The first thing most Americans do in the morning is start the dripper to get in that first cup of joe before heading off to work. Some people don’t even eat breakfast and just go straight for the mug as they run out of the house. Sometimes during crunch-times and busy days where lunch or a snack aren’t an option, a person will go for a cup of coffee instead to try to curb hunger and increase energy. Drinking coffee on an empty stomach, however, can have negative detriments to one’s health.
1. Stomach Acid Increases
Coffee on an empty stomach increases acidity. This higher level of stomach acid creates problems for heartburn and indigestion throughout the day. High acidity can eventually lead to severe abdominal issues such as Stomach Ulcers, Heartburn, Irritable bowel syndrome and Acid reflux disease. Cheaper coffee usually has higher acidity, which can further exacerbate issues. This is one of the reasons why coffee should be bought for quality over quantity.
2. Anxiety Issues
Drinking coffee generally leads to exacerbated anxiety and stress. When one drinks it on an empty stomach, however, these problems are made even worse. Food has a calming effect on a person and digestion is known to help calm one’s nerves. Coffee, having the opposite effect, makes stress even worse. One should eat food immediately in order to remedy this issue. Eating while drinking coffee can help lower the stress effects the beverage carries with it.
3. Lowered Hormones
The principal reason coffee causes the aforementioned stress and anxiety is due to hormone imbalances caused by the caffeine. Caffeine in the morning impedes production of serotonin, which is the neurotransmitter that causes feelings of pleasure, happiness and well-being. A principal cause of depression as a mental illness is the lack of serotonin. When a person cuts drinking coffee on an empty stomach, they will notice a sudden rise in mood. Chemical imbalances are why drinking caffeine on a daily basis can be an issue and, in accordance with the above reasons, drinking coffee on an empty stomach makes issues caused by caffeine even worse.
For most people, coffee is a daily ritual and the first thing they think of in the early morning. Many jokingly label it as a vice or burden to carry and claim to turn into a monster without their daily dose. Most of the negative effects of caffeine simply come from either drinking too much or not drinking it with food. If any of the above symptoms seem to become apparent, then one should first begin to cut back on coffee, even for a few days, just to see if it is the problem. Caffeine, much like any other drug, should be taken in moderation.
Credits: Positive Med.
