This symptom may be triggered by drinking coffee without eating anything.
It's safe to say that nothing beats a cup of coffee to get you going on a Monday morning. It can feel so urgent that you rush to the coffee maker before drinking water or eating breakfast.
However, if you have a habit of grabbing coffee before your eyes have fully opened, you should be aware of the potential ill effects of drinking coffee on an empty stomach. Although there aren't many, drinking coffee on an empty stomach has the advantage of causing the caffeine to kick in more faster than if you had food in your stomach.
How long does it take caffeine to act?
According to the Harvard School of Public Health, caffeine takes around 45 minutes to absorb in your body, and it "peaks" in your bloodstream anywhere between 15 minutes and 2 hours.
However, a variety of factors can influence these figures. For starters, your caffeine sensitivity may be affected by genetic variances.
According to an article from Coffee & Health, the CYP1A2-gene, separated into two different variants, affects 95 percent of the caffeine we metabolize.
You either fall into the "quick metabolizers," who feel the effects of caffeine for a shorter period, or the "slow metabolizers," who enjoy constant alertness and energy from the caffeine they eat, depending on your variant of this gene.
Another factor that affects caffeine's effects is the food you eat. According to Harvard Health, having food in your body when you drink coffee, especially anything high in fiber, will delay down the time it takes for the caffeine to take effect. As a result, drinking on an empty stomach will cause you to feel the products much more quickly.
Some people believe that drinking coffee on an empty stomach is entirely safe. On the other hand, others may experience anxiety or panic symptoms due to the sharp shock of caffeine.
When this may harm on your health
You're not alone if you experience restlessness, jitters, or anxiety after drinking coffee. According to Frontiers in Psychiatry, there is evidence to back up a beneficial association between higher caffeine intake and anxiety symptoms for many people.
Suppose you are uncomfortable after drinking coffee or are naturally prone to anxiety or panic attacks. In that case, the faster "hit" of caffeine to your system from drinking your morning cup on an empty stomach may cause unpleasant sensations.
When it's most likely innocuous
Said, if you don't feel anxiety symptoms when you consume coffee, you might be all right drinking it on an empty stomach. Coffee on an empty stomach can be a quick method to gain a surge of energy in the morning because it enters your system faster. Just make sure you don't skip breakfast entirely, as this might lead to a slew of additional problems.
Even though this surge in energy is good, most people build a caffeine tolerance with time, which can reduce the desirable energy-boosting effects of your morning coffee, according to Harvard Health.