daily basis, these numbers will vary according to the brand of soda or energy drink. Coffee, perhaps the most popular source of caffeine among adult Americans, will also give different totals depending on the type of roast and who produces it.
A New Study Suggests There May Be A Link Between Drinking Lots Of Java And Rheumatoid Arthritis
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Finnish researchers conducted two separatestudies, both examining whether coffee had anyassociation with the development of RA. In the largerstudy of more than 18,000 participants, researchersfound that drinking 11 or more cups of coffee a dayincreased the risk for developing rheumatoid factor, an antibody in the blood that doesn’tnecessarily cause RA but is believed to precede it bya few years. As many as 80 percent of the 2.1 millionAmerican patients suffering from RA test positive forthis factor, convincing doctors there’s a significantassociation between the two.
In the second study of almost 7,000 participants,researchers found that those consuming four or more cupsof coffee per day were two times more likely to developRA than those who drank less. Because there are manytypes of arthritis, it’s important to note that this RA was the type whose onset was associated with positive tests forrheumatoid factor.
The take-home message is caution rather than the need for drasticbehavior change. It might be prudent to say that if you’repredisposed to RA  whether because you possess theother risk factors or because you have a geneticsusceptibility  it might be wise to cut back on themorning brew. So, until scientists can pinpoint thedefinite link, do your joints a favor and percolatewith care.
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Inflammation Arthritis And Back Pain
High coffee consumption could even cause inflammation. As a study found, moderate to high coffee intake was associated with an increased inflammation process in the body. For those with inflammatory back pain linked to autoimmune causes, this is significant and reining in coffee intake can ease symptoms.4 Not surprisingly, for those with chronic back pain too, staying off stimulants like caffeine, which by extension includes coffee, is commonly recommended.5
Researchers in Finland found a close link between coffee consumption and rheumatoid factor, a precursor to rheumatoid arthritis which can result in bad aches and pains. In fact, drinking 4 cups of coffee or more each day as much as doubled chances of testing positive for arthritis. This led them to conclude that drinking coffee could be a new risk factor for developing rheumatoid arthritis.6
Caffeine And Joint Pain
We’ve found some mixed results here. The first study suggested that decaf coffee can increase your risk of diseases that cause joint pain, while the second study stated the opposite. The studies used different populations, particularly different genders. Overall, the studies associated caffeine with joint pain but do not provide enough evidence for a medical recommendation.
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Anxiety Mood Alteration And Your Cuppa
Caffeine is known to have an impact on your mood. While low quantities of caffeine, under 200 mg, can boost your mood and lift your spirits, having more than 200 mg could actually induce a negative mood. Anxiety and nervousness linked to high coffee consumption in turn put you at risk of mood disorder-related backaches. The Anxiety and Depression Association of America suggests that anyone with anxiety problems and pain should cut back on coffee intake due to its tendency to increase acidity, interfere with sleep, and worsen anxiety.9
Caffeine Effects On The Growth Plate: Longitudinal Bone Growth Inhibition
The physiology and pathophysiology of both articular and growth plate cartilage are tightly related. Indeed, epidemiological studies have underpinned this idea, showing that a lower birth weight is associated with hand or spine OA . As a result, it has been suggested that common intrauterine deleterious factors may support alterations in both tissues . Thus, the PCE, which promotes multiple alterations of the articular cartilage, could also affect the growth plate cartilage.
5.2.1. Prenatal Caffeine Exposure
As it reported for articular cartilage, animal models of PCE also revealed that caffeine exposure during the prenatal stages significantly affects skeletal development and bone growth . Accordingly, several studies have demonstrated that PCE is related to intrauterine growth retardation in animals , as well as in humans . This alteration is characterized by a low birthweight and shortened bones due to a retarded EO . Consistent with this, PCE has been associated with significant growth plate abnormalities . The growth plates of rat PCE fetuses exhibited a reduced number of mineralized nodules, decreased cell viability, lower COL2A1 and ACAN expression , and poorer IGF-1 signaling . Moreover, these growth plates presented longer hypertrophic zones .
5.2.2. Direct and Indirect Effect of Caffeine on Growth Plate Chondrocytes
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While Aging Is Inevitable Feeling Old Is Not
If you feel your health is going downhill with issues like joint pain, you may feel tempted to surrender or resort to daily pill popping. Joint pain is often cumulative, with years of wear and tear from injuries, poor health choices, and the eventual onset of conditions like osteoarthritis. But you deserve better and youâre in control!
Caffeine Can Help Reduce Joint And Other Pain
Synopsis: Information regarding the pain relief benefits of caffeine consumption and why caffeine is added to pain relievers like ibuprofen or acetaminophen. In humans, caffeine acts as a central nervous system stimulant, temporarily warding off drowsiness and restoring alertness. Caffeine blocks receptors in the brain called, ‘adenosines,’ which in turn induce relaxation and activate dopamine chemicals associated with both pain relief and energy.
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Why Coffee Might Be Harmful
Theres very little evidence that suggests coffee intake causes gout or increases the risk of a gout flare-up. Although the majority of evidence is in favor of drinking coffee to reduce gout risk, theres still room to continue to expand the research.
Most of the research points to the fact that drinking coffee can potentially lower your risk of gout. The primary risk factors for gout include:
- being male
- a family history of gout
- certain medications
Having A Consistently Negative Outlook
When youre hurting, its easy to think the pain is permanent and theres nothing you can do. That mindset, however, may actually make your pain worse and last longer. An important part of your treatment plan is your own outlook on life. Talk to your doctor if youre feeling frustrated. They may have ideas about how to cope or refer you to someone who can help. These tips from mental health experts on coping with chronic illness are also a good place to start.
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Risk Is With Coffee And Not Just With Caffeine
Yes, you read it right, the studies about the increase in the Rheumatoid Factor in coffee drinkers is actually not just linked to caffeine but to coffee in general. The studies showed that both people who drank caffeinated coffee and decaf both showed an increase in the Rheumatoid factor. So if you thought that switching your regular coffee to decaf would help take away your risk, unfortunately, it wont.
But dont let that stop you from switching to decaf instead of regular coffee because caffeine causes a number of different issues in the body including heart problems. So if you are drinking coffee regularly and in high volumes, try and switch over to decaf regardless.
Can Mushrooms Cause Inflammation
Mushrooms are rich in anti-inflammatory components, such as polysaccharides, phenolic and indolic compounds, mycosteroids, fatty acids, carotenoids, vitamins, and biometals. Metabolites from mushrooms of the Basidiomycota taxon possess antioxidant, anticancer, and most significantly, anti-inflammatory properties.
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Insomnia And Other Side Effects
Overdoing it with caffeine, whether from coffee, other caffeinated beverages, or even chocolate, can sometimes produce unwanted side effects that can increase muscle and joint stiffness. For instance, insomnia or trouble getting enough recuperative sleep each night can exacerbate existing joint issues, especially when first waking up.
No Bones About It: Drinking Coffee May Increase Arthritis Risk
July 25, 2000 — Here’s some news Starbuck’s probably doesn’t want you to know: A new report suggests heavy coffee drinking may raise your risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis. The findings are based on two studies of more than 25,000 people in Finland.
“This is probably the most comprehensive look at a large number of patients to look at a potential risk factor,” says Beth Jonas, MD. But Jonas, a clinical assistant professor of orthopaedic surgery at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and a board-certified rheumatologists, hastens to add that these findings raise many unanswered questions, and that the coffee-drinking habits of those in Finland may not be comparable to those of Americans. Jonas was not involved in the study.
Rheumatoid arthritis is inflammation of the lining of the joints in the body and can lead to deformity and disability. It occurs when the body’s immune system attacks the joints, although it is not known why. There is also no cure.
Lead author M. Heliövaara, MD, and his colleagues at the Social Insurance Institution, Research and Development Centre in Turku, Finland, studied the association between coffee drinking, rheumatoid arthritis, and a blood marker called rheumatoid factor that is found in about half the cases of rheumatoid arthritis. They published their findings in the Annals of Rheumatic Disease.
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Caffeines Role In Cartilage
The consumption of caffeinated beverages like coffee has been associated with knee OA development in males but not in females . It is known that women have a faster caffeine metabolism , which in turn could explain this difference between the sexes. Consistent with this, a wide range of studies have suggested the potential harmful effects of caffeine on the musculoskeletal system . Specifically, there is a significant bulk of evidence pointing to the role of caffeine in the pathophysiology of both articular and growth plate cartilage . Accordingly, caffeine consumption has been associated with severe alterations in the articular cartilage, which have been linked to OA development . Caffeine has also been related to abnormal bone growth due to alterations in the growth plate cartilage .
Can Coffee Cause Arthritis
There are a number of risk factors associated with developing rheumatoid arthritis. You are more likely to develop the condition if you are a woman between the ages of 40 and 60, smoke, have a family history of rheumatoid arthritis, or are clinically obese. Of course, none of these factors guarantee a future diagnosis, but they do increase your risk of developing the condition. However, many patients at The Pain Center of Arizona wonder whether their coffee drinking habits are a risk factor as well.
There actually is no consensus on whether or not coffee makes people more likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis. The results of research studies do not agree — some reports say coffee can cause arthritis while others have found no relationship.
Some of the research discrediting this claim states coffee contains an antioxidant known as polyphenol. Polyphenols health effects are not definite, but traditional medicine suggests that the antioxidant can cause an anti-inflammatory effect. Green teas and fruit smoothies also contain polyphenol and are typically recommended for rheumatoid arthritis patients because they may help reduce pain and swelling in the joints.
The advice and information contained in this article are for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace or counter a physicians advice or judgment. Please always consult your physician before taking any advice learned here or in any other educational medical material.
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