Switching from Coffee During Menopause? Start Here

Menopause doesn’t just change your hormones, it changes how your body reacts to what you eat and drink, including your daily coffee. Many women find that their regular caffeine fix starts triggering hot flushes, anxiety and sleep issues.

The hormonal shifts that happen during perimenopause and menopause increase your sensitivity to stimulants, especially caffeine. Luckily for you, there’s a better way to get the focus and energy you need without disrupting your hormones.

Mushroom coffee, made from adaptogenic fungi like Reishi, Cordyceps and Lion’s Mane, is becoming a go-to alternative for Australian women in midlife. This article explains the science behind why it works better than coffee during menopause.

 

The problem with Coffee and Menopause

Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant. It increases the release of cortisol and adrenaline which are stress hormones that prepare your body for ‘fight or flight’. Normally this isn’t a big deal. But during menopause, things change.

Estrogen plays a major role in regulating your stress response and mood. As estrogen levels decline, the buffering effect on cortisol weakens. This can make the effects of caffeine feel more intense.

A study published in Menopause: The Journal of The North American Menopause Society found that postmenopausal women who consumed caffeine experienced significantly more hot flushes and night sweats than those who did not (Miller et al., 2014).

Common caffeine-related symptoms in midlife include:

• Hot flushes,

• Heart palpitations,

• Heightened anxiety,

• Mood swings,

• Trouble sleeping, and

• Blood sugar instability.

These side effects are often magnified by hormonal changes.

 

 

Why your Nervous System feels more sensitive

During perimenopause and menopause, estrogen and progesterone levels fall which:

• Reduces serotonin and GABA, leading to increased anxiety,

• Weakens adrenal function, making the body more reactive to stress,

• Impairs thermoregulation, increasing hot flushes, and

• Disrupts blood sugar control.

Caffeine can aggravate all of these issues. That’s why more Aussie women over 40 are looking for caffeine-free or low-caffeine alternatives that still provide mental clarity and energy.

 

What is Mushroom Coffee?

Mushroom coffee is a blend of functional mushrooms and herbs, often combined with cacao or spices. Unlike traditional coffee, it does not rely on caffeine to stimulate the body.

It supports your body’s stress response and cognitive function through adaptogens; compounds that help the body adapt to physical and emotional stress.

Mushroom coffee provides the same warm, comforting ritual of coffee but with calm, sustained energy, not a jolt followed by a crash.

 

 

How Functional Mushrooms support hormonal health

Reishi

Reishi has long been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for its calming and immune-regulating effects. It contains triterpenes and polysaccharides that have been shown to:

• Reduce levels of cortisol (Zhou et al., 2014),

• Improve sleep quality and anxiety symptoms (Wachtel-Galor et al., 2011), and

• Support liver detoxification, which aids hormone metabolism.

This makes it particularly beneficial during menopause, when stress, sleep and liver function are all under strain.

Lion’s Mane

Lion’s Mane stimulates the production of nerve growth factor (NGF), a protein essential for the survival and growth of brain cells (Mori et al., 2009). Studies have shown it may:

• Improve cognitive function and memory (Nagano et al., 2010), and

• Reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety.

This is important because “menopause brain fog” is a common complaint, and Lion’s Mane can help support mental clarity without overstimulating the nervous system.

Cordyceps

Cordyceps has been shown to:

• Improve energy metabolism at the cellular level (Paterson, 2008),

• Support adrenal function, and

• Boost endurance and oxygen uptake.

For women experiencing fatigue during menopause, especially due to adrenal burnout,  Cordyceps can provide natural energy support without affecting hormone levels.

 

Why Mushroom Coffee is the smarter choice

Unlike coffee, mushroom coffee does not disrupt your hormonal balance. Instead it helps support your body’s ability to adapt and recover from stress, while gently boosting mood, energy and clarity.

 

 

Designed for Women who want better energy

At Earthrise, we created a low-caffeine mushroom coffee blend made for modern life and midlife. It is:

• Organic and vegan,

• Blended with Lion’s Mane, Reishi, and Cordyceps,

• Made in Australia, and

• Designed for calm, clear energy without the crash.

Thousands of women use Earthrise daily to replace coffee and feel more balanced throughout hormonal changes.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can caffeine make menopause symptoms worse?

Yes. Caffeine can increase cortisol levels, which may worsen menopause symptoms such as anxiety, hot flushes, night sweats, and disrupted sleep. The hormonal changes during menopause make the body more sensitive to stimulants.

2. Why is mushroom coffee better during menopause?

Mushroom coffee offers calm, sustained energy without caffeine. It supports the nervous system and hormonal balance through adaptogens like Reishi, Lion’s Mane, and Cordyceps, which are beneficial for managing menopause-related fatigue, brain fog, and mood swings.

3. Is mushroom coffee safe for perimenopausal and menopausal women?

Yes. Mushroom coffee is very low in caffeine, making it a safe and supportive choice for women navigating hormonal changes. It helps regulate energy and stress without overstimulating the body.

4. Will switching from regular coffee to mushroom coffee help with sleep?

Many women report better sleep after switching to mushroom coffee, especially if caffeine was contributing to insomnia. Ingredients like Reishi are known to support relaxation and better sleep quality.

5. What are the best mushrooms for menopause support?

Reishi helps reduce anxiety and improve sleep. Lion’s Mane supports cognitive clarity and mood. Cordyceps helps combat fatigue. Together, these mushrooms offer a hormone-friendly alternative to coffee.

6. Can I still enjoy mushroom coffee if I’m not completely off caffeine?

Absolutely. You can start by blending mushroom coffee with a smaller amount of your regular coffee as a way to reduce caffeine gradually. Many women use it as a transition drink.

 

Conclusion

Caffeine isn’t bad, but it’s not always right for every stage of life. If you’re noticing that coffee doesn’t sit well with your body anymore, especially during menopause, mushroom coffee may be a more supportive choice.

By reducing cortisol, balancing energy and supporting your brain and mood, functional mushrooms help you feel like yourself again, without overstimulating your system.

 

References

• Miller, M. G., Shulman, L. P., & Wen, M. (2014). Caffeine and menopausal symptoms: what is the connection? Menopause, 21(9), 940–945.

• Zhou, L. W., Wu, S. H., & Dai, Y. C. (2014). Phylogeny and taxonomy of medicinal macrofungi. Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine, 20(10), 792–800.

• Wachtel-Galor, S., Yuen, J., Buswell, J. A., & Benzie, I. F. (2011). Ganoderma lucidum (Lingzhi or Reishi): a medicinal mushroom. Herbal Medicine: Biomolecular and Clinical Aspects.

• Mori, K., Inatomi, S., Ouchi, K., Azumi, Y., & Tuchida, T. (2009). Improving effects of the mushroom Yamabushitake (Hericium erinaceus) on mild cognitive impairment. Phytotherapy Research, 23(3), 367–372.

• Nagano, M., Shimizu, K., Kondo, R., & Hayashi, C. (2010). Reduction of depression and anxiety by 4 weeks Hericium erinaceus intake. Biomedical Research, 31(4), 231–237.

• Paterson, R. R. M. (2008). Cordyceps – A traditional Chinese medicine and another fungal therapeutic biofactory? Phytochemistry, 69(7), 1469–1495.