{"id":627539,"date":"2024-04-03T09:30:07","date_gmt":"2024-04-03T13:30:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=627539"},"modified":"2025-04-09T16:48:07","modified_gmt":"2025-04-09T20:48:07","slug":"prednisone-and-caffeine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/prednisone-and-caffeine\/","title":{"rendered":"Can you drink coffee while taking prednisone?"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you start your day with a cup of coffee, you\u2019re in good company. The National Coffee Association reports that more Americans (up to 63%) drink coffee daily than any other beverage\u2014including water. For a good reason\u2014the caffeine it contains is good for an energy boost, and there are some notable <\/span>health benefits<\/span><\/a>. However, like most substances, there are health risks, such as anxiety and trouble sleeping, when consumed in excess. And it can interact with or worsen the side effects of certain medications, including the popular steroid <\/span>prednisone<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Prednisone<\/span><\/a> is a <\/span>corticosteroid<\/span><\/a>\u2014just like hydrocortisone and cortisone. \u201cIt is used to control <\/span>inflammation<\/span><\/a> by suppressing the immune system,\u201d says Jelena Radan, Pharm.D., BCPS, Lead Clinical Pharmacy Specialist at KSP Specialty Pharmacy. Healthcare professionals prescribe this medication for treating inflammatory conditions such as <\/span>arthritis<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>allergies<\/span><\/a>, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), lung disorders, and <\/span>autoimmune diseases<\/span><\/a>. It may also be used to <\/span>slow the progression of kidney disease<\/span><\/a>. If your healthcare provider prescribes a medical treatment that includes prednisone, avoiding or limiting coffee consumption may be best, as the caffeine in coffee may worsen your medication\u2019s side effects.<\/span><\/p>\n

Does coffee interact with prednisone?<\/span><\/h2>\n

\u201cCaffeine does not reduce the effect of prednisone in patients. Patients taking steroids can consume coffee or caffeinated products,\u201d says <\/span>Yusra Shao,<\/span><\/a> MD, a medical oncologist who works at the <\/span>Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute<\/span><\/a> in Detroit, Michigan. \u201cHowever, caution may be advised when consuming both due to overlapping side effects such as <\/span>insomnia<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>heartburn<\/span><\/a>. Patients who experience these symptoms may benefit from minimizing their caffeine intake.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

If you are taking prednisone, here are some things to keep in mind about drinking coffee with your medication:<\/span><\/p>\n

It may have immunosuppressing effects<\/span><\/h3>\n

Although conflicting, some studies suggest that coffee is an immunosuppressant. According to a <\/span>study<\/span><\/a>, the beverage acts in an anti-inflammatory manner on different components of the immune system, such as natural killer (NK) cells, monocytes, and neutrophils. While there is no available study on how this effect of coffee may impact people taking immune-suppressing medications, insights suggest that coffee may amplify the immunosuppressive effects of prednisone.<\/span><\/p>\n

It may worsen the side effects of prednisone<\/span><\/h3>\n

One study showed that <\/span>consuming caffeine<\/span><\/a>, especially in high amounts, can cause sleep disturbances and sleep disorders like insomnia, while another study indicated that <\/span>caffeine may play a role in migraine<\/span><\/a> headaches. Sleep disturbances and headaches are <\/span>common side effects<\/span><\/a> of prednisone. It\u2019s important to keep in mind that taking this drug along with coffee may worsen these side effects.<\/span><\/p>\n

Caffeine <\/span>may also increase blood pressure<\/span><\/a>, and an increase in blood pressure is one of the <\/span>primary adverse effects of prednisone<\/span><\/a>. Other \u201ccommon side effects that a co-consumption of caffeine and prednisone can exacerbate include anxiety and an irregular heartbeat,” <\/span>Dr. Radan<\/span><\/a> points out.<\/span><\/p>\n

Other prednisone side effects not likely to be affected by caffeine include:<\/span><\/p>\n