Just because you woke up with a headache doesn’t mean you should skip your morning cup of coffee. However, you may also be wondering about the potential side effects and the pros and cons of mixing painkillers and coffee.
Table Of Contents
−- Coffee is a painkiller of some sort
- Caffeine & Painkiller Calculator
- Mixing Ibuprofen and coffee, what happens?
- Can you take Ibuprofen with coffee?
- Should you substitute Coffee for Ibuprofen?
- Can you take Advil with coffee?
- What happens when you take Naproxen and coffee?
- Other painkillers and coffee
- How much caffeine should you take?
We have outlined below some of the most common painkillers and the effects of taking them alongside coffee.
Coffee is a painkiller of some sort
A little-known fact about coffee is that it is a painkiller. Studies have shown that drinking coffee can significantly lessen headaches and alleviate stomach aches. This is partly why some cold and flu tablets contain added caffeine.
Not only does it help you stay awake on those sick days when you are struggling to get through your work, but it can also help with the pain of having a blocked nose or a sore throat. However, that also means you may need to take less of a painkiller when combining it with coffee.
A delicious cup of coffee to help with pain relief
Caffeine & Painkiller Calculator
Caffeine Intake
Painkiller
Disclaimer: The calculator is intended for demonstration purposes. It’s important to note that the recommended daily intake limits for caffeine and painkillers can vary based on an individual’s age, health conditions, and other factors. Please consult with a healthcare professional or medical expert.
Mixing Ibuprofen and coffee, what happens?
Studies have shown that taking a 200mg pill of Ibuprofen and coffee (which contains about 100mg of caffeine) may provide some of the best anti-inflammatory pain relief for everyday aches. There is no need to go overboard on the dosage, however.
Can you take Ibuprofen with coffee?
Can you take Ibuprofen with coffee? While 200mg of Ibuprofen with coffee is perfectly safe to drink and may even be more effective than taking Ibuprofen on its own, taking double that dose is unnecessary.
Because you will be feeling stronger relief because of the combined effect of caffeine, you would risk getting used to a higher dose and developing a tolerance for painkillers, which is never a good thing!
Also, remember that painkillers such as Ibuprofen should not be taken on an empty stomach. In other words, breakfast needs more than a cup of coffee and an Ibuprofen! You should make sure to fill your stomach with cereal or toast to avoid irritating your gastrointestinal system.
Should you substitute Coffee for Ibuprofen?
If you are suffering from sleep deprivation, swapping a cup of coffee for a pain reliever can be the best way to treat your pain. When you’re trapped in a cycle of pain and lack of sleep, your doctor can prescribe a combination of nighttime and daytime wakefulness medication to help you cope and relieve your pain.
Can you take Advil with coffee?
Can you take Advil with coffee? Yes, you can take Advil and coffee for extra relief, but be careful not to take too much. Advil uses the same active components as Ibuprofen, so the same advice applies here.
Advil with coffee safety and concerns
It’s not recommended to take both Advil and coffee. Advil and caffeine can increase stomach discomfort and gastroesophageal reflux, so that the combination may worsen these symptoms. Additionally, taking Advil and caffeine together does not reduce the stimulant effects of caffeine so the combination can interfere with your sleep at bedtime.
Note that any caffeine you drink with Advil will contribute to the overall consumption of caffeine, so be careful not to drink too much. However, caffeine is usually not harmful if you limit your intake to less than 500 mg, or around 5 cups of coffee, per day.
What happens when you take Naproxen and coffee?
Like aspirin, Naproxen is generally safe to take with coffee. However, the drug has many side effects, so be careful with dosage and quickly consult your physician if you are not feeling well.
Other painkillers and coffee
Although it is not significant enough to be included in painkillers, coffee seems to provide additional relief when combined with most painkillers. In addition, studies have found results suggesting that adding just a few milligrams of caffeine to a painkiller such as Ibuprofen or aspirin can heighten its effects, although not significantly.
So mixing coffee and painkillers is not as dangerous as you might fear, but it is also not a cure-all. As always, be careful not to take more than you need, and talk with your doctor if you feel mixing painkillers with coffee may harm you.
Does caffeine boost painkiller effectiveness?
The Cochrane Library analyzed 20 studies involving 7238 participants taking medications to reduce the number of pain problems, including postpartum pain and headache.
All the research compared the effects of taking a single dose of a pain reliever such as acetaminophen or Ibuprofen vs. the same dose of caffeine. Researchers found that 5 to 10 percent more people who took pills with caffeine felt that strong pain relief.
Sheena Derry, one of the study’s authors, noted that the stimulant could help painkillers enter the bloodstream more quickly or slow their clearance from the blood, or it could exert a mood-boosting effect that eases pain. “Although the effect size is small, it is probably clinically useful,” she added.
How much caffeine should you take?
Experts say that up to 400 milligrams a day are safe — that’s three 8-ounce cups of coffee a day. According to the Cleveland Clinic, the amount of caffeine added to pain medications ranges from 32-100 milligrams for prescription drugs. If you’re unsure how much caffeine is in your pain drug, check the label or ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment. Consult a healthcare professional for medical concerns. The author and publisher are not liable for any actions taken based on this article.
Editorial Staff
The editorial staff at Crazy Coffee Crave is a team of coffee enthusiasts & Baristas who enjoy the one thing we all think about as soon as we get up in the morning. Trusted by thousands of readers worldwide.
