Should You Quit Coffee? Who Needs to Stop (and Who Doesn't)

Should you quit coffee? In this final episode of the Coffee Science Series, Dr. Sean Hashmi breaks down who should be careful with coffee and who can keep drinking it without worry.

Your genes play a bigger role than you think. A liver enzyme called CYP1A2 determines whether you're a fast or slow caffeine metabolizer, and that distinction changes everything about how coffee affects your heart, blood pressure, and sleep.

This episode covers caffeine metabolism and genetics, coffee during pregnancy and breastfeeding, the connection between caffeine, anxiety, and insomnia, medical interactions including transplant medications and blood pressure, a hidden nutrient interaction that reduces iron absorption by nearly 40 percent, bone health considerations, how to taper off caffeine safely, and the evidence-based middle ground for healthy adults.

For most people, two to four cups a day is associated with lower risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, and cognitive decline. But if coffee steals your sleep, spikes your anxiety, or raises your blood pressure, cutting back makes sense.

Dr. Sean Hashmi is a board-certified nephrologist and obesity medicine specialist. New episodes every Tuesday and Thursday.

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This episode is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before making changes to your health routine.