coffee

11 interactions related to coffee

alendronate + coffee

Studies cited in the FDA label show coffee (and orange juice) reduce alendronate bioavailability by approximately 60%. Given the drug's already minuscule baseline absorption of ~0.6%, this drop can render the dose therapeutically ineffective.

high
alendronatecoffeebisphosphonateosteoporosisbioavailabilityabsorptionfosamaxdrug timing

lithium + caffeine

Caffeine increases renal clearance of lithium by promoting natriuresis and increasing glomerular filtration, so chronic caffeine intake lowers lithium blood levels. A sudden reduction in caffeine intake can raise serum lithium into the toxic range, while abruptly increasing caffeine can lower levels and worsen mood symptoms.

moderate
lithiumcaffeinebipolar disorderrenal clearancedrug monitoringpsychiatric medicationcoffeenarrow therapeutic index

smoking + caffeine

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in tobacco smoke induce CYP1A2, the enzyme that performs about 95% of caffeine demethylation, raising caffeine clearance by 40-65% and shortening its half-life from roughly 6 hours to 3.5 hours in smokers. Quitting smoking can cause caffeine levels to rise sharply, contributing to jitters, anxiety, palpitations, and insomnia.

moderate
smokingcaffeinecyp1a2coffeetobaccosmoking cessationanxietyinsomniadrug interaction

levothyroxine + coffee

Coffee, including espresso and instant coffee, can reduce levothyroxine absorption by roughly 25 to 55 percent when consumed at the same time as the tablet. Chlorogenic acids and tannins in coffee appear to bind levothyroxine and the acidic environment may also alter dissolution and gastric emptying.

moderate
levothyroxinecoffeeabsorptionthyroidcaffeinetiminghypothyroidismchlorogenic acid

coffee + sertraline

Sertraline modestly inhibits CYP1A2-mediated caffeine metabolism, raising caffeine plasma levels and prolonging its half-life. Caffeine can also worsen the anxiety, insomnia, jitteriness, and palpitations that sertraline is often prescribed to treat, blunting the clinical response.

moderate
coffeesertralinessriantidepressantcyp1a2anxietyinsomniacaffeine

coffee + vitamin b1

Some early studies suggested coffee contains compounds with antithiamine activity, but follow-up work showed chlorogenic and caffeic acids are not active antithiamine agents under physiological conditions. Heavy coffee or tea intake on a marginal thiamine diet can still modestly worsen thiamine status.

low
coffeethiaminevitamin b1beriberiabsorptionpolyphenolsdeficiencyb vitamins

coffee + propranolol

Caffeine in coffee acutely raises heart rate and blood pressure, which can counteract the heart-rate and blood-pressure-lowering effects of propranolol, a non-selective beta-blocker. Propranolol may also slow caffeine clearance modestly, increasing caffeine exposure.

moderate
coffeepropranololbeta blockercaffeinehypertensionheart rateblood pressuredrug interaction

coffee + iron

Coffee contains chlorogenic acid and other polyphenols with galloyl groups that chelate non-heme iron in the gut lumen, forming insoluble complexes. A cup of coffee taken with a meal can reduce non-heme iron absorption by roughly 39% to 60%.

moderate
coffeeironabsorptionanemiapolyphenolschlorogenic acidnon-heme irontiming

caffeine + vitamin d

In vitro and observational studies suggest high caffeine intake (>300 mg/day) may decrease vitamin D receptor (VDR) protein expression in osteoblasts and is associated with lower serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels in some NHANES data. The clinical effect is modest and most relevant for bone health in postmenopausal women with low calcium intake.

low
caffeinevitamin dcoffeebone healthVDRosteoporosis25-hydroxyvitamin DsupplementsabsorptionNHANES

coffee + ciprofloxacin

Ciprofloxacin is a potent inhibitor of CYP1A2, the enzyme that metabolizes caffeine. Co-administration can reduce caffeine clearance by 30% to 50% and prolong its half-life, leading to higher plasma caffeine levels, jitteriness, insomnia, palpitations, tremor, and (rarely) seizures.

moderate
coffeeciprofloxacinantibioticcyp1a2quinolonecaffeinedrug interactionfluoroquinolone

coffee + antidepressants

Many antidepressants (especially fluvoxamine, fluoxetine, sertraline, duloxetine) inhibit CYP1A2 to varying degrees and slow caffeine clearance, while caffeine itself can worsen the anxiety, insomnia, tremor, and tachycardia that antidepressants are often prescribed to treat. MAOIs add a risk of caffeine-induced hypertensive episodes.

moderate
coffeeantidepressantsssrisnrimaoicyp1a2caffeineanxiety