Caffeine in real life
Pregnancy, exercise, night shifts, jet lag, fasting: caffeine in the moments when the usual reference points change.
Pregnancy, exercise, night shifts, jet lag, fasting: the usual reference points stop applying the moment the situation changes, and the advice circulating about these cases is unusually contradictory.
The articles gathered here stay with what has been measured and say plainly where the evidence runs out. Anything touching health is a conversation for a professional, not for a website.
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Caffeine and breastfeeding: what the guidelines say
Only a small amount of caffeine passes into breast milk. Many authorities cite moderate intake as generally fine — with newborns the sensitive case.
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Caffeine and pregnancy: what the 200 mg limit means
Authorities commonly cite ~200 mg of caffeine a day in pregnancy. What the reference means, why clearance slows, and why your doctor guides your number.
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Caffeine and teens: what parents should know
No official safe caffeine level is set for teens. EFSA references ~3 mg/kg a day, energy drinks are the main concern, and teen sleep makes timing matter.
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The pill and caffeine: why your coffee lasts longer
Estrogen in the combined pill slows caffeine's clearance, so its half-life roughly doubles — your coffee lingers longer and reaches into your night.
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Caffeine before a workout: how much and when?
Caffeine is a proven performance aid at ~3–6 mg/kg taken 45–60 min before. The catch: an evening pre-workout has a long tail that can cost your sleep.
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Does coffee break a fast?
For most fasting goals, black coffee doesn't break a fast — it's near-zero calories. What does: milk, sugar, cream, syrups and butter.
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Coffee and migraines: help or trigger?
Caffeine can both help headaches (it's in many painkillers) and trigger migraines (too much, or missing your usual dose). Why moderation and consistency matter.
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Caffeine and menopause: what to know
Caffeine can make some menopause symptoms harder — hot flashes, sleep, anxiety — for some women. What the research suggests, and how to enjoy coffee anyway.
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Is coffee bad for your heart?
For most healthy people, moderate coffee isn't bad for the heart — studies don't link it to heart disease. The real effects, and who should be careful.
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Caffeine and jet lag: timing coffee when you travel
Caffeine can help beat jet lag — if you time it to the destination clock. Morning coffee keeps you alert; a late cup wrecks your reset. How to time it right.
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Can you drink coffee before a blood test?
Labs define fasting as nothing but water — coffee is outside it, even black. What they ask for, and why the answer changes with the test.
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Coffee and Ramadan: managing caffeine
The first-days headache is caffeine withdrawal, not hunger. What pharmacology says about the night window and the pre-dawn meal.
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Coffee on long drives: what actually works
Caffeine masks fatigue, it doesn't remove it. Why a coffee taken too late arrives after the fact, and why the coffee nap is the one combination that works.
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Is caffeine a banned substance in sport?
No: WADA removed it from the Prohibited List on 1 January 2004. It stays on the Monitoring Program, which is not remotely the same thing.
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Energy drinks and minors: what French law says
Contrary to widespread belief, no French law bans selling them to minors. What does exist: a mandatory label and a ban inside schools.
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Can caffeine make up for an all-nighter?
It restores alertness, not memory. And sleep is what fixes what you just learned — which is the problem with revising through the night.
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Split shifts: where to put your coffees
Two services, two peaks of alertness, and a 1 a.m. bedtime. 'Nothing after 2 p.m.' stops meaning anything — here's what to anchor the last coffee to.