
http://www.care2.com/greenliving/does-coffee-cause-ulcers.html
Does Coffee Cause Ulcers?

Q: My husband drinks a LOT of coffee and I worry about him getting an ulcer. Is there a way to mitigate all that coffee, and what are the warning signs?
A: No research has shown that coffee drinking leads to the formation of gastric ulcers. Even if a person is diagnosed with an ulcer, there is no reason to stop drinking coffee unless there are specific symptoms associated with its consumption.
While some people may experience heartburn after drinking a cup of coffee, there is no conclusive evidence that coffee makes the stomach produce more acid. However, caffeine may decrease the strength of the muscle that surrounds the esophagus as it enters the stomach. This may allow more acid to flow up into the esophagus causing heartburn. Keep in mind that having heartburn does not mean that you have a stomach ulcer.
Some of the symptoms to watch for if you are concerned about stomach ulcers: A sour taste in the mouth every morning, pain if you press in the area right below the sternum (the bone in the center of your chest); coughing or throwing up blood, or black sticky bowel movements indicating the presence of blood in the stool.
Learn more:
Reduce your dependence on caffeine
Can coffee be good for you?
Dr. Brent Ridge is the health expert for Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia. You can call and ask him a question live every Tuesday at 2 p.m. Eastern on Sirius Satellite Radio, Channel 112 (1.866.675.6675). You can also follow along as he learns to grow his own food and raise goats on his farm in upstate New York by visiting www.beekman1802.com.
Got a health question for Dr. Brent? E-mail him at drbrent@care2.com.





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16 comments
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hello! i've been browsing around the net because something is worrying me. i've been a coffee drinker since highschool and i've loved coffee since then. i can say that coffee is one of my fave beverages because aside from that it keeps me awake when i have to study my law books, it helps me with my bowel movement. after drinking a cup, i just feel like going to the comfort room. thing is, i noticed that sometimes there is blood in my stool. and now i am really worried what this means. am i sick? do i have ulcer? i do not feel any pain in the stomach. though i have a history of hyper acidity way back when i was in elementary. could anyone help me find an explanation to this? thanks =)
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I have not had a cup of coffee since July, 2008. I LOVE coffee; the smell; the cafe; the ritual; the taste. I do not love the migraines that I get from, not the coffee, but the chemicals/pesticides used on the plants. I know this because when I drink organic coffee my migraines diminish or disappear. But quitting coffee is a decision I made because it is acidic by nature and I don't always feel good after drinking it; it taxes adrenals and I urinate much much less now that I'm not drinking coffee. With all that urination my body is losing essential vitamins and fluids. I feel better off coffee and have discovered that the green tea ritual is just as satisfying. BTW, it is a drug and it took me three weeks to detox - I felt HORRIBLE! Now I feel great. FYI.
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Oh, Edwin. Chill out. Tea, coffee, chocolate. Did you just notice that? These are things that make people feel good. Caffeine is addictive, but they've found recently that drinking tea is actually healthier than drinking water because of the antioxidents. And if people drink tea and coffee, at least they're taking in water--vital, right? Here in the UK, we drink tea and coffee at least 4 times a day. It's not the dangerous drug like heroine. And it can improve mental abilities and mood.
Keep enjoying tea and coffee. You won't die. Seriously. Relax.
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Coffee is thought to aid health. But I believe it is like most things - you can eat and drink what you like so long as you balance it and don't have too much of any one thing.
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Dear EDWIN,
If we take in consideration your comment, will mean in a way that all who we drink coffee we will end in other drugs, uhm, allow me to tell you dear that you are way out of track, drugs problems are from other reason, like social problems, family, irresponsible parents or just irresponsible youth. You might want to go a little back on history, or perhaps take a history book about the history of coffee and countries that produced it and them you will see what is the reality about coffee. Is the same with the cocaine leave, but this is another story. Edwin, CRANKY PEOPLE ARE JUST CRANKY UNHAPPY PEOPLE, AND FOR THAT THERE IS NOT A MAGIC POTION, OTHER THAN WORK IN THEIR ISSUES.
I am a very happy person, loves nature, animals, and love my job, I always have an honest smile for everyone, and I DRINK COFFEE!SINCE I WAS A LITTLE GIRL. Cranky people as you call them, they were already unhappy and cranky before drinking coffee, but they have the illusion that coffee is going to help out, the same with drugs, alcohol etc, people have already issues and problems before start using this drugs, they were already with many problems, the drugs they use is because they need an scape, instead to deal with it. To finish I would like to tell you that this is my 5th country to live in, and do you know what? every where in the world people have the same problems, same issues, Europe, Latin America, North America, Africa, every where, in some places the problem is more obvious,
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Recite after me: heroine, cocaine, nicotine, caffeine. Did you notice that! Just because everybody does it, doesn't mean it's good. Just because it feels good temporarily, doesn't mean it's good. Coffee drinking is a filthy, addictive, unhealthy habit. It encourages a progression to harder indulgences to satisfy the cranky person after they are in constant yo-yo withdrawal mode. Save your nervous system and dump coffee. And no, decaff is still horrible for you! If you must, use cereal coffee, which is made from grains. That's what all the historic / native / agricultural south americans drink anyway. Not the imported fauna from ethiopia, known as coffee.
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Hello Everyone,
I am LATIN AMERICAN, therefore we drink coffee since we are babies, and we never have problems. Pregnant women drink coffee, children, teens, elderly people, and we never have problems. I was actually shock first time I move to Europe and now in Canada where I hear this things about coffee. Really get real! What is bad is what you put in, white sugar, mild, cream, etc, drink with brow sugar if you like your coffee with sugar, put almond milk instead of cream or milk, and buy a nice roasted organic coffee.
Enjoy life, eat healthy, more veggies, grains, less meat, you will feel the difference.
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Part 3--Low Acid Coffee
Well, darn it. I didn't even get to what the second company I found says about their coffee. I think you get the idea about the first brand. This is the second company's explanation:
http://www.champlaincoffee.com/
Acids are significantly removed from our low acid coffee. The good acids that give the coffee its flavor and the acids that assist in the digestion are left.
Coffee drinkers know how satisfying and delicious a cup of gourmet coffee can be, but they also know that it isn't always easy on their stomachs. Approximately one out of every five coffee drinkers can't drink coffee due to stomach upset or other uncomfortable side affects. Now, thanks to the Hevla process, that's no longer a problem!
The beans used in Low Acid Hevla coffee are exclusively Arabica and of the highest quality within that already superior classification. Hevla coffee is ideal not only for people with medical conditions relating to the digestive system, but also for those who have high-stress jobs and are at risk to develop sensitive stomachs as well as those who simply want to enjoy good health. Hevla coffee makes it possible for coffee lovers to enjoy their coffee without discomfort.
The Hevla Low Acid Coffee
Hevla undergoes an all natural steam process to remove most of the natural irritants formed during coffee roasting, which can lead to heartburn, indigestion and stomach upset. While this process removes irritants, it leaves the coffee aroma, flavor and caff
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Part 2--stomach friendly coffee--Ooops! I hit the word limitation for comments--this is the rest of the file from previous post --or as much as I can include in this space. "Reducing these irritants allows coffee drinkers with sensitive stomachs to enjoy coffee."
Here are some common questions about the coffee and the doctor's responses:
Why do some people have stomach discomfort after drinking coffee?
Dr. Schmer: Many people who are prone to get indigestion, upset stomach or heartburn are affected by the natural irritants most coffees contain. These irritants can also cause damage to the lining of the stomach and aggravate acid reflux.
Can these effects be avoided by taking over-the-counter medication?
Dr. Schmer: The effects can't be avoided, only modified. Most over-the-counter medications either neutralize stomach acid or reduce its production. Because less acid exists, there is less injury. But it is definitely not a cure for the discomfort many people experience after drinking regular coffee.
What's so special about Johann Wulff's Stomach Friendly Gourmet Blend?
Dr. Schmer: Stomach-friendly coffee is a specially processed coffee bean in which known irritants are markedly reduced, so they no longer cause a problem. Yet the coffee retains its taste, aroma and caffeine.
Are there any side effects with drinking coffee that utilizes this process?
Dr. Schmer: There are no side effects to this process. However, because the irritants in stomach-friendly coffee
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