I drink about 4-8 cups (mugs) of coffee a day. How does this affect my body and how can I counteract any negative effects?

Coffee, decaf or otherwise, tends to help flush water-soluble vitamins out of the body, so such an intake (8 cups is getting up there) would mandate additional vitamins as insurance (which I'd do anyway).

If caffeinated, then there's more. There is no question about caffeine's relationship to fibrocystic breast disease, though it tends to be a dose-related thing, so small amounts don't seem to be a problem. (However, if I had this painful condition I sure would trash the caffeine completely, including other chemicals in the same class, like theophylline {tea} and theobromine {cocoa}.)

There are also behavioral problems linked to the stimulant: agitation, nervousness, irritability, insomnia (duh), and others. It does seem to be true that small amounts actually can stimulate the ability to concentrate, but this should not be a license to steal. So use caffeine wisely, if you're going to use it at all.

Have you considered herb teas? Some of them really aren't bad!

Good Health,
A.N. Spreen, M.D.