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Dr. Marc Leavey, Mercy Internist, Lutherville Personal Physicians

Mercy Internist Dr. Marc Leavey Discusses Surprising Caffeine Facts On WBAL-TV11's "Woman's Doctor"

There is a limit to the amount of caffeine you should drink each day because it can affect your body.

According to Mercy internist Dr. Marc Leavey of Lutherville Personal Physicians, when it comes to caffeine and your heart, moderation is the key.

"In general, we would say there's no benefit or detriment with modest caffeine input. Again, we're talking about 100 to 200 milligrams of caffeine a day -- the equivalent of one to two cups of coffee a day," he said.

Dr. Leavey specified what a cup of coffee means.

"It's not a water glass, which might be 12 ounces, or somebody's big mug, which could be 16 ounces. About six ounces of coffee is a normal size mug," he said.

Dr. Leavey also debunked the theory that caffeine is linked to causing breast lumps.

"Multiple studies have not shown any evidence that caffeine actually causes breast lumps," he said. "There may be some breast tenderness or discomfort caused by caffeine in some women, and this appears to be more related to the time of the month around the menses, when the blood vessels are particularly prone to being dilated."

Though caffeine by itself has no calories, Leavey said to watch out for added ingredients that can make you gain weight.

"Black coffee has no calories and plain tea has no calories, but when you add dollops of cream, sugar and sweeteners and flavoring agents to your coffee, you end up with some mocha latte frappe concoction that may have more calories than the sandwich you're drinking it with," he said.

Caffeine is a stimulant but not addictive.

To view Dr. Leavey’s interview on WBAL-TV11, click this link: http://www.wbaltv.com/womansdoctor/29638829/detail.html