Although most healthy adults can consume moderate amounts of coffee without negative effects, certain people are more sensitive to coffee than others. Indigestion, also called dyspepsia, refers to discomfort in your abdomen after meals. Coffee contains caffeine and that can contribute to indigestion. Consult with your doctor about indigestion to rule out the possibility of an underlying medical cause.
Background
Indigestion may be accompanied by belching, bloating, nausea and heartburn. Alcoholic and carbonated drinks, spicy foods, high-fiber foods, high-fat foods, overeating or eating too fast can contribute to indigestion. Your caffeine intake can also trigger indigestion. Coffee, tea, chocolate, energy drinks and certain weight loss supplements and over-the-counter medications such as headache formulas contain caffeine. Caffeine stimulates the central nervous system and can cause an overproduction of stomach acid. It can also cause stomach pain, nausea and anxiety -- and anxiety can increase indigestion.
Coffee
Moderate caffeine intake, 300 to 400 mg, or three or four 8-oz. cups of coffee per day, poses little risk and may offer health benefits, such as lower risk of Type 2 diabetes, according to researchers from the Linus Pauling Institute who published their findings in the 2006 "Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition." The type of coffee you drink affects the amount of caffeine you ingest, and may determine whether coffee gives you indigestion.
Espresso contains less caffeine than regular coffee, due to the smaller serving size. A 1-oz shot of espresso averages 40 g of caffeine, compared to 133 g in an average 8-oz cup of coffee.
Solutions
Consuming smaller servings of coffee, and eating a meal or snack before drinking coffee, may result in less irritation. Eating and drinking more slowly can reduce the risk of indigestion.
Reducing your coffee consumption and tracking your caffeine intake from all sources can help you determine if coffee is a major trigger for your indigestion. Tremors, sleeping problems or feeling stressed and uncomfortable are signs you're drinking too much coffee.
Considerations
The brewing method you use for making coffee affects its acid content. For example, using a press pot results in a brew that's more acidic and higher in cholesterol-inducing substances than coffee brewed with filters. Types of coffee that contain higher levels of cafestol, a substance that stimulates LDL cholesterol, include boiled coffee, French press coffee and Turkish coffee. LDL is also called "bad" cholesterol because it can contribute to heart disease. Sticking to filtered coffee may help to prevent indigestion -- and help protect your cardiovascular health.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Indigestion -- Overview
- Center for Science in the Public Interest; Caffeine Content of Food & Drugs; September 2007
- NetWellness; Stomach Pain and Caffeine; Julie Kennel, Ph.D., R.D., L.D., C.S.S.D.; March 2010
- "Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition"; Coffee and Health: A Review of Recent Human Research; Jane V. Higdon, et al.; 2006
- Harvard School of Public Health; Ask the Expert: Coffee and Health; Dr. Rob van Dam
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