Painful breast cysts: What role does caffeine play?

Does caffeine cause breast cysts?

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Answer

Caffeine doesn't directly cause breast cysts. But excessive caffeine intake may cause fluctuations in hormone levels, which can lead to breast cysts (fibrocystic breast changes) and breast pain.

Anecdotally, many women report that reducing or eliminating caffeine in their diets seems to relieve breast pain, such as due to fibrocystic breast changes. Some research also suggests a link between caffeine and fibrocystic breast changes and breast pain. But studies evaluating the effectiveness of limiting caffeine have had mixed results. Regardless, if you have breast pain, you may consider reducing or eliminating caffeine in your diet to see if it improves your symptoms.

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