Do you get sick after drinking coffee? Here are the causes and solutions! 

Because coffee refluxes and irritates the stomach, it can make you feel sick. Due to its acidity and potential for dehydration, coffee can make you feel sick.

Caffeine is a fairly potent substance. Focus, vigor, performance, even the quality of sleep, can all be aided. However, caffeine does have some drawbacks that most people are unaware of until they experience them firsthand. For example, frequent caffeine side effects include nausea and headaches.

But what if I told you that these symptoms could be easily fixed ? Continue reading for advice on how to stop feeling nauseous after drinking coffee.

Why Do I Feel Sick After Drinking Coffee?

Acidity

Science is the answer to everything. Coffee’s acidity, which, according to Trista Best, a registered dietician and professor of nutrition, can range from 4.5 to 5.5 in terms of pH, is one common cause of feeling queasy after drinking it. “This can lead to gastrointestinal discomfort, nausea, and reflux,” Best says.

Since caffeine is a stimulant, it encourages the digestive system to function a little more quickly, including producing more stomach acid than is necessary. “Stimulating the stomach, especially when it’s empty and can quickly absorb the caffeine, can cause nausea,” Dietitian Diana Gariglio-Clelland of Balance One explains. “The gastroesophageal sphincter, the opening at the base of the esophagus through which food passes into the stomach, is also loosened by it.” This sphincter can relax and allow some stomach acid to leak into the esophagus, which can lead to acid reflux, heartburn, and nausea.

Diuretic Effects

While nausea and acid reflux are both unpleasant, some people also experience the laxative effects of caffeine. Because caffeine is a diuretic, it encourages the expulsion of water from your body in one way or another. “A diuretic causes water to be drawn from the blood and into the digestive system,” Lisa Richards nutritionist and author of The Candida Diet, says, “which can result in nausea or diarrhoea.”

Milk & Sweeteners

It may also depend on how you’re drinking it if you feel like these two aspects of the situation don’t adequately explain why you feel queasy after consuming coffee. Sweetener and milk added? Both have the potential to upset your stomach and make you feel queasy.

If you notice that you feel particularly ill after a milky coffee, you may be lactose intolerant. Artificial sweeteners can disrupt your gut’s natural microbiome, adding to the discomfort of your poor acid-filled tum. If you have any worries or queries regarding your symptoms, it’s important to talk to your doctor.

Read More: Pour Over Coffee vs French Press – Which Method is Better?

How to Prevent Feeling Nauseous After Coffee

The reason why you don’t always feel queasy after drinking your morning cup of coffee has to do with those acids.

Consider Switching to Decaf

If you’re feeling sick after drinking coffee, it’s probably because you’re sensitive to the caffeine. Heartburn, anxiety, and stomach upset are all possible side effects of caffeine. Your sleep cycle may be affected by it as well. Try switching to decaf if you’re having trouble avoiding the after-coffee sickness.

Compared to regular coffee, decaf coffee contains significantly less caffeine, making it less likely to upset your stomach or interfere with your sleep.

You might also try consuming a banana before or right after your coffee. The effects of caffeine on your body can be lessened by eating bananas, which are a good source of dietary potassium.

Switch the Roast

Try darker coffee roasts as an alternative. Darker roasts are typically less acidic than lighter roasts and may be easier on your stomach. Contrary to popular belief, lighter roasts contain more caffeine. Due to the roaster’s lighter touch, more caffeine is retained in the product. Longer roasting times result in darker roasts that have lost some of their caffeine content.

Switch How to Take It

Try drinking it black if you’re currently consuming it with cream and it’s giving you the flu. The addition of milk or cream can help make coffee more tolerable if you already drink it black and it makes you queasy or sick.

You can also try cutting the coffee with some unsweetened milk substitute, a scoop of collagen peptides and a natural sweetener instead.

Drink Coffee With a Meal

Having coffee with food can help you stay healthy. This is because drinking coffee on an empty stomach can result in digestive issues. Prior to drinking coffee, consider eating something. Even a small snack like a pastry or some crackers can keep the stomach healthy. Consequently, if you’re feeling queasy, try consuming coffee with a meal.

Read More Information for Learning about Coffee:

1. Does Coffee Cause Bloating – Ways To Avoid Discomfort
2. Does Caffeine Make People Hungry – Will It Make Your Gain Weight
3. Does Coffee Make Your Teeth Yellow – How To Prevent Teeth Stains
4. Why Does Coffee Make You Pee – Can You Stop It?

Drink Smaller Amounts of Caffeine Throughout the Day

Since caffeine is a stimulant, consuming too much of it can have negative effects. Drinking small amounts of coffee throughout the day as opposed to a lot at once will help you avoid feeling sick. Aside from taking breaks to walk around and practice deep breathing, make sure to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water. A visit to the emergency room is advised if symptoms continue.

Limit the Number of Cups of Coffee You Have Per Day

Small amounts of coffee are typically beneficial, but too much caffeine can cause nausea and other unpleasant side effects. It’s critical to consume no more caffeine than is safe for you each day. It is generally accepted that 400 mg is the upper limit for those who are feeling sick. Drink plenty of water to flush the caffeine from your system if you’ve exceeded your limit. If you’re feeling sick or have a low caffeine tolerance, stay away from coffee.

Drink Caffeine-free Beverages

If you consume excessive amounts of caffeine, it may cause headaches, anxiety, and nausea. There are some things you can do to help prevent getting sick after drinking coffee if you’re concerned about it. First, make an effort to reduce your overall caffeine intake.

Second, if you start to feel sick, drink lots of water and replenish your electrolytes. Finally, take a short stroll to help prevent dizziness. If you do begin to experience symptoms of an impending heart attack, stop drinking coffee right away and take deep breaths until they subside. Most of the time, there is no lasting harm to the person.

Stay Hydrated

Coffee can make you feel sick if you consume it on an empty stomach. Therefore, it’s crucial to drink water first. You should consume at least 8 glasses of water each day to stay healthy. Coffee won’t replace the need for electrolytes and water. Therefore, you should drink something to restore the electrolyte balance if you want to avoid dehydration. To avoid becoming dehydrated, sip on milkshakes, juice, Gatorade, or smoothies.

Don’t Drink Coffee on An Empty Stomach

Avoiding drinking coffee on an empty stomach is the eighth step to prevent nausea after consuming it. The ideal breakfast pairing is coffee and food. After drinking coffee, if you feel queasy, try eating a small snack to stave off further nausea. Eat a healthy breakfast before consuming coffee because doing so may make some people queasy. To reduce the likelihood of experiencing morning sickness after drinking coffee, eat breakfast first.

How Much Coffee Can I Drink Before I Feel Sick?

The recommended amount of caffeine for a healthy adult is four cups of coffee. To the contrary, drinking too much coffee can make you feel ill. In addition to other negative effects, drinking too much coffee can cause nausea and diarrhea. Before removing coffee entirely from your diet, it is best to cut back if you are drinking more than a cup of coffee per day and are not feeling well.

Coffee is fine for most people, but it is important to stay within the limits. Drinking too much coffee can have negative effects, so to counteract them, you should consume food, take breaks, and drink water.

What Are the Risks of Coffee Sickness?

The effects of drinking coffee on an empty stomach can include cramping, nausea, and acid reflux. This is because coffee is high in acid and can thin the stomach lining, leading to irritations. To prevent these problems, coffee should always be consumed with food.

It may be easier on the stomach to drink dark roasts and cold brews because they typically have lower acidities. It can also be beneficial to refrain from using cream and sugar.

What Should I Do If I Feel Sick After Drinking Coffee?

There are a few things you can do to try and lessen the symptoms if coffee makes you feel sick.

Water that is room temperature is preferable in this situation rather than ice cold water in order to stay hydrated. The stomach can handle it much better.

You can also try eating food before drinking coffee. When coffee is consumed in this way, less overall acid is produced, helping to prevent issues like acid reflux and heartburn.

Read More: 5 Best Iced Coffee Makers (2023 Reviews)

Verdict: Why Does Coffee Make Me Nauseous?

Avoid drinking coffee when you’re feeling nauseous to avoid it. Reduce your coffee consumption as well. Remember that you can make coffee easier to stomach by adding water, milk foam, or non-dairy creamer.

The only effective treatment for coffee-induced nausea, aside from that, is time.

I hope this post gave you a little insight about why drinking coffee may upset your stomach. In order to prevent getting sick, try to be aware of the triggers listed above. Then, you’ll never again have to wonder to yourself, why does coffee make me nauseous?

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