Coffee – The Dark Side & How to Optimise – Dr Sui Wong Empowering Your Brain Health

Last week, I shared coffee’s surprising brain benefits:

• the soluble fibre that feeds your gut bacteria,
• the mood-boosting neurotransmitters, and
• the neuroprotective compounds that support brain cell growth.

Many of you replied saying you felt vindicated about your coffee habit. 😊

Thank you also for your questions! I’ll attempt to cover some of them here.

For today’s Part 2 post, let’s explore the potential downsides and more importantly, how to optimise your coffee routine for maximum brain benefits whilst avoiding the pitfalls.

Because the difference between coffee being helpful or harmful often comes down to timing, quantity, and quality.

📍How Coffee May Negatively Affect Your Brain Health

🌟1️⃣ Anxiety, Focus Disruption & Dependency – Know Your Limits

Too much caffeine can tip the balance from enhanced focus to jittery anxiety.

For most adults, the FDA recommends no more than 400 milligrams a day — that’s about 2-3 cups of coffee* — as generally safe.

However, even moderate amounts can cause jitteriness and anxiety, and individual sensitivity varies widely. This likely relates to genetic variation where slow metabolizers take longer to clear caffeine and are more sensitive to caffeine’s effects.

Regular coffee consumption can also lead to physical dependence, with withdrawal symptoms like headaches, fatigue, and irritability when you skip your usual cup.

The key is finding your personal sweet spot – usually 1-2 cups for most people, consumed before mid day.

And for some, it may even be avoiding it altogether… (green tea may be a good alternative)

🌟2️⃣ Quality Concerns: Pesticides and Mycotoxins

The quality of your coffee matters for brain health, as lower-grade coffee may contain problematic compounds.

Coffee is one of the most heavily pesticide-treated crops globally, and mycotoxins (mould toxins) are present in a large percentage of coffee beans.

The levels are typically within safety limits, but those sensitive to mycotoxins may prefer speciality coffee due to its stricter quality control standards.

Choosing organic, high-quality coffee from reputable sources can also minimise these concerns whilst maximising the health benefits.

This matches what some of you shared following last week’s post – that polyphenol-rich, organic coffee gives you fewer side effects like jitters or palpitations compared to lower-quality alternatives!

🌟3️⃣ Sleep Disruption – Even When You Think It Doesn’t Affect You

This may surprise you: coffee affects your sleep quality even if you don’t feel it keeping you awake.

Brain wave studies show that caffeine interferes with restorative sleep processes.

If you can, consume coffee at least 8-9 hours prior to bedtime, ideally before midday. This is because caffeine has an average quarter life of 10-12 hours, i.e. about 12 hours after consuming coffee a quarter of the amount of caffeine is still in your blood stream.

📍3 Ways to Optimise Your Coffee for Brain Health

🌟 Timing is Everything

Have your coffee before midday to protect sleep.

🌟 Quality Over Quantity

Choose organic, single-origin coffee when possible. Limit to 1-2 cups daily – more isn’t necessarily better for brain benefits.

🌟 Listen to Your Body

If you feel jittery, anxious, or sleep poorly, reduce the amount or stop earlier in the day. Your genetics influence how you metabolise caffeine – i.e. what may be fine for someone may be too much for you.

📍Question for you today

What’s one change you could make to your coffee routine this week – whether it’s timing, quantity, or quality – to better support your brain health?

Or perhaps, a cup of tea instead? 🍵 😊

Wishing you the perfect brew for your brain,

Dr Sui Wong

PS – I was asked about decaf coffee after last week’s post. Many of coffee’s brain benefits come from the polyphenols rather than caffeine, so decaf can still provide antioxidant and neuroprotective effects. Best to source decaffeinated coffee using non-solvent methods (e.g. CO2 or swiss water method) to reduce exposure to unnecessary chemicals.

PPS – Did you know that regular consumption can deplete your body’s magnesium levels? Since magnesium is essential for brain health and energy production, coffee lovers should be mindful of replenishing this vital mineral naturally. I explore practical strategies for this in my new book “Magnesium: Restore and Revitalize Your Brain and Body” 😊

*Quick rule of thumb: each espresso shot has about 80mg caffeine, and each teaspoon of instant coffee has 40-60mg.

Coffee – The Dark Side & How to Optimise

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