Is It Okay to Drink Coffee after PRP Therapy?

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy is often used to help patients heal after an injury or surgery. It can also be an effective way to reduce the pain and inflammation of osteoarthritis. If you are soon going to undergo PRP injections, you might have to prepare yourself to make a few temporary changes to your routine. For example, you may need to abstain from coffee and other caffeinated substances for a while. Why is doing so important? This blog post explains.

Caffeine Might Increase Pain and Inflammation

The relationship between caffeine and inflammation is not yet fully understood. It may have anti-inflammatory properties in some situations, but in others, it may increase inflammation. It might do so by increasing cortisol levels. Since cortisol is one of the body’s main stress hormones, it is often associated with pain and inflammation. Since the goal of PRP is to reduce these issues, caffeine may directly work against it.

Caffeine Could Interfere with the Healing Process

PRP helps your body to deliver healing and growth factors to the site of damaged tissues. Unfortunately, caffeine might interfere with this process because it causes the blood vessels to narrow, which can reduce the number of healing cells that are able to work within the area targeted by PRP.

Caffeine May Affect Platelet Function

Some studies suggest that caffeine can negatively affect platelet aggregation. In other words, it can interfere with the clotting process in your blood. Since an initial clot is an important component of the healing process, you would not want to consume any substances that could hinder this key part of your treatment.

How Long Should You Avoid Caffeine?

Your doctor may provide specific guidance on how long you should avoid caffeine. In many cases, it is safe to resume using it about a week or so after PRP injections. In the meantime, you can feel free to enjoy beverages that have little to no caffeine, such as decaf coffee, herbal tea, and plain water.

If you have a PRP treatment scheduled for the near future, you may find it beneficial to start reducing your caffeine intake now. Gradually lowering your daily consumption may help you avoid withdrawal symptoms, such as headaches and fatigue.

Under normal circumstances, there is nothing wrong with enjoying caffeine in moderation. But if you are a PRP patient, it would be best to temporarily modify your habits.

Meet the Practice

Our non-surgical orthopedics team is proud to provide a range of services for our community, including PRP therapy and other forms of regenerative medicine. If you are interested in learning more about this treatment and how you can make a success out of it, contact our Fort Lauderdale office at 954-563-2707.