Medical Author:
Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD
Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler’s educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.
Medical Editor:
William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR
Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.
Ask the experts
I have heard that caffeine can cause breast cysts (fibrocystic breast tissue), is this true?
Doctor’s response
Research is still ongoing to characterize the connection, if any, between
fibrocystic breast changes and caffeine. Caffeine is not a direct cause of fibrocystic changes in the breasts, but many experts believe that large amounts of caffeine can lead to changes in hormone levels that may affect the formation of breast cysts or cause
breast pain.
Some women do report that limiting caffeine consumption improves breast pain, but research about the benefits of limiting caffeine consumption as a treatment for breast pain has yielded mixed results.
This is an area where further research is needed to determine the precise relationship between caffeine and breast pain.
Medically reviewed by John A. Daller, MD; American Board of Surgery with subspecialty certification in surgical critical care
REFERENCE:
“Overview of benign breast disease”
UpToDate.com
Medically Reviewed by a Doctor on 7/24/2017