Stomach Pain After Coffee: Causes, Symptoms and What to Do About It

If you suffer from stomach pain after drinking coffee, it will surely bother you. Even if the symptom usually disappears quickly, you should be aware of what is causing the symptoms and what you can do about it.

Causes of stomach pain after coffee

Various physical processes are responsible for stomach pain after drinking coffee.

• Sensitive Stomach : Frequent coffee consumption or coffee that is too strong can quickly lead to pain if you have a sensitive stomach.
• Stimulating acid production : While the coffee beans are roasted, substances are created that are still present in the coffee after the coffee powder has been brewed. They stimulate acid production in the stomach. Especially if you then drink the coffee on an empty stomach, acidification occurs, which you experience as pain. Some also experience heartburn as a result .
• Hormone release : Scientists suspect that the hormone gastrin is released after consuming a coffee drink. It may also increase stomach acid production. So far, however, there is no scientific evidence.
• Coffee stays in the stomach : Some sufferers suffer from delayed gastric emptying. Especially if nothing is eaten with the coffee and the coffee is alone in the stomach, this can lead to pain and heartburn.
• Coffee intolerance : If the stomach pain is accompanied by other symptoms such as sweating, tremors and a general feeling of being unwell, you should assume that you are suffering from an intolerance to coffee. The overall symptoms appear after just a few sips of coffee.

Other symptoms of stomach pain from coffee

Most sufferers feel the stomach pain after drinking coffee as a stinging or pressure in the stomach. Nausea or a feeling of fullness can also occur.

• In addition to these symptoms, acid reflux, or heartburn, can also occur.
• Pain behind the breastbone is also possible.
• The symptoms can vary and do not all have to appear.
• In most cases, the overall symptoms worsen when the person lies down.
• If you continue to drink coffee despite the symptoms, the irritated mucous membranes of the stomach can become inflamed. In addition to left-sided upper abdominal pain, gastric mucosal inflammation can subsequently develop.
• Accompanying symptoms can be flatulence and diarrhea.

You can do that

If possible, avoid drinking coffee at all. If you cannot do without the popular hot drink, you should reduce the daily amount to an absolute minimum.

• If you reduce coffee consumption, you should reconsider your diet at the same time. Change your diet to light food. Do not drink the coffee on an empty stomach and eat something with every cup of coffee.
• Chamomile and fennel tea are very helpful for acute pain. Heat on the stomach ( hot water bottle , heating pad ) can also quickly relieve the pain.
• If you also suffer from heartburn in addition to the stomach pain, over-the-counter and prescription medication (proton pump inhibitors) will help.
• At the latest when left-sided upper abdominal pain sets in, you should see your family doctor . You have probably contracted an inflammation of the stomach lining (gastritis) that needs to be treated by a doctor.
• If the stomach pain only occurs when you add milk to the coffee, you should either avoid the milk or replace it with plant-based alternatives.