The 3 Best Beverages To Take Ibuprofen With (And The 3 Worst)

Pain can significantly affect your quality of life. Whether it’s a throbbing toothache, a pounding headache, or distressing menstrual cramps, though, it’s possible to conquer the pain with ibuprofen. This nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) is extremely popular, with some 29 million people in the United States turning to it for pain relief. Ibuprofen simply disrupts the hormones responsible for pain, bringing a stop to your pain — and reaping its benefits is as easy as taking a dose with a glass of water.

What many may not realize, though, is that water isn’t the only smart option. It turns out that it’s perfectly appropriate to take ibuprofen with a host of other beverages — including some that you may not typically consider suitable companions for medication. Would you believe that coffee, for example, could improve the way ibuprofen works in your body? Conversely, it could also have a negative impact on your comfort levels.

Deciding which beverage to choose when you take ibuprofen doesn’t have to be difficult, though. You can make a more responsible choice when you understand the effects that different beverages have on your body, and how they might interact with the efficacy of ibuprofen. Here are three beverages you can take with your ibuprofen — and three you should avoid.

There are many reasons why water is considered the gold standard of liquids with which to take medication. At a bare minimum, swallowing ibuprofen with water makes it easier for the medicine to go down. It can also prevent throat irritation, which is an uncommon but occasional side effect that some people experience when taking ibuprofen. Just how does such a common medication lead to respiratory distress?

It could be because the painkiller triggers certain receptors in the throat, causing a stinging, tickling, or numb sensation. You’ll know that you’re experiencing it if the symptoms begin within a couple of hours, Eric Macy, MD, MS, FAAAAI, writes for the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. He states, “[i]t may be a mild form of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)-exacerbated respiratory disease.”

While water itself is not a “cure” for the problem, drinking enough will lubricate your throat and potentially help you avoid irritation. In fact, neglecting to drink water could contribute to pain, explains Trexie Olivar, a pharmacy student at Sharp Rees-Stealy Medical Centers. “Not drinking enough water may also cause throat irritation and, in some cases, prevent a medication from working properly.”

It may not be the first beverage that you think of grabbing when you reach for the ibuprofen, but good old milk may actually do you some good — along with your stomach. While the beverage does interact with some types of medications and affect their efficacy, milk can make it easier for you to tolerate NSAIDs. This is vital, as ibuprofen can have a significantly damaging effect on the stomach’s inside lining.

Explains Janet Morgan, MD., to Shape, “Imagine if I took my fingernails, stuck them inside your stomach, and slowly scratched off layers of your stomach. That’s kind of what it does — it can get [through] the layers and layers and layers until you’ve actually developed an ulcer.” She adds that it can also contribute to upset stomach. “That’s more if you don’t take it with food, but it can certainly occur in people that just have sensitive stomachs in general.”

So, why milk? The calcium-rich beverage has a buffering effect, essentially creating a barrier that prevents stomach acids from causing irritation. Milk may prevent some other common side effects related to NSAID consumption, too, including nausea, stomachache, and bloating. It’s worth noting that if you continue to experience gastrointestinal discomfort when you take ibuprofen, your doctor may recommend that you try another medication or prescribe a drug to minimize the chances of future irritation.

For some, that first cup of coffee is the sole motivator for actually getting out of bed. Whether you love it for the taste or the perk-you-up effect, though, you may also be intrigued to learn that the highly caffeinated beverage could be a suitable choice if you’re about to take some ibuprofen. While it’s true that coffee is acidic and can be irritating to individuals who have sensitive stomachs, it may have a surprising benefit.

Board-certified bariatric physician Kevin Huffman, DO, tells The Checkup by Single Care, “A couple of studies have shown that combining ibuprofen with caffeine relieves tension-type headaches. According to a 2015 review published in Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, a single 200-milligram dose of ibuprofen taken with 100-milligram of caffeine provided effective pain relief for 6 in 10 people, compared to just 1 in 10 in the placebo group. No adverse effects were witnessed with the combination.”

While it may reduce your pain more significantly, it’s still worth exercising caution as both caffeine and ibuprofen have the potential to upset your stomach. In that case, adjusting your caffeine consumption schedule may be the best solution. Sedgwick’s director of clinical pharmacy, Andrew Newhouse, Pharm.D., says, “If you have ever experienced GI discomfort with either caffeine or ibuprofen, it is best to take ibuprofen either two hours before or after consuming coffee.”

Unfortunately, not everyone will benefit from taking their ibuprofen with coffee. Those who have sensitive stomachs may already be well aware that the combination is not right for them. Coffee is a notoriously acidic beverage, after all, and can cause significant irritation. Registered dietitian Caroline Bletcher explains to Patient, “Caffeine is a gastrointestinal stimulant which means that it speeds up peristalsis (muscle contractions that move food through the digestive tract). Therefore it speeds up activity through the bowel, resulting in symptoms such as diarrhea and stomach cramping.”

What’s more, the Journal of the American Heart Association reported that individuals with a blood pressure measuring 160/100 mm Hg or greater may be at “double the risk of death from cardiovascular disease” if they drink two or more cups of coffee daily. Those who have hypertension at this stage are also warned not to use ibuprofen for pain management, as the medication can have a damaging effect on kidney function.

It’s best, then, for individuals who have sensitive stomachs and those who have very high blood pressure to avoid the combination altogether, as it has the potential to cause adverse health effects. If you’re concerned about managing pain safely, your doctor may advise you to take an option that is safe for the stomach and/or the kidneys, such as acetaminophen.

Sometimes you want nothing more than a mug of piping hot herbal tea to soothe and comfort you when you’re in pain. Indeed, there is evidence that suggests certain herbs and spices, such as turmeric, ginger, and fennel, may be effective in minimizing pain. Some herbal teas may also have a relaxing effect, which in turn may help relieve tension in your body that’s built up due to pain.

Yet there’s a downside to tea that you may not think about while you’re brewing. Certain herbs may interact with NSAIDs, prevent them from working as effectively, or even increase your risk of developing certain side effects. Key among those is ginkgo biloba, a potent and natural antioxidant that has been used for centuries in traditional Chinese medicine to treat a variety of ailments. It’s even popularly prescribed in Germany as a treatment for dementia. For all its health benefits, the herb can also slow down your body’s blood-clotting capabilities. This can increase your likelihood of developing bruises or bleeding more profusely or for longer periods. If you’re taking ibuprofen for an injury or inflammation, consuming this tea could make your healing process worse.

If you do have a craving for tea that you can’t shake, consider sipping some black tea or green tea instead. A 2012 study in the Journal of Advanced Pharmaceutical Technology and Research found that both have an anti-inflammatory effect – and at the very least, a cup may help you relax. You can also opt for a caffeine-free version if you prefer.

Combining any type of medication with alcohol can lead to a poor result. This is because alcohol naturally impairs judgment and memory. That may mean you make poor decisions in a given moment, or you may not remember that you took ibuprofen at all — and that can be especially risky if you end up doubling your dose as a result.

From a physical perspective, alcohol has the potential to increase the stomach irritation that you’re already at risk of developing with NSAID consumption. In fact, drinking alcohol may irritate the lining of your stomach and even lead to greater risk of developing a stomach bleed. Medhat Mikhael, M.D., who specializes in pain management at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center, tells HealthCentral, “We know that alcohol irritates the mucosal lining in the stomach, and ibuprofen has also been shown to do the same thing, so the effect is doubled. When that’s happening on a regular basis, the lining doesn’t have time to heal, so chronic inflammation like gastritis can result. That can lead to the development of gastrointestinal (GI) issues and other problems.”

Another enormous risk linked to taking ibuprofen with alcohol in your system is the potential for an interaction with another drug. Since some patients might take the NSAID to manage pain associated with a chronic condition that requires a different type of prescription medication, adding alcohol to the mix could increase the risks of developing a serious complication or potentially lead to organ damage.