Marla Ahlgrimm on What Might Trigger Caffeine Sensitivity in Premenopausal Women

Maybe you've been drinking coffee your entire life, or just picked it up after having children. But now, you're around age 45, and suddenly, that little jolt you need to start your morning may become a trigger for a medical emergency. Today, women's health expert and author Marla Ahlgrimm explains how caffeine sensitivity may appear suddenly during your productive years.

Hormone Fluctuations

Hormones are the culprit for many issues in women past age 40. According to Marla Ahlgrimm, perimenopause can affect how the liver metabolizes caffeine. She explains that estrogen and progesterone level swings can lead to slower metabolism, which means that cup of coffee may hit harder and crash faster than ever before.

Cardiovascular Response

Every part of our body changes with age, and Marla Ahlgrimm says the heart is no different. While not necessarily menopause-related, drinking too much coffee may suddenly, but occasionally, trigger irregular heartbeats. This can lead to lightheadedness and fainting, even in people with no previous heart issues. Coffee also temporarily raises blood pressure, and some women may find that their bodies no longer slowly lower it but drop it suddenly, which can also lead to fainting.

Autonomic Nervous System Sensitivity

Midlife changes in stress can make the autonomic nervous system more reactive, says Marla Ahlgrimm. This system controls heart rate, blood pressure, digestion, and more. If overstimulated by caffeine, women may experience dizziness, nausea, or loss of consciousness.

Other Factors

Age may not be entirely to blame. Marla Ahlgrimm says that stress, lack of sleep, and poor diet can also make caffeine's stimulating effect much stronger and its subsequent crash even more pronounced. Furthermore, women who are taking medications or supplements may find that these drugs affect their caffeine tolerance.

The Takeaway

Even if it was your go-to morning, noon, and night beverage for years, Marla Ahlgrimm says that midlife hormonal, cardiovascular, and metabolic changes can create a perfect storm for caffeine to overwhelm your system. It's a combination of your body processing the stimulant differently and your heart responding in what essentially becomes a fight-or-flight mode.

What You Can Do

The simplest answer is to stop drinking coffee, teas, and other drinks that contain caffeine and stimulants. It may not be easy, but it may be the most important decision you make if your energy pick-me-up leads to unconsciousness. A few tips to help you through the emotional loss (and yes, it is an emotional loss!) are:

• Find an alternative. Marla Ahlgrimm says that some women, in addition to being physically addicted to caffeine, also have an emotional attachment to the morning ritual of a hot cup of coffee. A caffeine-free tea or sugar-free hot cocoa may serve as a viable alternative.

• Exercise instead. Fifteen to twenty minutes of moderate cardiovascular activity before you leave the bedroom in the morning can help you feel energized and ready to start your day with a glass of water instead of a cup of coffee.

• Hydrate. Caffeine withdrawal can lead to headaches, irritability, and sleeplessness. Marla Ahlgrimm notes that staying hydrated can help you overcome some of this, and she also notes that many withdrawal symptoms peak at 72 hours and then rapidly decline.

Drinking coffee is a rite of passage for many women. But Marla Ahlgrimm says that menopause is too. If these two ongoing life events conflict with each other, it may be safer to let the coffee go than to find yourself in a dangerous situation because your body can no longer handle the caffeine.