By the evening edition.
Drinking a cup of coffee after waking up on an empty stomach can cause negative reactions in the body, according to experts. We’ll explain it to you.
If you are a coffee drinker, the time of day you take it is not unimportant. Specifically, it is best to avoid drinking caffeine in the morning when you get up, without swallowing anything. This is the opinion of several specialists, including Abigail Hueber, dietician and digestive health expert. “Cortisol is an important hormone that we want to release in the morning, but coffee taken on an empty stomach can cause excess cortisol release,” she explains in an interview with the American media Well and Good.
Read also: Here’s How Your Body Would React If You Quit Drinking Coffee (And It’s Not All Good)
“A stress reaction”
As cortisol is a stress hormone, having a coffee with nothing in your stomach can therefore cause “a stress reaction” and thus lead to “negative impact on our gut, hormones, adrenal glands and energy”. Drinking coffee without eating would therefore make you more irritable.
Coffee on an empty stomach can also cause stomach upset, according to Kim Barrett, professor of physiology and membrane biology at the University of California (United States), but only if you have a sensitive stomach. This can accentuate heartburn or cause acid reflux, she explains to the American daily The Washington Post.
Read also: American tourists can’t stand coffee in Europe, here’s why
No risk of stomach ulcers
However, no risk of stomach ulcers is anticipated. “Coffee is not likely to damage the stomach lining unless there is an underlying disease,” she reassures. “Certainly, coffee can increase stomach acid production, but a study of more than 8,000 people showed that there is no significant relationship between coffee consumption and the four main upper gastrointestinal disorders linked to acidity (i.e. gastric ulcer, duodenal ulcer, reflux esophagitis and non-erosive reflux)”, insists the specialist.
Wait 90 minutes after getting up
For the body to better assimilate coffee, Abigail Hueber recommends waiting 90 minutes after getting up to drink it, and instead drinking it as soon as you get out of bed with water or a potassium-based drink, such as coconut water or grapefruit juice. In terms of food, eating foods rich in fiber and protein in the morning helps balance blood sugar levels. Bananas, dates or even oranges are preferred.
