Coffee, Hormones & Gut Health: How Caffeine Affects Your Body
For many people, a cup of coffee is the go-to beverage to kick-start the day or stay alert & focused during a long afternoon. But while caffeine has been shown to provide a temporary boost to energy & mental clarity, it can also have an impact on your hormones & gut health.
When you drink coffee, the caffeine in the beverage stimulates the release of the hormone cortisol. We all know cortisol as the “stress hormone’ which is accurate: it is responsible for regulating your body's response to stress. Cortisol levels naturally rise & fall throughout the day, with the highest levels typically occurring in the morning. However, drinking coffee can cause a spike in cortisol levels, which lead to a temporary increase in feelings of alertness & energy we have come to be addicted to!
While a temporary increase in cortisol levels CAN be beneficial it can also have negative effects on your health. High levels of cortisol have been linked to a range of health problems, including anxiety, depression, trouble sleeping, skin issues, weight gain, high blood pressure & blood sugar & digestive issues.
In addition to affecting cortisol levels, caffeine can also have an impact on other hormones in your body. Hormones are all in equilibrium with one another so when one get’s off it throws off the whole hormonal balance. For example, drinking coffee has been shown to increase the production of the hormone gastrin, which stimulates the release of stomach acid. This can be beneficial for people with digestive problems, but it can also lead to issues such as acid reflux & stomach ulcers. It can also affect menstruation & fertility because high levels of cortisol can repress reproductive hormones.
“We ARE physiologically designed to have higher cortisol in the morning to keep us alerts during the day as well as to get a flood of cortisol when we need it (such as when a predator is chasing us aka “fight or flight”), but when it’s just the boss pressuring us with a deadline & we still get that cortisol spike, things get complicated. ”
A note about cortisol:
We ARE physiologically designed to have higher cortisol in the morning to keep us alerts during the day as well as to get a flood of cortisol when we need it (such as when a predator is chasing us aka “fight or flight”), but when it’s just the boss pressuring us with a deadline & we still get that cortisol spike, things get complicated.
There are a whole slew of health issues (some listed above) that come from excessive cortisol levels, but that’s for another article. Today we are focusing on one very, manageable reason for a cortisol spike, our beloved coffee. We will focus on what it does to our body & what we can do to minimize its effects.
Coffee & Gut Health: How Caffeine Affects Your Digestive System
In addition to affecting hormones, caffeine can also have an impact on your gut health. When we get hit with that cortisol blast from caffeine we send our body into fight or flight mode which then turns off all non-essential bodily functions (such as digestion) so our body can focus solely on escape or fighting. This shut down of the digestive system can lead to a variety of stomach issues such as leaky gut syndrome, impaired nutrient absorption & abdominal pain.
For those of us with already impaired gut health, overuse of caffeine can send us into a tailspin, triggering health symptoms such as diarrhea or constipation, bloating & stomach pain. This can then lead to greater inflammation which continues to trigger us. It’s a vicious cycle that inflammatory response!
The high acidity of coffee can also irritate the lining of your stomach, leading to issues such as heartburn, indigestion, & inflammation. This can be especially problematic for people with pre-existing digestive issues, such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) or Crohn's Disease.
However, it's not all bad news when it comes to coffee & gut health. Some studies have shown that moderate coffee consumption can actually have a positive effect on gut health, due to the presence of beneficial compounds such as chlorogenic acid & caffeine. These compounds have been shown to stimulate the production of beneficial gut bacteria, which can help to improve digestive health & boost the immune system.
Pretty confusing right? Most of the information presented online links the benefits being limited to 1 serving of coffee (100mg of caffeine or less). Maybe 2 at the most. But beyond the 2 servings is where the benefits gove way to increased risks.
The Benefits of Limiting or Strategically Consuming Caffeine
While caffeine can provide a temporary boost to energy & mental clarity, it's important to be mindful of your caffeine intake & the potential effects it can have on your hormones & gut health. Limiting your caffeine intake, or consuming it strategically, can help to minimize these negative effects & maximize the positive benefits.
Some of the benefits of limiting or strategically consuming caffeine include:
- Reduced risk of anxiety & depression: High cortisol levels have been linked to an increased risk of anxiety & depression. Your body thinks it’s unsafe constantly with high stress hormones! Limiting your caffeine intake can help to keep cortisol levels in check & reduce your risk of these conditions.
- Improved sleep quality: Caffeine can interfere with sleep quality (because it sends a signal to your body that there is a threat to take care of so you must be alert) especially if consumed in the afternoon or evening. Limiting your caffeine intake or consuming it strategically can help to improve your sleep quality & promote better overall health.
- Improved gut health: Consuming moderate amounts of coffee can have a positive effect on gut health, but excessive caffeine intake can lead to digestive issues including triggering a cascade of symptoms in those with chronic gut issues. Limiting your caffeine intake or consuming it strategically can help to improve your gut health & overall digestive function.
As someone who has struggled extensively with gut issues (looking at you IBS, SIBO & CANDIDA!) limiting my coffee intake has been one of the most beneficial changes in my life. Of course it goes hand in hand with multiple other lifestyle changes, but when I changed my morning ritual to include breakfast, sunlight & just 1 cup of coffee, I noticed a vast improvement on my gut health, energy levels & mood.
-Improved hormone balance: Speaking of mood, as we know, caffeine elevates our cortisol levels. Cortisol is in balance with other hormones in our body. Hormones fluctuate throughout the month & with these fluctuations so can our moods. As we adjust our lifestyles to better support hormone balance, we can create more even moods throughout the day & month. Increased cortisol can also repress hormones related to reproduction which could have a negative impact on fertility & menstruation. LEARN MORE
Consuming caffeine 90 minutes after waking up is helpful because it gives your body time to produce its own cortisol (which wakes you up!). Try going out into the morning sun (don’t look directly at the sun of course!) & doing some simple stretches, the sunlight helps stimulate your body’s wake-up hormones naturally.
Consuming caffeine with food can also help to minimize its negative effects on your cortisol levels & gut health. When you consume caffeine with food, it can help to slow down the absorption of caffeine into your bloodstream, which can help to reduce the impact of caffeine on your digestive system.
Reduce caffeine intake with a new morning ritual & coffee alternatives:
My recommendation is to 1st off, try to allow your body to naturally produce it’s own wake-up hormones. Then REALLY ENJOY that 1 cup of coffee (2 at the very least) WITH a healthy breakfast (think protein, healthy fats & complex carbs). Finally, replace any further desire for coffee with a delicious alternative.
How do we reduce our caffeine intake?
-MudWtr is the one I reach for most often. Why? It’s instant, & it’s got a LITTLE BIT (35mg) of caffeine (compared to the 95mg in a cup of coffee). This is my go-to when I need a mid-morning boost. It’s made of 100% organic cacao, masala chai, & medicinal mushrooms to give you natural energy & focus without the jitters & crash. It tastes like a combo of hot cacao mixed with chai. I love it! CLICK HERE for a discount code.
- Rasa is a roasted herbal coffee alternative I love to drink in the afternoon because it has zero caffeine but really does give you a boost of energy. Plus it’s packed with adaptogens, Adaptogens are a class of herbs that help your body cope with stress. I particulalrly love to mix the dark blend with the cacao blend. The only problem is you have to brew it like coffee & it takes 15 minutes, but its so good, it’s worth the wait!
- Everyday Dose is slowly becoming my new fav. The taste threw me off at 1st but is now growing on me. It tastes like instant coffee due to having coffee extract in it’s ingredients. It does have some caffeine, so it’s great for a full coffee replacement or as a new afternoon boost. What I love about it is that it has the adaptogens the other brands have but also adds nootropics (aka brain-boosting compunds) it contains so you are boosting your cognitive function as well as getting a boost in mental focus. The mushrooms are extracted as well not from mycelium as MUDWTR has so they have more of a health benefit. I can attest that it really works too!
The best solution is to REALLY ENJOY a small amount!
I have always been a coffee drinker so this transition to just 1 cup has been hard! It takes some time to adjust. I recommend to ween off coffee slowly to reduce any withdrawl symptoms. Also buying a different way to brew it! I always had one of those huge french presses, but it was tempting to fill it more. By purchasing a 16oz french press I guarantee that I just get 1 mug of coffee rather than more.
In conclusion, while coffee & caffeine can provide a temporary boost to energy & mental clarity, it's important to be mindful of your caffeine intake & the potential effects it can have on your hormones & gut health. Limiting your caffeine intake or consuming it strategically can help to minimize the negative effects & maximize the positive benefits for your overall health & well-being. Luckily there are a variety of alternatives that are quite delicious as well as some simple adjustments you can make to your morning rital that will make this transition a piece of cake!