9 Side Effects Of Lemon Juice: From Tooth Decay To Sunburn And More!

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Lemon juice or 'nimbu paani' has gained importance in the fitness world, one of the prime reasons being its ability to help you lose weight. People cherish both cold lemon juice as well as warm lemon juice with honey.

Lemon juice provides you with sufficient amount of vitamin C, improves your skin quality, aids in digestion, hydrates your body, prevents kidney stones and freshens your breath.

There is no doubt about the fact that drinking lemon juice early morning helps to cleanse your system, aids in weight loss and refreshes your skin. However, you must be aware of the side effects of drinking excess lemon juice too.

Here, we have rounded up the side effects of drinking excess lemon juice.

1. Decays Tooth Enamel

You must have noticed that while sucking a lemon wedge, your teeth feel sensitive. This is because of the ascorbic acid touching your tooth enamel ^[1] . The normal range of pH level for your teeth should be 5.5. If it's below 5.5 the teeth will begin to demineralize and above 5.5 the teeth begin to remineralize.

Lemon juice has a pH level between 2 and 3, so when the ascorbic acid acts on the calcium in the tooth enamel, it leads to the erosion of the tooth. In addition, lemon juice also has natural fruit sugars and the bacteria present in the teeth breaks it down leading to tooth decay.

2. Increases Iron Content

Haemochromatosis is an inherited condition that causes too much iron absorption from the foods you consume. Vitamin C is known for increasing iron absorption from plant-based foods in the body which is actually good if someone is suffering from anaemia. But, an iron overload in the body can damage your organs.
And as you know vitamin C helps in better iron absorption, your body will start storing excess iron in your joints, liver, heart and pancreas which eventually damages them. So, if you have haemochromatosis, cut down your lemon juice intake.

3. Worsens Canker Sores

Canker sores are little sores that develop inside the mouth which are often caused by food allergies, hormonal fluctuation, stress, menstrual cycle, vitamin or mineral deficiency, and mouth injury. Citric acid worsens the existing canker sores and may allow them to develop more ^[2] . Avoid citric acid fruits including lime and lemons.

4. Triggers Migraine Attacks

Drinking lemon juice in excess can worsen migraine attacks in people. This is because lemons contain an amino acid called tyramine which can trigger a migraine attack. According to a study^[3] found that around 11 per cent of patients with classical or common migraine reported that eating a citrus fruit like lemon triggered a migraine attack.

5. Causes GERD And Heartburn

Drinking excess of lemon juice can irritate the lining of your oesophagus and stomach causing heartburn or acid reflux and GERD. GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) occurs when acids in the stomach come up into the oesophagus causing heartburn. Acidic foods such as lemons cause heartburn by activating the stomach enzyme pepsin, which is responsible for breaking down protein.

However, lemon juice doesn't alter the actions of pepsin in the stomach, reflux of the stomach's digestive juices leaves inactive pepsin molecules inside the oesophagus and throat. Citric acid comes in contact with this inactive pepsin, activates it and causes damage by breaking down the protein in the tissues.

6. Worsens Gastritis

What happens if you consume too much lemon juice? Your body can't absorb all the vitamin C and it loses its balance. Citrus fruits like limes and lemons can cause gastritis, characterized by inflammation in the lining of your stomach. This is followed by indigestion, stomach pain, heartburn and other symptoms.

7. Worsens Peptic Ulcers

Stomach ulcers, also called as peptic ulcers, develop on the lining of the oesophagus, stomach or small intestine and it's caused by overly acidic digestive juices. Excess intake of lemon juice can worsen peptic ulcers and may take a longer time to heal. This can cause intense pain in the stomach.

8. Frequent Urination And Dehydration

Vitamin C has a diuretic effect which means it helps to get rid of the excess water from the body through urine production. This causes frequent urination. On the other hand, if you start to feel dehydrated after too much lemon juice consumption, you should then cut back the amount of lemon juice.

9. Causes Phytophotodermatitis Sunburn

Citrus fruits such as lemons, grapefruit, limes and oranges can cause a sun-induced skin sensitivity condition known as phytophotodermatitis. This condition occurs when drippings of the lemon juice come in contact with the skin, but it only causes a reaction when the skin is exposed to sunlight and causes sunburn within few minutes in the sun according to a study^[4] .

How Much Lemon Juice Should You Drink Per Day?

Drinking lemon juice daily will both keep your body hydrated and healthy. Drinking warm water mixed with lemon juice and honey in the morning is a healthy habit but have no more than 2 lemons a day. And 3 glasses of diluted lemon juice is enough per day.

The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for vitamin C in women is 75 mg and for men 90 mg based on vitamin C's role as an antioxidant and protecting one from deficiency.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or a qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.