Expert warns you should never drink coffee on empty stomach first thing in the morning

Although you might think coffee is the only way to wake up in the morning, a health expert has explained why this isn't the case.

In fact, drinking a cup of joe on an empty stomach could be causing more harm than good.

Livingwell's functional nutritional therapist Olivia Hedlund posted a video on the subject with her 121,000 followers on TikTok, where she frequently shares tips and tricks around health and nutrition.

And while you might not always want to hear it, there's no denying that her insights are useful and could result in a change that does wonders for your wellbeing.

In the clip, she explains: "If you drink coffee first thing on an empty stomach in the morning, stop what you're doing and listen.

"You are messing with your hormones."

She goes on to explain that coffee is acidic, which can be hard on our stomachs in the morning.

But, most significantly, it causes our body to go into stress mode.

Olivia continues: "It literally causes our body to go into a stress response, to shoot out cortisol and to put us in kind of a fight or flight state.

"That's why a lot of people get jittery, shaky when they drink coffee on an empty stomach in the morning.

"But that's also why we get like that really good feeling where we feel like we can conquer the world."

So while it might feel like the only incentive to get out of bed, the expert says it's 'really, really, really hard on your body'.

"I used to drink multiple cups of coffee on an empty stomach, feel like I was on top of the world and then I would have a bunch of hormonal acne and wonder why," she explains.

"It's because your body is stressed out."

But don't fret - this doesn't mean you have to completely cut coffee out of your diet.

Olivia recommends having something small to eat or drink beforehand such as 'water, bone broth, or food'.

She finishes by saying: "I promise you will know a difference if you're struggling with hormonal imbalances or even gut issues."

Hundreds of people have commented on the informative video, with one writing: "I drink coffee on an empty stomach almost every morning and this explains so much."

"Thanks for sharing I’m def guilty of this for years now," said another, while a third added, "Maybe this is why I have been breaking out more recently! Thanks for the tip!"