The best time to drink your coffee, according to an expert

Welcome to Doctor's Corner, where medical experts from Makati Medical Center will answer health questions from readers! Got a question? Send them over to comment@gmanews.tv.

Q How true is it that you’re not supposed to drink coffee immediately after waking up?

The second most consumed beverage after water, according to the Food Editorials Beverage Guide, is a cup of hot coffee. It's how millions around the globe like to start their day. And why not? Coffee stimulates the production of gastrin and cholecystokinin, hormones that make the muscles in your digestive system contract for better bowel movement. The caffeine in coffee also makes you alert and energetic to face a morning of work, school, exercise, or chores.

But some sources discourage drinking coffee within hours of waking up, saying coffee gives you acid reflux or heartburn and triggers the release of the stress hormone cortisol. Not to worry: Studies on coffee’s supposed health risks in the morning are inconclusive, so you can continue to enjoy your fresh brew in the morning. 

Perhaps some suggested precautions? To avoid any digestive issues, don’t drink coffee on an empty stomach. Instead, have it with some food like toast or egg.

And, if you do have digestive issues such as reflux disease or a stomach ulcer, it’s best you avoid drinking coffee as caffeine tends to exacerbate these problems.

Is there a best time to consume coffee?

While some studies recommend taking coffee between 9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. (when alert and energy levels tend to dip) and between noon and 3:00 p.m. (to counter the effect of the post-lunch slump), others believe that there really isn’t a “best time” for it, as everyone reacts differently to the effects of coffee and caffeine.

Many, however, are in agreement that coffee should not be consumed later in the day as it could interfere with your sleep pattern. Still, there are those who manage to get a good night’s rest just hours after relishing a comforting cup of hot coffee. Again, you know yourself best, so the “best time” is up to you.

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Mark Paolo M. Chatto, MD is a Gastroenterology Specialist at the Makati Medical Center. He is a Diplomate of the Philippine Society of Gastroenterology and the Philippine Society of Digestive Endoscopy, and a fellow of the Philippine College of Physicians.