Gastroenterologists Reject Empty-Stomach Coffee Risks for Most Healthy Adults
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Nov 2
Gastroenterologists Reject Empty-Stomach Coffee Risks for Most Healthy Adults
3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Nov 2
Summary
Studies have not shown that coffee on an empty stomach spikes cortisol or damages the gut, gastroenterologist Dr. Asma Khapra said, pushing back on social media claims.
Morning cortisol levels naturally peak anyway, making the supposed coffee-driven surge hard to separate from normal biology, while most healthy adults tolerate empty-stomach coffee without major GI effects.
Coffee can still trigger stomach acid release and relax the valve between the esophagus and stomach, which may cause heartburn, nausea, abdominal burning or an urgent need to use the bathroom in some people.
Caffeine is absorbed faster on an empty stomach and can raise heart rate, blood pressure and anxiety in sensitive people, but doctors said individual tolerance matters more than a blanket rule.