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>>> Dr. Harness: Over the years we have associated caffeine with somehow been a cause of fibrocystic
changes of the breast, and I have to smile because in all the years I have been doing
breast cancer work and dealing with woman with the breast disease. I have been asking
them particularly of fibrocystic changes of the breast, how much caffeine do you drink?
And I got, and I am smiling right now because frankly, I have been sort of shocked at the
-- industrial strength levels of caffeine that I have seen many patients consumed or
that they have shared with me they have consumed.
So the whole business of the association of caffeine with fibrocystic changes of the breast
or is caffeine associated with breast cancer has been a subject that has been very poorly
studied, and poorly understood.
Fibrocystic changes of the breast really peak out in women in their 40s. In other words
right before menopause. Interestingly, caffeine consumption during those years tends to be
pretty high as well.
Part of the thinking is that there are internal mechanisms that stimulate the stress, the
hormone, and balance. The caffeine contributes to the stress yadi, yadi, yada, all the stuff
coming together causing fibrocystic changes of the breast.
I mean I just got to tell you having looked to this literature over the years, none of
the stuff is really well understood. So I have been asked the question does caffeine
cause breast cancer? And the answer is to the best of my knowledge, No.
I really wish we understood what the causes of breast cancer are? I am personally convinced
that there is more than just one cause of breast cancer, but to the best of my knowledge
caffeine per se is not one of them.