Anna Lunaria, L.Ac.
Sep 10, 20181 min
We all love our caffeine in the AM....but if you want to reap the full benefits of acupuncture, a new study confirms that you should avoid coffee before receiving acupuncture (specifically for pain relief): caffeine inhibits adenosine, which is one of the primary ways acupuncture stimulates the analgesic effect. The more caffeine in your system, the less effective acupuncture will be for you: because acupuncture mediates pain and circulation via adenosine. So, avoid caffeine consumption before coming in for Acupuncture in the morning or schedule for later in the day: caffeine has a half-life of 5-6 hours, with traces of it still in your system at 12 hours. Remember that chocolate contains caffeine!
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5469855/