Influence of drinking coffee on epilepsy seizures – review of experimental and clinical data

Caffeine (1,3,7-trimethylxanthine) is the most widely used psychoactive substance in the world. It is estimated that its average intake is around 300 mg/day. Epilepsy is a chronic disorder characterized by recurrent seizures. It affects about 1% people, making it one of the most common neurological diseases worldwide. In the literature several case studies were published in which caffeine seemed to trigger seizures in people with and without epilepsy. Does drinking coffee affect the control of seizures? The aim of this study is to present the current state of knowledge about the influence of caffeine consumption on the control of seizures. In order to present the most relevant articles on the topic, a literature review has been performed. Preclinical studies suggest that caffeine may increase seizure susceptibility. However in some cases, chronic use of caffeine may protect against seizures. It was also shown that caffeine reduces the protective activity of some classic and newer antiepileptic drugs (especially topiramate). It is unclear how these findings from preclinical studies can be translated to the clinical practice. The existing clinical studies on the relationship between caffeine and epilepsy are sparse. In the last two decades three large studies were published. In one observational study no significant increase of caffeine intake between seizure-free day and the day prior to the seizure was found. In another questionnaire studies there was no significant association between maternal caffeine intake and the risk of febrile seizures in the first three months of child’s life. Overall the results of clinical studies did not confirm that intake of caffeine increases the risk of seizures.

Neurologia Praktyczna 2019;4(109):48-51

Keywords: epilepsy, caffeine, seizures

https://neurologia-praktyczna.pl/magazine/shownumber/393/4-2019.html/m123