Coffee is a popular beverage because of its high caffeine content. While coffee is considered an acidic drink, daily consumption does not hurt your digestive system. In some cases, drinking coffee can cause an upset stomach and other gastrointestinal complications if you have underlying digestive conditions. If drinking coffee causes severe abdominal pain or unwanted side effects, stop drinking the beverage and call your doctor.
Common Side Effects
The more coffee you drink, the more side effects you will experience. The Mayo Cllnic states that drinking between two and four cups of coffee daily will not cause any serious side effects in most healthy adults. If you consume more than four cups daily, you may develop an upset stomach, causing nausea, diarrhea, vomiting and stomach cramping. Other signs that you have consumed too much coffee are sleeplessness, muscle twitching, nervousness, fast heartbeat and irritability. Some people are more sensitive to the effects of caffeine and may want to consider drinking decaffeinated coffee to reduce adverse reactions.
Indigestion and Heartburn
If you’ve been diagnosed with gastroesophageal reflux disease, also known as GERD, you should avoid the consumption of coffee. Coffee can cause indigestion and heartburn from its acid content. Common symptoms of indigestion include fullness during or after a meal that makes your feel overly full and pain between the lower portion of your chest and your belly button that may cause a burning sensation, according to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse. Indigestion and heartburn are the result of stomach acids entering your esophagus after swallowing coffee. The reflux causes irritation and damage to the soft tissues in your esophagus, which leads to pain, discomfort and a burning sensation.
Ulcers
If you have peptic ulcers, drinking coffee can exacerbate your symptoms. An ulcer is an open wound that forms in the lining of your digestive system and exposes sensitive soft tissue beneath. The main cause of peptic ulcers is an infection from the H. pylori bacteria that erodes the protective lining of your esophagus, stomach or opening of the small intestines. While drinking coffee does not cause ulcers, it can increase your symptoms because of irritation from the acidic beverage.
Health Conditions
If you’ve been diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome, a food allergy or inflammatory bowel disease, you may need to avoid consuming coffee. Coffee may trigger symptoms in one or more of these conditions. Discuss the benefit and risks involved with drinking coffee with your doctor if you’ve received a clinical diagnosis of one of these conditions.
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