Drinking tea and coffee causes no problems for people with COPD.
The dietician at the PR informed me t... - Lung Conditions C...
The dietician at the PR informed me that caffeine does not affect the lungs.
32 Replies
•
Great I drink it all day long, enjoy !
However it does stimulate the bladder, something to note it you have frequency problems.
cx
I do have loo problems, cofdrop, and need to get there quickly. I enjoy two cups of coffee/ a day.
• in reply tocofdrop-UK
Coffee can act as a diuretic in some people.
CornishBrian• in reply to
I use this to advantage. A urologist told me to have one cup of full fat coffee mid afternoon to help clear the body of excess liquid. It works...sent the water tablets back....one less pill to pop a day and less swollen ankles.
hi if i dont tk water tabs in trouble swell up dreadful and if i do tk them ruins my life cos every ten mins want the loo terrified of car journeys case accident its horrid i do drink lots of coffee cos i get very thirsty
I don't any more. I used to take them first thing in the morning but never affected me during the day but at night time, I might as well have moved my bed into the bathroom...I was in there more than in my bedroom. Coffee about 3pm and lie on the bed listening to the radio and my ankles clear...plus I can go to bed to sleep at night.
I started using decaf tea in the afternoon because it helps me sleep but yes I have not noticed any difference in breathing.
If anything, it can sometimes improve breathing as the caffeine dilates and speeds up your metabolism. Ive seen that written in relation to asthma anyway a few years ago. It seemed to help in my case. Caffeine has things in common with salbutomal e.g. if you think how that can make your heart beat fast.
• in reply toO2Trees
There was an article years ago about coffee helping exercise and sport performance if taken just prior to activity, I had this experience myself, but not the same affect with an ordinary cup of tea, which suggests its not just the caffeine at work.
On the other hand tea has other beneficial properties that coffee does not, again these are not just because of the caffeine, but are present in tea as well as the caffeine.
It's amazing how a topic about caffeine can be confused with the product that it's in.
Caffeine in pain relief can be very useful but we wouldn't want to overdose in it.
Well that's good news I would die without my coffee.
I have not had tea or coffee for many years, just went off it, only drink water now and the occasional hot chocolate and my alcohol free wine.
polly xx
The more you learn about COPD - from good reliable sources such as reputable medical sites, research papers or even a good COPD book or two, the more you will come to realise that many nurses, GP's, dieticians etc. really don't know much about it. My morning coffee gives me a real boost. Really though, regardless of the science or of what any dietician says, the simple test is how you yourself feel after a coffee. There has been a lot of evidence around for a long time that coffee gives a temporary boost to breathing and fev1. Here's just one short summary as an example
Funny thing to say at a pr course. Did the dietician go on to say that fizzy drinks that contain caffeine such a cola, pepsi, soda and coke, are not so helpful for lungs / breathing because carbonated drinks can make breathing more difficult.
Perhaps the dietician was just answering a specific question that some one asked, like; 'does caffeine in tea and coffee affect the lungs' ??
• in reply to
Fizzy drinks was mentioned. I don't drink them myself. Someone posted recently that caffeine was not good for your lungs. So thought I would ask an expert.
• in reply to
Glad that was covered about the fizzy drinks. I never saw the post about caffeine not being good for the lungs, can you remember which post? I would like to read it if it was in relation to some recent study. Many thanks.
peege• in reply to
we were strongly advised to cut down on caffienated drinks at my PR - but I cant for the life of me remember why...... this was from respiratory nurse who trains GP's on lung health.
Perhaps anyone attending PR presently could ask for us?
• in reply topeege
May have found the reasons here peeg:
Warnings
COPD stands for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and it is general term for any condition that causes difficulty breathing. This includes asthma, bronchitis, emphysema and others. When it comes to treatment, COPD requires a multidisciplinary approach that includes dietary changes. Eating a healthy, well-balanced diet should be combined with limiting caffeine intake, reports the Cleveland Clinic. Since caffeine increases breathing rate, it may place to much stress on the heart and lungs for those who already have trouble breathing and this can worsen symptoms. In addition, caffeine can negatively interact with medications being taken to treat COPD.
Warnings are those indicated on the Livestrong web page, along with the other affects of caffeine on breathing.
Something that may be a problem for some but ok for others in moderation.
Here's some general advice from nhs leeds:
leeds.ac.uk/lsmp/healthadvi...
There is an indication its not helpful with anxiety, panic attacks and acid reflux which some people with COPD do experience.
peege• in reply to
excellent reply BC and the link has loads of useful info 
As a big tea and coffee drinker I have found no problems when I don't drink much to my normal amount. Except at night unless it has a drop of whiskey in it 
• in reply toOffcut
Me too Offcut, although I am mainly a tea drinker but enjoy a coffee when I go out, or an occasional indulge in an irish coffee 
mmm just the job
Offcut• in reply to
I sometimes forget the hot water milk and coffee
• in reply toOffcut
that must be very disappointing when you come to drink it, unless of course you have an exceedingly good imagination
....or just like the taste of your whiskey.
i enjoy a cuppa t with a small whiskey shot does any one say i shoudnt
Hi, caffeine may not directly affect the lungs but as it is a stimulant, it speeds up many biological processes, such as your heart rate and your breathing. This respiration rate increase can make you feel short of breath as your body begins to inhale and exhale more quickly than usual. In addition, caffeine raises your blood pressure. I found, as my condition worsened, I could not drink caffeinated coffee any more, it just exacerbated my symptoms. LIbby x
oh dear I only drink coffee and water I like my coffee strong and I drink so many in a day I loose count.
I heard a maximum of three a day, this should also help reduce the risk of cancer. Coffee doesn't really affect my waterworks, tea does though and I drink Redbush tea. Water - which we are all supposed to drink a lot of, is the worst thing for making me run to the loo!! Sorry, too much information!!
yes I know this comes from working nights on NHS I do drink this flavoured water so that does cut down the coffee a bit
See BlakeyC's reply above? with a link for really useful information x
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