A cup of coffee can have many benefits — the most apparent being an energy boost. However, as with any substance, there are some potential side effects with headaches being the most common.
Many coffee lovers experience this frustrating and painful problem. However, it’s completely avoidable. Read on to learn why coffee can induce a headache and tips on how to reduce the chances of developing this side effect.
What Causes Headaches After Drinking Coffee
While not everyone suffers headaches from coffee, they are relatively common. Coffee contains several chemicals that can induce headaches and drinking too much at the wrong time can be problematic.
Here are some of the reasons coffee-induced headaches can occur:
1. Caffeine
While there are many different compounds in coffee, all responsible for different elements of flavor, texture, and effects, caffeine is generally considered to be the main active ingredient. It has a stimulant effect on the body and can lead to several bodily responses, from heightened metabolic responses to fluctuations in blood pressure [1].
In those with a heightened sensitivity to caffeine, drinking coffee can cause a number of unpleasant symptoms such as increased heart rate, caffeine-induced jitters, and headaches. People with caffeine sensitivity tend to metabolize caffeine more slowly, meaning that these symptoms may take several hours to dissipate.
2. Hormone Activity
Some evidence shows that coffee can influence certain hormone levels in the body. One study discovered that drinking coffee may increase testosterone levels in males and decrease them in females [2]. Although these hormones aren’t linked directly to headaches, coffee could create hormone imbalances in the body that trigger certain negative responses.
Common additions to coffee may also impact hormone levels which can induce headaches. When we consume sugar, our body breaks it down into glucose, which can affect glycogen levels.
Your body maintains a steady amount of glucose in the blood through the use of insulin — a hormone that diabetic people lack.
If you regularly drink coffee with sugar, it can induce a rapid rise and fall in insulin levels. Too much glucose in your system is referred to as hyperglycemia, and too little is called hypoglycemia. Both of these conditions can result in headaches and migraines.
3. Dehydration
Caffeine itself is a mild diuretic — meaning it can cause dehydration when consumed in large quantities.
Typically, this mild dehydration isn’t anything to be worried about. However, it can lead to headaches. Drinking coffee without drinking water or other hydrating drinks can increase the chances of developing headaches.
4. Vasoconstriction
Vasoconstriction is the narrowing of blood vessels. Caffeine can induce vasoconstriction in the system, leading to temporarily increased blood pressure.
For most people, this isn’t a big problem, but it can be for people with heart or blood conditions. For instance, if your heart is weaker than a regular heart, it will typically have trouble pumping blood through more constricted vessels. If your blood has trouble storing oxygen, then vasoconstriction could result in less oxygen getting to vital organs in the body.
This vasoconstriction and reduced blood flow can, in rare and extreme cases, lead to reduced amounts of oxygen getting to your brain. This is typically not enough to lead to severe cases of oxygen deprivation, but it can be intense enough to lead to a headache.
5. Caffeine Withdrawal
Caffeine is a physically addictive substance, and caffeine withdrawal is a common experience for those reducing their intake. Headaches are an extremely common withdrawal symptom when you reduce the level of caffeine that your body expects. This doesn’t just occur with coffee — those who drink a lot of tea or other caffeinated beverages and suddenly stop also report it.
The vasoconstriction mentioned above will reduce the amount of blood flowing through and around the brain on average. Therefore, when you take away the caffeine and the vasoconstriction ceases, the brain experiences increased blood flow. This can cause painful headaches, which will typically subside over the course of a couple of days as the brain gets used to the new level of blood flow.
6. Timing
Finally, we come to the timing of your coffee consumption. While this may not seem to matter at face value, it’s important to consider the impact of bioaccumulation — where certain compounds from the drink build up in the body.
If you drink coffee first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, it could lead to the caffeine having a more intense impact on your system. Without food or water in your system, the caffeine builds up faster in the body — potentially leading to side effects such as headaches.
Tips to Avoid Headaches While Enjoying Coffee
Even if you find that headaches come for you whenever you drink a cup of coffee, you may not have to give it up completely. Instead, you can try some of these tips to keep the headaches at bay.
1. Stay Hydrated
Experiencing dehydration from coffee alone is quite rare since the diuretic impact of the caffeine tends to be countered by the volume of fluid that you’re drinking. However, if you regularly drink a lot of coffee, the constant level of caffeine in your system may have a general diuretic effect, leading to dehydration over time.
To counter dehydration, the best method is to reduce the amount of coffee and increase the amount of water you consume. While it’s much less exciting than a flavorsome brew, drinking water can greatly help your health overall and help combat caffeine-induced headaches.
2. Moderate Your Intake
If you regularly experience headaches from drinking too much coffee, the logical solution is simply to drink less. While this is a good idea, it may not be beneficial to do this all at once. Instead, slowly reduce your caffeine intake daily. Going slowly in this way prevents you from experiencing the headaches that are common symptoms of caffeine withdrawal.
Related: How Much Caffeine Is Too Much?
3. Avoid Drinking Coffee on an Empty Stomach
Drinking coffee on an empty stomach can lead to more intense effects, including negative side effects such as headaches. By drinking coffee on an empty stomach, you may find that the caffeine, in particular, hits you harder. This can lead to vasoconstriction and dehydration which can lead to headaches.
Avoid drinking coffee and other caffeinated beverages on an empty stomach if you regularly experience headaches. Consume a small meal in the morning alongside your cup of coffee to reduce the intensity of the caffeine. If you’re nursing a headache after a night out, try the best coffee for hangover to ease symptoms without overloading your system.
4. Maintain a Consistent Caffeine Routine
The symptoms of caffeine withdrawal syndrome begin when your body’s internal caffeine levels drop below what your brain “expects” them to be.
To prevent the headache that comes with caffeine withdrawal, it’s a wise idea to drink coffee at the same time daily. This ensures that your system adapts to the caffeine and doesn’t go into “shock” from a sudden lack of caffeine.
5. Choose Low-Acidity Coffee
Having a coffee that’s too acidic for your system can lead to acid reflux. This is a condition where the contents of your stomach are too acidic, so acidic material travels up the throat. Many people find that in episodes of gastroesophageal reflux (GERD), they also experience headaches and migraines.
While there’s currently no clear science linking these two symptoms, there is science suggesting that the gut and brain have a connection [3]. It’s possible that thanks to this connection, stomach issues can manifest in headaches.
It's wise to explore less acidic coffee options. The amount of chlorogenic acid in coffee decreases as roasting goes on [4]. Therefore, consider switching to a dark roast of coffee to strike a good balance between flavor and lower acidity.
You can also opt for a low-acid brewing method such as cold brewing to reduce the acidity of your coffee.
6. Opt for a Decaffeinated Option
In the past, decaf coffee has developed something of a bad reputation, as the decaffeination process ruined the flavor profile of the coffee. However, with modern technology and processing techniques, decaffeinated coffee can be just as flavorsome as regular coffee.
While you might experience some caffeine withdrawal headaches during your first few days of switching to decaf, you may eliminate the headaches overall if you consistently opt for decaf. You could also manage caffeine intake by alternating between decaf and regular coffee — doing so could be a good way to reduce caffeine-induced headaches.
Should You Contact a Doctor if You Experience Coffee Headaches?
Coffee is generally safe for most people, and having a headache occasionally is perfectly normal. However, persistent or chronic symptoms could be a sign of something more severe.
Let’s discuss when it’s sensible to seek out medical help:
1. Caffeine Withdrawal Syndrome
The main way that coffee manifests as headaches is in the case of caffeine withdrawal syndrome. Stopping caffeine intake rapidly reverses any vasoconstriction that’s occurred due to regular caffeine intake. This greater rate of blood flow can lead to headaches in some people.
For most people, these headaches start around twelve to twenty-four hours after their last dose of caffeine and continue for several hours or days. Headaches from caffeine withdrawal can last for anywhere from 24 hours up to nine days.
2. Changes or Worsening of Symptoms
Generally, you won't need to seek medical attention for a coffee-induced headache. Drinking plenty of water and taking over-the-counter painkillers usually resolves the issue. However, if symptoms worsen, it may be wise to seek professional help.
Additional symptoms might include vision changes or speech difficulties and could be a sign of something more severe. If these symptoms occur, seeking out a doctor’s advice is wise.
3. Spotting Chronic Headaches
It’s also important to seek medical advice if you discover that your headaches have a chronic component to them. If you notice that you get headaches regularly, start making a note of whenever you get a headache and when you last consumed coffee.
If there’s a correlation and it seems likely that the caffeine could be causing the headaches, reduce your caffeine intake. If it doesn’t help, or if there’s no clear cause for the headaches, then seek medical advice — the headaches you’re experiencing may be chronic and unrelated to coffee.
FAQs: Coffee-Induced Headaches
Coffee and headaches don’t have to go hand in hand, but they sometimes do.
Learn more about coffee-induced headaches in the answers to the frequently asked questions below:
1. Why Does Coffee Sometimes Cause Headaches?
The most common cause is caffeine. Caffeine causes blood vessels throughout the body to constrict and can impact hydration. Both of these factors can lead to headaches.
2. Can Coffee Help Headaches Instead of Causing Them?
Sometimes, yes, coffee can help with headaches. Some headaches are caused by a slightly swollen blood vessel, and drinking something caffeinated may reduce that swelling. In turn, reducing headache symptoms.
3. Why Do I Get a Headache When I Skip My Coffee?
You may experience a headache when refraining from coffee consumption. This happens when the body adjusts to lower caffeine levels than it’s used to, which typically results in greater blood flow to certain areas of the body. Once your body is used to the new level of blood flow, the headaches should stop.
4. Does Decaf Coffee Cause Headaches Too?
Decaffeinated coffee contains trace amounts of caffeine, though significantly less than regular coffee. This means that while it’s unlikely to cause caffeine headaches, it’s still technically possible, particularly for those with caffeine sensitivity.
5. Is it Normal to Feel Dizzy with a Coffee Headache?
Dizziness can be a symptom of both caffeine sensitivity and dehydration. Drinking water can help these symptoms subside.
6. How Long Do Caffeine Withdrawal Headaches Last?
Caffeine withdrawal headaches often last for one to three days as your body adjusts to the new level of caffeine in your system.
7. Can Drinking Water Prevent Coffee Headaches?
Yes, ensuring you’re hydrated overall is a good way to prevent dehydration-triggered headaches that may result from caffeine consumption.
8. Does Coffee on an Empty Stomach Increase Headaches?
Yes. Caffeine can have more intense side effects when consumed on an empty stomach. Many people who experience acid reflux also experience headaches at the same time.
9. Are Certain Types of Coffee More Likely to Cause Headaches?
Possibly, yes. For instance, high-acidity coffee may cause headaches in those with GERD who regularly experience acid reflux. Coffee higher in caffeine may also put you at higher risk of headaches. Coffee-based beverages high in sugar may also trigger a headache.
10. Should I Stop Drinking Coffee if it Gives Me Headaches?
Try opting for a low-caffeine or low-acid coffee to see if those specific options are what’s causing your headaches first. If you have caffeine sensitivity it may be time to stop consuming coffee and other caffeinated beverages.
References:
- Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on Military Nutrition Research. Caffeine for the Sustainment of Mental Task Performance: Formulations for Military Operations. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2001. 2, Pharmacology of Caffeine. Available from:
- Gür, M., Çınar, V., Akbulut, T., Bozbay, K., Yücedal, P., Aslan, M., ... & Migliaccio, G. M. (2024). Determining the Levels of Cortisol, Testosterone, Lactic Acid and Anaerobic Performance in Athletes Using Various Forms of Coffee. Nutrients, 16(19), 3228.
- Sajadi-Ernazarova KR, Hamilton RJ. Caffeine Withdrawal. [Updated 2023 Aug 8]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan-. Available from:
- Carabotti, M., Scirocco, A., Maselli, M. A., & Severi, C. (2015). The gut-brain axis: Interactions between enteric microbiota, central and enteric nervous systems. Annals of Gastroenterology : Quarterly Publication of the Hellenic Society of Gastroenterology, 28(2), 203.
- Awwad, S., Issa, R., Alnsour, L., & Albals, D. (2021). Quantification of Caffeine and Chlorogenic Acid in Green and Roasted Coffee Samples Using HPLC-DAD and Evaluation of the Effect of Degree of Roasting on Their Levels. Molecules, 26(24), 7502.
