Another common cold remedy is nasal decongestant sprays. These often contain pseudoephedrine – a substance that, according to pharmacists, should not be taken with coffee.
Mr Budd warned, “Combining these with coffee can overstimulate your nervous system, leading to jitteriness, palpitations or increased blood pressure.”
Painkillers
Painkillers affect the body in addition to relieving pain, also in the stomach. When you use a lot of painkillers, it wears out the stomach. Adding a cup of coffee to the pack, its acidity can irritate the stomach even more and increase heartburn.
In the worst case, an irritated stomach can lead to heartburn as well as peritonitis or stomach ulcers.
Blood pressure medications
The most commonly taken blood pressure medications are so-called ACE inhibitors, which dilate blood vessels and thereby lower blood pressure. However, coffee has a surprisingly large effect on this type of medication.
According to Budd, caffeine can reduce the rate of drug absorption into the body. This in turn can lead to blood pressure remaining elevated, which in turn places additional strain on the blood vessels, heart, and other organs.
According to Budd, if prolonged, this stress can increase the risk of heart attacks, strokes, or even dementia.
Thyroid medications
Like ACE inhibitors that treat blood pressure, levothyroxine, which treats hypothyroidism, is also very sensitive to coffee.
Some studies suggest that drinking coffee shortly after taking thyroxine can reduce its effectiveness by up to 50 percent. This is because caffeine stimulates the intestines, which can shorten the time it takes for the medication to be absorbed.
The decrease in potency also means that unpleasant side effects such as fatigue, digestive problems, and weight fluctuations may begin to occur more Continue reading…
