Can caffeine affect fertility? Probably not – but there are a few things you should know

There’s a lot of conflicting information about caffeine and fertility out there, especially on IVF forums and social media.

There are also plenty of myths about what to eat and drink (and what to avoid) when you’re trying to conceive (TTC), and separating the wheat from the chaff can often feel like a headache when you’re trying to navigate the stresses and challenges that being TTC can bring with it.

Today, we’re answering the question – can caffeine affect fertility? We’ll also lay out all of the expert information we know, plus some advice to help you make the best decision for your own personal journey.

Let’s go!

What is caffeine?

We’ve all heard of caffeine. It’s the thing in coffee that so many of us rely on to get us going in the morning!

Put simply, caffeine is a natural stimulant that affects the whole body through the central nervous system and it can be found naturally in tea, coffee and cacao.

It’s commonly added to many drinks, some foods and even certain medicines.

How does caffeine affect the body?

In general, caffeine’s effect on the body is well studied – it increases your alertness, raises your heartbeat, helps keep you regular and can cause jitters or headaches.

Too much can lead to caffeine dependence and withdrawal symptoms.

Like most things, though, caffeine is completely fine in moderation and even has some benefits, including potentially lower risk of Alzheimer’s and some cancers.

Can caffeine affect fertility?

It’s quite commonly known that you should reduce caffeine intake if you’re already pregnant, as it can increase the likelihood of early pregnancy loss. However, the link is more unclear when it comes to fertility.

The NHS advice says there is no certainty that caffeine does affect fertility. Studies that have been done on caffeine and fertility have generally come out as inconclusive – such as a 2017 Danish study that found there was no difference between women whose daily intake was over 300mg of caffeine and those whose intake was under 100mg.

Can you have caffeine during IVF?

When it comes to IVF specifically, another earlier Danish study showed that five or fewer cups of coffee had no effect on the likelihood of conceiving. However, when the women studied regularly had over 5 cups of coffee a day, it could halve the chance of getting pregnant through IVF. There is also the argument that if you do become pregnant, it’s general practice to cut back or stop having caffeine.

Overall, there’s no concrete evidence that caffeine affects fertility, so, whilst everything in moderation is important, you don’t need to cut out caffeine completely.

How to know how much caffeine is in a drink

We’ll be the first to admit that the terms used around caffeine can be a little confusing. We don’t think of caffeine in milligrams, but how many cups of coffee or tea we’ve had. Caffeine can also be found in soda drinks and chocolate, but we’ll tackle that one another day!

A cup of brewed coffee is just over 100mg, an espresso is just over 50mg. If you’re popping out to the High Street for your caffeine fix, the rate is generally higher. In a tall cappuccino from a well-known chain of coffee bars there’s 150mg, a flat white from another chain has 277mg!

In order to be informed about how much caffeine there is in what you’re eating and drinking, we recommend the Caffeine Informer’s Caffeine Database. It has information for drinks from all different outlets as well as coffee and tea you can buy in the shops.

In order to calculate quickly a rough estimate of how much caffeine you’ve had, we also recommend the Tommy’s Caffeine Calculator. It’ll give you a good rough guide without you having to get caught up in exact numbers.

Top caffeine substitutes (and why you should try each one)

If you do decide that cutting down on caffeine for your fertility is a good idea for you, why not try some of these alternatives:

1. Herbal tea

If you’re out with friends in a coffee shop and still want a hot drink, herbal teas are a great alternative.

Not all of them are caffeine-free but many of them are: Rooibos is naturally caffeine-free with nutty and sweet flavours; cinnamon tea is another that is spicy and fragrant; or peppermint tea, of which the fresh minty flavour especially makes sense first thing in the morning.

Increasingly, tea brands are making a wonderful selection of different combinations – you’re bound to find one you like!

2. Coffee alternatives

Something you may not have heard of is specific coffee alternatives that are made of natural ingredients, such as barley and chicory.

They work the same way as instant coffee and, although the taste is not identical, they maintain the ritual of making a brew.

They can be bought in health shops, for example here’s a selection from Holland & Barrett and Planet Organic.

3. Decaf

Of course, an obvious way to cut down caffeine is through decaffeinated coffee and tea. Most coffee bars and shops do decaf alternatives. They have the benefit that they taste very similar to the caffeinated version.

The bottom line on caffeine and fertility

Drinking a lot of caffeine isn’t believed to lead to infertility issues for either women, or men. However, it might lower your chances of success with IVF.

Unfortunately, high caffeine intake is also associated with some pregnancy complications, including an increased risk of pregnancy loss.

So, your best bet is to consume caffeine in moderation, and if you’d like to cut down on your intake, take advantage of caffeine alternatives.

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