A symptom on the tongue that requires you to stop drinking coffee

For many, a cup of coffee in the morning is essential to start the day, but one doctor has warned that a surprising symptom on the tongue could indicate that you shouldn’t drink coffee at all.

Teacher Dr Anis Khalaf, a specialist in Chinese medicine, said on his TikTok account: “If you want to know the answer, just stick your tongue out. You can go to the mirror and do a little test to find out. If your tongue has a lot of cracks and a thick yellow coating, you probably shouldn’t drink coffee.”

Body imbalance

He added that this is often due to an “imbalance in the body”, which drinking a caffeinated drink can exacerbate.

While he didn’t give much detail about the cause, he pointed to something known as a “yin deficiency” in Chinese medicine.

Dr Lawrence Cunningham, a GP, explained in the UK’s Care Guide that a yin deficiency is an imbalance in the body where “nourishing aspects” are depleted, leading to insomnia and fatigue.

“Since coffee is a stimulant, it can certainly enhance these symptoms, however, this is not always the cause of yellow tongue. In my experience, a thick yellow coating on the tongue generally indicates a digestive system problem,” he added.

Coffee and mouth acidity

“The presence of this coating can be attributed to a number of factors such as poor oral hygiene, dehydration, or the presence of bacteria and yeast. While coffee itself is not usually the direct cause, it can exacerbate the conditions that lead to such an outcome,” he continued.

“Coffee is acidic and can alter the pH balance in the mouth, which can contribute to the proliferation of bacteria and yeast, leading to the appearance of a yellow coating.”

Aside from the symptoms of the tongue, there are several other signs that drinking coffee is negatively affecting your body.