For many people, enjoying a freshly
brewed cup of coffee first thing in the morning is a nonnegotiable way to start
the day. But the idea that taking a sip without first consuming some food could
harm your gut — or contribute to other ills like bloating, acne, hair loss,
anxiety, thyroid issues, or painful periods, as some on social media have
claimed — has garnered as much popularity as incredulity.
اضافة اعلان
Researchers have been investigating the
benefits and harms of
drinking coffee, especially as they relate to the gut,
since the 1970s, said Kim Barrett, a professor of physiology and membrane
biology at the University of California, Davis School of Medicine, and a member
of the governing board of the American Gastroenterological Association.
Fortunately, the stomach can withstand all kinds of irritants,
including coffee.
“The stomach has so many ways to protect
itself,” Barrett said. For example, it secretes a thick mucus layer that
creates a powerful shield between the stomach lining and whatever you ingest.
That shield also protects the stomach from its own natural acidic environment
needed to break down food, she explained.
You would have to consume a very harsh
substance “for the defenses of the stomach to be breached because it’s
constantly in a very adverse and damaging environment,” she said. “That’s just
how the stomach does its job.”
How does coffee affect the gut?Irritants like alcohol, cigarette smoke and
nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs — such as ibuprofen or naproxen — are
well-known to alter our stomach’s natural defense mechanisms and injure its
lining, said Dr Byron Cryer, chief of internal medicine at Baylor University
Medical Center in Dallas.
You would have to consume a very harsh substance “for the defenses of the stomach to be breached because it’s constantly in a very adverse and damaging environment”.
His research lab specializes in
understanding how different medications and other chemicals can harm the
stomach and small intestine. While certain irritants can make the stomach more
vulnerable to acid and ulcer formation, multiple large studies have found that
this is not the case with coffee. A 2013 study of more than 8,000 people living
in Japan, for example, found no significant association between
coffee consumption and ulcer formation in the stomach or intestine — even among those
who drank three or more cups per day.
“Coffee, even in a concentrated form, is
not likely to cause objective injury to the stomach,” Cryer said. “And much
less at the typical doses in usual beverages.”
Nonetheless, coffee does have an effect on
the gut — it can speed up the colon and induce a bowel movement, and
coffee increases acid production in the stomach.
Outside of the gut, the caffeine from
coffee is well known to increase heart rate and blood pressure. And if you
drink it too close to bedtime, it can disrupt your sleep. But these changes are
temporary, Cryer said.
Will increased stomach acid cause any
issues?Drinking coffee on an empty stomach is
unlikely to cause any damage to your stomach, but it could theoretically
provoke heartburn, Barrett said.
We know that coffee sets off stomach acid
production, but if you have food in your stomach, or if you drink your coffee
with milk or creamer, that will aid in creating a buffer that helps to
neutralize that acid. So
drinking coffee, especially if it is black, without a
meal can reduce the stomach’s pH more than it would if you drank it with milk
or with a meal, Barrett said.
Although a slightly lower pH is no problem
for your stomach lining, it could pose an issue for the lining of your
esophagus because it is far more vulnerable to damage from acid. Furthermore, a
few studies have shown that
coffee can relax and open the sphincter that
connects the esophagus to the stomach, which hypothetically could allow acid
from the stomach to more easily splash upward into the esophagus and cause
unpleasant heartburn symptoms.
So what should I do?Practically speaking, as a gastroenterologist,
I usually tell my patients to take note of their symptoms. If they consistently
notice a burning pain in their chest or a sour taste in their mouth after
drinking coffee, they may want to cut down — or consider an antacid. Adding a
splash of milk or cream or a small bite of food with your morning cup can also
help. But if you are not noticing any symptoms, you are probably someone who
does not experience significant reflux after coffee and can keep drinking it in
peace.
Cryer regularly enjoys his coffee as a
latte or cappuccino — the steamed milk cuts down the bitterness, he said. And,
in general, he added,
coffee drinking has many health benefits, including links
to longevity, a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and protection against
many cancers, including liver, prostate, breast and colorectal cancer.
“There’s far more evidence for coffee’s
benefits than harms,” Cryer said — which is something worth keeping in mind, he
added, while you scroll through social media stories that profess the brew’s
detriments.
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