Do you often experience dizziness and sickness after drinking coffee? If so, you’re not alone. Many people experience these symptoms after drinking coffee.
This blog post will answer your questions on why coffee makes me feel dizzy and sick and how to stop these symptoms from happening. Stay tuned!
Why Does Coffee Make Me Dizzy?
So, why does coffee make me dizzy? There are a few reasons coffee might make us feel dizzy or lightheaded.
#1: Dehydration: One reason is that coffee is a diuretic that expels water from our bodies. When we drink coffee, we may urinate more frequently and lose the fluids that our bodies need. This can lead to dehydration, which can cause dizziness.
#2: Caffeine Sensitivity: Another reason for coffee-induced dizziness is that it is a stimulant. Caffeine increases our heart rate and blood pressure for a short period. However, it can make you feel jittery if you are hypersensitive to caffeine. This can lead to a feeling of lightheadedness or dizziness.
#3: High Amount of Caffeine Intake: If you drink a lot of coffee or consume other caffeinated beverages throughout the day, you may be at risk of experiencing dizziness. This is because your body becomes overloaded with caffeine and cannot process it. As a result, you may feel agitated, anxious, or dizzy.
#4: Coffee On Empty Stomach: The acidity in the coffee can irritate your stomach and lead to nausea and vomiting if you do not eat adequate breakfast or drink coffee on an empty stomach. This can also cause dizziness.
#5: Health Issues: Dizziness can also be a symptom of health problems such as low blood sugar, anemia, and heart problem. If you are experiencing dizzy spells frequently, you must see a doctor to rule out any underlying health issues.
What Is Caffeine Sensitivity/ Intolerance?
Caffeine sensitivity is when you experience side effects from consuming caffeine that the average person does not. People who are caffeine intolerant can exhibit various symptoms, including but not limited to:
- Unusually high heartbeat
- Palpitations and an irregular pulse
- Diarrhea or an increased urge to pee
- Restlessness
- Nervousness and muscular spasms
- Overwhelming Anxiety
- Irritability/ Discomfort
- Increased body temperature/hot flushes
- Migraine or headache that appears suddenly
- Jitteriness
- Dizziness
Caffeine allergy, which is distinct from caffeine sensitivity and has different symptoms, affects specific individuals. The symptoms of a caffeine allergy are:
- Hives
- Rashes or itchy skin
- Tingling sensation in the mouth
- Lip, tongue, throat, or facial swelling
- Wheezing
- Difficulty breathing or anaphylaxis (a potentially life-threatening condition)
What Are the Causes of Caffeine Sensitivity?
There are a few reasons why someone might be caffeine sensitive.
Metabolic Rate:
Caffeine sensitivity mostly depends on the metabolic rate, which varies among people. Some have higher caffeine metabolic rate than others. For instance, younger people metabolize faster than older.
Therefore, our bodies become more sensitive to caffeine as we age. Women, in general, can metabolize caffeine faster than men, making men more susceptible to feeling dizzy drinking coffee.
Genetics may also play a contributing factor in how your liver metabolizes caffeine. Caffeine-sensitive people produce less of a specific liver enzyme (CYP1A2), resulting in longer processing of the caffeine.
Genetics & Brain Chemistry:
Caffeine sensitivity can be hereditary. If your parents or grandparents are sensitive to caffeine, you may also be more likely to be.
Brain chemistry is also a significant factor in caffeine sensitivity.
According to a study conducted in 2012, caffeine has a more robust and longer-lasting effect on those with a particular gene variant.
Other medications:
Some medications can interact with caffeine and increase its effects. These include but are not limited to:
- Antidepressants
- Asthma medications
- Medications for controlling blood pressure
- Medication used to prevent pregnancy
- Medications that block the body’s natural release of estrogen
- Some herbal medications like Echinacea and Guarana.
How Caffeine Interacts with the Nervous System and makes you feel sick and dizzy?
Caffeine stimulates the central nervous system (CNS), heart, and muscles. It does this by blocking adenosine, a neurotransmitter that slows down nerve cell activity.
This increases the activity of other neurotransmitters such as dopamine and norepinephrine. The result is increased energy and alertness.
Caffeine also raises blood pressure and heart rate. Caffeine overdose may also result in headaches, nausea, and vomiting. This is due to the body being caffeine-overloaded and unable to absorb it.
This can lead to a caffeine crash, which can cause fatigue, irritability, and dizziness.
How Much Caffeine is Too Much?
According to Cleveland Clinic, Most people can safely consume up to 400 mg of caffeine daily. To put it another way, a healthy person can have four 8-ounce cups of brewed coffee or 10 cans of cola.
However, some people may be more sensitive to the effects of caffeine. Therefore, it is essential to know your own caffeine tolerance limit.
How Long Coffee & Dizziness last in Our body?
The effects of caffeine typically last for a few hours. However, the half-life of caffeine (the time it takes for your body to eliminate half of the caffeine you consume) is about five hours.
This means that if you consume 200 mg of caffeine, you will still have 100 mg in your system five hours later.
Caffeine can stay in your system for longer if you are oversensitive to it. This is why you feel dizzy after drinking another cup of coffee before the caffeine has been flushed from your system.
Dizziness can last for a few minutes to a few hours. It all depends on the individual’s caffeine sensitivity.
How to Find Out If You’re Caffeine Sensitive?
If you think you might be caffeine sensitive, there are a few things you can do to find out.
Elimination Diet: The best way to find out if you’re sensitive to caffeine is to do an elimination diet. This involves removing all sources of caffeine from your diet for some time (usually two weeks) and then slowly reintroducing it. If you experience symptoms after reintroducing caffeine, you are likely sensitive to it.
Keep a Symptom Diary: Keeping a symptom diary is another way to determine if you’re sensitive to caffeine. This involves tracking your symptoms and their severity after consuming caffeine. If you notice a pattern of symptoms after consuming caffeine, you may be sensitive to it.
Talk to Your Doctor: If you’re still unsure if you’re caffeine sensitive, you can talk to your doctor. They will be able to help you figure out if your symptoms are caused by caffeine sensitivity or something else.
How to Stop or Prevent Dizziness After Drinking Coffee?
Let’s figure out how to get rid of dizziness after drinking coffee, you can do the following few things to stop that.
#1: Drink Plenty of water:
It is essential to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water throughout the day. This will help to prevent dehydration, which can cause dizziness.
Staying hydrated can nullify the side effects of caffeine and helps you prevent dizziness.
#02: Avoid drinking coffee on an empty stomach:
Eating breakfast or light snacks before drinking coffee can help to prevent dizziness. Consuming caffeine on an empty stomach will produce acid that will erode the stomach’s lining and almost likely induce jitters. Drinking coffee with or after meals can help to prevent dizziness.
#03: Limit your caffeine intake:
Try to limit your caffeine intake. If you do drink coffee, make sure to drink it in moderation. Suppose you find that you are sensitive or allergic to caffeine. In that case, limiting your intake or avoiding it altogether is best.
When you reach the point where you begin to experience symptoms such as dizziness, you know you’ve had too much coffee and you’ve just crossed your safe limit.
#04: Drink decaffeinated coffee:
If you enjoy coffee but find it makes you feel dizzy, try switching to coffee types with lower caffeine content. These include decaf coffee, half-caff coffee, and tea. This will help to reduce your caffeine intake and may prevent dizziness.
#05: Use Dark Roasted Coffee:
The way the coffee beans are roasted also makes a difference. For instance, Arabica coffee beans are lightly roasted while Robusta coffee beans are dark roasted. The darker the roast, the less caffeine it contains.
Dark roasted coffee beans are roasted for longer, reducing the caffeine content. When coffee beans are roasted, they become glossy, which signifies that the oils and caffeine have migrated to the bean’s surface. This results in reduced total caffeine content.
#06: Increase Vitamin D Intake:
Vitamin D is essential for many bodily functions, including maintaining proper calcium levels. A lack of vitamin D can cause dizziness and other health problems. Caffeine reduces vitamin D absorption, which can lead to vitamin D deficiency.
You can increase your vitamin D intake by getting more exposure to sunlight or taking a supplement. The cheaper option is spending 10 to 30 minutes under direct sunshine daily to satisfy your recommended consumption.
#07: Do Regular Exercise:
Doing some exercise helps boost your metabolism. Those who aren’t very good at metabolizing caffeine will feel its adverse effects more acutely.
To speed up your metabolism, engage in aerobic activity for 30 minutes daily, such as walking or jogging. Regular exercise also helps reduce stress and anxiety, which can prevent dizziness.
#08: See a doctor:
Finally, if you feel dizzy after drinking coffee, try to sit down and relax. Drink some water and take deep breaths. If these symptoms persist, it is best to consult a doctor.
Frequently Asked Question
Why do I feel weak after drinking coffee?
Caffeine is a stimulant that increases our heart rate and blood pressure. If you drink too much coffee, you may feel weak and shaky because your body cannot keep up with the increased heart rate and blood pressure.
It is best to drink coffee in moderation and consult a doctor if you frequently feel weak after drinking coffee.
How many cups of coffee can I drink before feeling dizzy?
There is no definitive answer as everyone metabolizes caffeine differently. Some people may be able to drink multiple cups of coffee without feeling any effects. In contrast, others may only need one cup before feeling dizzy. You need to identify your own caffeine limit.
Why does coffee make me dizzy in the morning?
Some people also feel dizziness only at a specific time after drinking coffee, especially in the morning. They often ask & wonder why does coffee make me dizzy and nauseous in the morning?
Caffeine, like most stimulants, decreases the amount of blood that flows to the brain. It is possible to experience the dizzy, jittery, or woozy side effects of drinking coffee in the morning if you consume coffee in high amounts before eating.
Why does coffee make me feel spaced out?
Caffeine can cause feelings of anxiety, nervousness, and jitters. These effects are more likely to occur if you consume coffee on an empty stomach or if you’re sensitive to caffeine.
Bottom Line
Coffee is a popular beverage that contains caffeine, a natural stimulant. Caffeine can improve mood, cognitive function, and physical performance; however, it can also cause side effects such as dizziness.
Coffee-induced dizziness could be due to dehydration, over-consumption of coffee, caffeine sensitivity, or underlying health conditions. Drink plenty of fluids, consume moderate amounts of caffeine, and exercise regularly to stop or prevent dizziness. If these symptoms continue, it is advised to see a doctor.
I hope this blog post has helped answer the question, why does coffee make me dizzy? If you have any other questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us. Thanks for reading!
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