3081: Do Coffee and Caffeine Inhibit Iron Absorption? by Mary Jane Brown with Healthline

Optimal Health Daily - Fitness and Nutrition

Optimal Living Daily LLC

Fitness, Nutrition, Health & Fitness

4.5 • 677 Ratings

🗓️ 12 August 2025

⏱️ 12 minutes

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Summary

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3081: Mary Jane Brown explores how your coffee habit might quietly sabotage iron absorption, particularly from plant-based sources. Discover the science behind caffeine’s impact and learn how adjusting when you drink your favorite brew could make a significant difference in maintaining healthy iron levels. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/coffee-caffeine-iron-absorption Quotes to ponder: "Drinking coffee or other caffeinated beverages with meals can significantly reduce iron absorption." "One study found that a cup of coffee reduced iron absorption from a hamburger meal by 39%." "The reduction in iron absorption appears to depend on the amount of coffee or tea consumed and when it is consumed." Episode references: Iron Disorders Institute: https://irondisorders.org/iron-deficiency-anemia/ National Institutes of Health - Iron Fact Sheet for Health Professionals: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Iron-HealthProfessional/ The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition - Iron absorption in humans: https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/30/7/937/4650424 Mayo Clinic - Iron deficiency anemia: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/iron-deficiency-anemia/symptoms-causes/syc-20355034 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	This is Optimal Health Daily. Do coffee and caffeine inhibit iron absorption by Mary Jane Brown
0:07.3	with Healthline.com? And I'm Dr. Neal. Hello, happy Tuesday and welcome back to Optimal Health Daily.
0:13.7	This is where I simply read to you from the best health and fitness blogs for free. I cover fitness,
0:19.5	nutrition, stress management, weight management, and lots
0:22.5	more, just like an audiobook, but from a bunch of different authors, and always with permission
0:27.3	from the sites. And on Fridays, I do something a little different. I answer your questions. You send
0:33.4	me the questions, and I answer them for you. All right, so today's post comes from healthline.com,
0:38.6	and I love reading to you from Healthline because they provide actual scientific evidence
0:44.1	to back up their statements. Not only that, but I love my coffee. And so this topic is super
0:49.8	interesting to me. But remember, caffeine comes in many forms, not just in coffee or tea. If you drink
0:55.8	soda, you're probably getting some caffeine. If you take a headache medicine, like excedrine,
1:01.4	it probably has caffeine in it. So listen on as we get to today's article and continue optimizing
1:07.6	your life.
1:15.6	Do coffee and caffeine inhibit iron absorption?
1:18.3	By Mary Jane Brown with Healthline.com Caffeinated foods and beverages have become staples in most modern-day diets.
1:23.9	Coffee is among the most popular, with 80% of U.S. adults drinking it.
1:28.7	Caffeine is a natural stimulant.
1:30.9	However, some claim it interferes with the absorption of certain nutrients, such as iron.
1:36.1	As a result, some people have been advised to avoid coffee and caffeine.
1:40.3	So here's everything you need to know about how coffee and caffeine affect iron absorption.
1:45.9	Coffee and caffeine can inhibit iron absorption.
1:49.4	Several studies have found that coffee and other caffeinated drinks can reduce iron absorption.
	...

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