Should you cut back on coffee for acid reflux?
Yes, if it seems to set off your heartburn. Studies disagree on whether coffee causes reflux. In one small trial, a simple swap cut the time acid spent in the food pipe by over 80%.
On this page
Does coffee cause acid reflux?
It can for some people, but not for everyone. The NHS lists coffee as one food or drink that can cause or worsen heartburn, along with tomatoes, alcohol, chocolate and fatty or spicy food.
When reflux keeps happening, doctors may call it GORD, the UK spelling of GERD.
Big studies don’t agree. A 2014 pooling of 15 studies found no clear link overall.
A study of 48,308 US women aged 42 to 62 without regular reflux at the start tracked who got it.
| Drink | Risk of new weekly reflux |
|---|---|
| Coffee | 34% higher |
| Tea | 26% higher |
| Fizzy drinks | 29% higher |
| Milk, water or juice | No link |
Source: Mehta 2020
Two gene studies used genes that make people drink more coffee as a natural test. One found a possible link with high caffeine. The other found no strong evidence that coffee causes reflux.
NICE tells doctors to advise you to avoid triggers you link to your symptoms where possible, and coffee is on its list. Next, find out if it’s yours.
Is decaf better for acid reflux?
That swap from the top of the page is decaf. In a small trial, 17 people with reflux drank regular or decaf coffee with breakfast, without knowing which.
Source: Pehl 1997
That was 17 people and one breakfast, and it measured acid, not how people felt.
The big nurses’ study found similar results with or without caffeine. A review of coffee and the gut says caffeine can’t fully explain coffee’s effects. So decaf may help you, or it may not.
Try decaf for your morning cup first. For other swaps, see caffeine-free drinks.
How do I know if coffee is my trigger?
Test it on yourself. The NHS says to avoid food or drink that triggers your symptoms, and only you can spot yours.
A simple test to find out if coffee is your trigger
- 1
Note it
For a week, jot down when heartburn hits and what you’d had.
- 2
Swap it
Switch to decaf, water or milk for the next week or two.
- 3
Bring it back
Have your usual coffee again and see if the burn returns.
- 4
Decide
Keep to the amount you can drink without heartburn.
Change one thing at a time. If you cut coffee and chocolate together, you won’t know which one mattered.
Don’t want to give it up? In the nurses’ study of women without regular reflux, swapping 2 coffees a day for water went with a slightly lower risk of getting it. Cutting back may be enough.
To see how much caffeine your usual drinks hold, read caffeine in coffee.
What else helps acid reflux?
Coffee is only one possible trigger. The gene study found clearer links with carrying extra weight and smoking than with caffeine.
Six NHS changes that can ease reflux
- Eat smaller, more frequent meals.
- Don’t eat within 3 or 4 hours before bed.
- Raise the head of your bed by about 10 to 20cm with wood, bricks or books, not extra pillows.
- Try to lose weight if you’re overweight.
- Stop smoking, and don’t drink too much alcohol.
- Avoid clothes that are tight around your waist.
Source: NHS: heartburn and acid reflux
Extra pillows can push on your belly and make it worse. Raising the bed itself keeps your chest and head above your waist.
Which side you sleep on may matter too. See the best sleeping position. For coffee’s other pros and cons, read is coffee good for you.
What can a pharmacist or GP give me?
Keep getting heartburn? Speak to a pharmacist first.
| Medicine | Where from | How it’s used |
|---|---|---|
| Antacids and alginates (heartburn medicines you can buy at a pharmacy) | Pharmacy | Best with food or soon after. They ease symptoms but don’t cure the problem. |
| PPIs, like omeprazole or lansoprazole | GP | Cut how much acid your stomach makes. Usually taken for 4 or 8 weeks. |
| Another type of acid medicine (H2 blocker), like famotidine | GP | May be suggested if a PPI doesn’t help. |
Source: NHS
Antacids and alginates shouldn’t be taken regularly for long periods. If your symptoms come back after you stop a PPI, go back to your GP.
Some medicines, such as ibuprofen, can cause or worsen heartburn. Never stop or change a prescribed medicine without your prescriber.
When to speak to a GP
Lots of people get heartburn from time to time. The NHS says to see a GP if:
- Lifestyle changes and pharmacy medicines aren’t helping your heartburn.
- You have heartburn most days.
- Food gets stuck in your throat, you’re often sick, or you’re losing weight for no reason.
- See a GP urgently if you have severe pain, low iron (iron deficiency anaemia), bloody vomit or poo, or feel a lump in your stomach.
- Your symptoms are getting worse. Contact a GP or call 111.
Call 999 if chest pain feels tight or squeezing, or spreads to your arms, neck or jaw, or you have severe difficulty breathing. A heart attack can feel like indigestion, with a burning feeling in your chest.