I've noticed an intriguing phenomenon over the last several years that I've fondly nicknamed coffee shame. What is coffee shame? Thewell-intentioned, but typically misguided, guilt or remorse over one’s coffee consumption.

As I obtain my patients’ full medical and social history, their alcohol, exercise, and green vegetable "habits" rarely seem to provoke the kinds of explanations their coffee consumption so frequently does. "I know I should be drinking less", "I tried so hard to give it up, but I just couldn't do it", and "I've been doing half-caff, that's better, right?"-just a handful of the disclaimers that patients tend to lead in with.

All of this coffee shame, combined perhaps with my personal love for the age-old brew, has prompted me to attempt to set the record straight. In the wise words of Clark Gable, “I never laugh until I’ve had my coffee.” So here are some facts about coffee to smile about. The proven benefits of low to moderate coffee consumption are plentiful. I have listed them below for you. Of note, low to moderate is defined as less than three eight-ounce cups per day.

Benefits:

Increase in alertness and ability to concentrate
Decreased risk of Parkinson's disease
Slightly lower or delayed risk of Alzheimer's disease
Decreased risk of Type 2 Diabetes
Improvement in acute headache symptoms
Modest decrease in constipation symptoms
Decreased risk of alcoholic cirrhosis
Slowed progression of liver disease in those with advanced Hepatitis C
Reduced risk of gout
Decreased risk of liver cancer

With all of these incredible potential benefits that low to moderate coffee consumption can have, are there downsides? Well, just like anything that is enjoyable, there are. The downsides can include:

Difficulty sleeping
Increased anxiety and agitation
Increased risk of cardiac arrhythmias and cardiac events in those that are susceptible
Physical and/or psychological tolerance or dependence on caffeine
Caffeine withdrawal symptoms in those that are tolerant or dependent
Mild elevation in cholesterol when consuming unfiltered coffee (e.g. French press, espresso)
Slowed growth and even potential risk of miscarriage or preterm birth when consumed in pregnancy (the studies are mixed on this so always ask your OB)

When I explain all of this to my coffee-loving patients, I usually tell them that there are two magic numbers to keep in mind. Those numbers are two and twelve. Try to keep your coffee consumption to two eight-ounce cups per day, and drink those two cups before twelve o'clock noon. Pushing the limits of what is considered safe intake of anything is never a good idea, and drinking caffeine of any kind in the afternoon often leads to problems sleeping. I do have several patients that I recommend stop drinking coffee altogether for various health reasons, so it is extremely important to always check in with your doctor before assuming that your cup of joe is a safe habit.

Allison Fox, M.D.

1. “Once you have HPV, you have it for life.”

Not at all! If your immune system is healthy, you can get rid of the infection for good. It may take a little time, but by taking appropriate steps, you will again test negative for HPV.

2. “I had the HPV vaccine, I can’t catch the virus.”

Despite the HPV vaccine being highly effective at preventing certain strains of HPV, it absolutely does not protect you from every strain out there. You can get the HPV vaccine and still get HPV, I’ve seen it happen many times.

3. “Condoms protect you against all STDs, including HPV.”

This is a dangerous misconception. HPV is a virus that is spread through skin to skin contact. While condoms are clearly extremely important in the prevention of most STD's, they only reduce the risk of HPV spread. In other words, you can use them 100% consistently and correctly and still get HPV.

4. “After a colposcopy removed the damaged cells, the virus is gone.”

The colposcopy procedure removes the cells of your cervix that have been damaged by HPV. However, the virus itself lives throughout your body, which is where my diet and lifestyle recommendations come in. A healthy immune system will help clear the virus up from your body for good.

5. “Older women don’t need Paps, they are for women of childbearing age.”

One in 4 cases of cervical cancer occurs in women over the age of 65. Forty one percent of cervical cancer deaths also occur in this age range. While every woman does not need a Pap every year, every woman does need a visit to see their physician to discuss their personal risk and decide on the best plan.

Allison Fox, M.D.