Acidity & Your Bowel Movements
Another leading theory that scientists agree upon is that the loosening of the stool could be a result of the acidity in the coffee. Coffee has a compound called chlorogenic acid that increases the stomach acid levels, which in turn produces higher gastric acid. The increase in gastric acid could cause your bowels to feel more urgent in releasing the fecal matter.
Chlorogenic acid is found in all coffee beans and some plant matter. It is also found in fruits like prunes and could be the cause of prunes poop inducing properties. Studies have shown that this acid, once it hits the bowels, works to significantly improve the movement of fecal matter, even more so than other digestive acids in the system.
The Process Starts Quickly
Peristalsis makes people feel they need to poop after drinking it, but often the process is even more intense, and it goes fast.Coffee can begin to influence bowel movements only minutes after it is consumed. When this is combined with everything else, it is simple to see why drinking a lot of coffee, especially for those who arent used to having it in their system, can cause such an immediate need to use the bathroom.
Coffee is unique in its total ability to manipulate your bowels and bladder, and most people dont know how fast it can begin to work. Now that youre aware, you can use this valuable information to plan ahead if you really feel the need to drink coffee.
For example, knowing that coffee is fast-acting means you can expect to need to use the bathroom soon after you drink. In this way, you can make sure that you only get coffee at times when it is appropriate in order to ensure that you do not find yourself in situations where you need to use the bathroom at uncomfortable times.
The fact that coffee is so aggressive when it comes to the bowels may mean that its a good idea for you to start swapping out your morning coffee for something else, like MUD. It pays to get in the habit of being smarter about your habits. By doing so, you can get to a point where you dont have to worry about the common and unfortunate effects of coffee.
So Why Does Coffee Make You Poop
Although the need to go no. 2 after sipping on coffee is seemingly common, there isn’t much research investigating why, exactly, the drink may cause this side effect, says Dr. Schnoll-Sussman. Still, gastroenterologists do have a few theories as to what’s happening.
For one, eating or drinking anything coffee included stimulates the gastrocolic reflex, a physiological reflex that controls the motility of the lower gastrointestinal tract after a meal, says Greg S. Cohen, M.D., a gastroenterologist and a clinical associate professor of medicine at Northwestern University. “When the stomach senses incoming food or drink, there’s some nerve communication and some chemical-hormonal communication between it ,” he explains. “It sends a signal out to the colon, which stimulates the colon to contract, and that makes you feel like you have to go to the bathroom sometimes.”
The caffeine in coffee may also play a role in triggering that urge to poop. In a 1998 study, researchers found that both caffeinated and decaf coffee increased colonic motor activity , but the caffeinated variety had a 23 percent stronger impact than decaf coffee and a 60 percent stronger impact than hot water alone. “It does seem that caffeinated products could be more of a stimulant for people,” says Dr. Schnoll-Sussman. “But remember, decaffeinated doesn’t mean no caffeine decaffeinated means that there’s less caffeine.”
Also Check: How Much Caffeine In A Folgers K Cup
Can You Prevent Coffee
Coffee is both loved and maligned for its poop-inducing capabilities.
Sure, its all fine and dandy when youre enjoying a relaxing morning at homebut what about when youre in the car? At work or school? Or, God forbid, on a coffee date?
Unfortunately , theres no magic pill you can take that will stop the coffee poops in their tracks.
However, if youre someone who is affected by the phenomenon, you may be able to build a resistance to this particular side effect.
If youre still having severe gastrointestinal reactions after a few weeks of drinking coffee regularly, you may want to look into what else youre putting in your cup. Milk could certainly cause issues for coffee drinkers with lactose intolerance.
Does Coffee Make Everybody Poop
According to one leading study on this topic, 29% of participants experienced an increased urge to poop within twenty minutes of drinking coffee.
Surprisingly, 53% of all the women in the study were affected by this urge .
Women may be more prone to this symptom, as digestive conditions like irritable bowel syndrome are more common in women than in men (
While the post-coffee urge to go appears to be common, it doesnt affect everyone.
In addition, its not clear if this symptom fades away in regular drinkers.
People with IBS and older adults may be more prone to it because their bowels are more sensitive to the effects of coffee.
Those who are lactose intolerant may also be affected by this symptom if they add milk, cream or other dairy products to their coffee.
Summary Not everyone needs to visit the bathroom after a cup of coffee, but it may be quite common. People with digestive conditions, such as IBS, and those who are lactose intolerant may be more prone to this experience.
Don’t Miss: Verissimo Pods
Why Does Coffee Make You Poop: 3 Possible Reasons
Coffee makes you poop, and many of us are familiar with that unfortunate feeling of having to rush to the bathroom after what seems like only a few moments after drinking the first cup. Whether it be caffeine or decaf, the results are the same. But there are plenty of other drinks that have caffeine in them, and they dont make people rush to the bathroom as much as coffee does.
In fact, coffee is a known culprit of digestive havoc. This leaves the millions of people who drink coffee every day wondering, What is it in coffee that makes people poop? The answer, or answers, is complicated but can shed light on the reasons coffee is so bowel-busting.
What About Decaf Coffee
Many people believe that caffeine is the main culprit that causes the urge to poop after drinking coffee, and to some extent, research does support this. However, its also clear that there are other constituents in coffee that have an effect.
For example, this study found that drinking anything can cause stimulation of the colon, but it also maintains that those who drink are more likely to have the urge to poop than those who drink regular water. Caffeinated coffee creates more of an urge in most people, so chances are there are other things naturally found in coffee that stimulate your bowels.
You May Like: Is Trop A Rocka Discontinued
How Quickly Can Coffee Make You Poop
When you gulp down a beverage, whether it be coffee or water, it only takes a few seconds for the fluid to move through the esophagus and into the stomach, says Dr. Schnoll-Sussman. Your stomach typically empties all of its contents in just 30 minutes. But with coffee specifically, you might start experiencing colonic contractions within a few minutes and feel the urge to have a bowel movement at that point or within the next half an hour, she explains.
And one study, albeit small in size, backs this up: The majority of participants who drank black, unsweetened coffee experienced increased rectosigmoid motility within four minutes after drinking both regular and decaf coffee, and the increase lasted at least half an hour. In comparison, none of the participants had increased motility after drinking hot water.
Brewing In A Specific Way To Reduce Acidity
If you opt for a slow-steeped cold brew coffee, then youre choosing a 70% less acidity level. And so, make cold brews your new love. You can use the exact amount of beans of hot drip coffee. And still, youll be able to cut down acid.
Now if you are someone whos just like me and cant even think about not having a hot cup of coffee, dont worry. Theres a way for people like us as well.
To avoid high acid levels, you must skip fine grind while brewing. Choose the coarser options instead. Think about buying a French press. This is a tool that can help you a lot with making fine brews both hot and cold using coarse grinds.
Using some sort of antacid in your cup can also help a lot. Calcium is an excellent example. And so, if theres no issue with dairy, add some milk. Its going to neutralize the acidity levels. Use fortified almond milk in this case since its a good source of calcium. However, if you want to skip milk then go for calcium powders. There are flavorless ones available.
BTW! You may love to check this out to make easy your milk frothing job
Alkaline is also fantastic at neutralizing the coffee acid. So, if nothing seems to work, go for eggshell. Add some into your coffee and see if it works. This is one reason why Swedish egg coffee is so famous.
Also Check: Mcdonalds Iced Coffee Caffeine Content
Why Does Coffee Make My Poop Soft
Coffee contributes to bowel movement more than just keeping stools upright it also facilitates looser stools due to increased peristalsis, which impedes the colons ability to perform one of its main functions, which is ir constipation while the colon operates well the colon is unable to perform this
Whats The Connection Between Coffee Hormones And Gut Health
There is some evidence that coffee can have a beneficial effect on gut health. The caffeine in coffee can help to kill off bad bacteria and parasites, and it can also improve the function of the intestinal wall. However, more research is needed to confirm these findings. If youre struggling with gut health issues, talk to your doctor about whether or not drinking coffee may be helpful.
Read Also: Proper Coffee Table Height
How Does It Work
Researchers believe that the bowel-stimulating quality of coffee comes from caffeine and/or other substances contained within the coffee brew. Although there have been no large-scale studies on this subject, what we do know is that drinking coffee can stimulate movement of the colonic muscles, thus promoting peristalsis . One study noted that the magnitude of this peristaltic effect of caffeinated coffee is similar to one induced by eating a meal. Its also 60 percent stronger than the effect induced by drinking water, and 23 percent stronger than the effect due to drinking decaffeinated coffee.
Aside from promoting bowel movements, coffee can also cause looser stools because increased peristalsis leaves less time for the colon to perform one of its key functionsreabsorbing water from fecal matter to produce well-formed stools. Be aware, however, that other common accompaniments to coffee can be culprits in this matter. Dairy products, excess sugar, even sugarless sweeteners like sorbitol can cause diarrhea.
Is It Bad To Use Coffee As A Laxative
If youre suffering from constipation, it may be tempting to just use coffee and get it over with.
Although coffee has a laxative effect, its not wise to use it as a laxative.
For one, coffee can affect people in varying degrees some may not even experience these effects, while others are more sensitive to them.
People with Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Irritable Bowel Disease, or GERD may particularly be more sensitive to caffeine intake. Ulcer, acid reflux, and other gastrointestinal conditions may also be exacerbated.
In addition, coffee is a known diuretic, which means it can dehydrate you and make your stool hard. This can give you the opposite constipating effect.
Using coffee as laxatives may also encourage people to excessively consume coffee, and this can lead to various side effects such as insomnia, irritability, and caffeine addiction.
Read Also: Grinds Pouches Review
Coffee Making You Poop:
Possible Reasons, Defensive Tips, Spotting the Dead-End & More
There are people who enjoy the bowel movement after having a cup of coffee to make their morning bathroom journeys less stressful.
However theres also the other side of the crowd that feels extremely uncomfortable and almost runs to bathroom. This could be problematic. Having a normal urge is considered alright but if it is severe, this situation could be pretty serious.
Milk Or Cream You Put In The Coffee
According to the research, about 65% of all people arent able to digest lactose properly after infancy. In simple terms, lactose is a sugar that contains various dairy products such as milk. People who suffer from lactose intolerance may have diarrhea often.
If you have lactose intolerance and like adding milk or cream to your coffee, you may poop more often than you used to.
You May Like: Does Theraflu Have Caffeine
Additional Reasons Why Coffee Makes You Poop
4. Lactose Intolerance
Lactose intolerance will definitely cause the need to poop. If milk or creamer is added to coffee which already has laxative effects, get ready to run to the bathroom.
In the case of a lactose intolerance, the body doesnt produce the enzymes to break down lactose, which can cause lots of uncomfortable symptoms like gas, bloating, flatulence, abdominal pain, and of course, diarrhoea. So adding milk or creamer could be the reason that makes using the bathroom during or immediately after a coffee part of the daily routine.
5. The Warmth of the Coffee
The temperature of a coffee has the power to get the digestive system moving. This has nothing to do with caffeine, so even drinking a warm cup of plain water can trigger the digestive system to start moving. It may not work for everyone, but when feeling a little constipated, keep that in mind for an easy release.
6. Acidity Levels in Coffee
Coffee is typically quite acidic, which can irritate the stomach. Drinking coffee can cause the production of gastric acid, which will lead to problems in the digestive process. Having too much gastric acid in the stomach can result in food not being broken down and absorbed properly. This then triggers the body leading to diarrhoea.
7. Artificial Sweeteners
What’s The Connection Between Coffee Hormones And Gut Health
There is active research going on right now about how coffee can improve your overall gut health. Coffee has been shown to improve your liver health, decrease the risk of colon cancer, improve cognitive function, decrease the risk of cardiovascular death , type II diabetes, Parkinsons, etc. More and more studies are coming out, so stay tuned.
You May Like: How Much Caffeine Is In Nespresso Decaffeinato
Coffee Additives May Be The Culprit
You now know that caffeine alone can lead to the urge to poop, but what you put in your coffee can have varying effects as well. Many people add milk, cream, or half and half to their coffee, and dairy products like these can cause the need to poop as well.
This study suggests that over 60% of people are lactose intolerant to some degree, and that lactose found in dairy products can cause bloating and diarrhea shortly after consumption. These symptoms suggest that consuming milk or cream can naturally cause the urge to poop and that adding it to coffee has a compounded effect.
Coffee Can Cause Colon Contractions
The colon experiences three types of contractions that work together to brew up and ultimately eject poop. These contractions are influenced by muscular, neural and chemical factors, and the occurrence, timing and frequency can vary from person-to-person. Coffee can stimulate this colonic activity within just minutes of consuming it.
Studies have shown that drinking coffee is more effective than water at inducing bowel movementsthats saying something since water is an integral part of normal digestion with large amounts being released and reabsorbed by your digestive tract every day, said Staller, an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. Caffeinated coffee is 60 percent more effective than water at stimulating colonic motor activity and 23 percent more impactful than decaf.
According to another study, participants also said coffee gave them the urge to poop. Their colon activity increased within four minutes of drinking unsweetened black coffee, an effect that lasted at least 30 minutes.
Science doesnt liewhen that coffee hits your stomach, the stomach lining triggers either a nervous system or hormonal response that causes the colon to start contracting and moving the stool in the colon toward the rectumand thats why youre running to the bathroom after just a few sips of coffee.
Recommended Reading: Verismo 580 Vs 600
Why Exactly Does Coffee Make You Poop
Amazingly enough, we actually dont know why coffee makes you poop. We know that coffee initiates what’s known as the “gastrocolic reflex“that’s when your stomach “wakes up” from the coffee and starts to contract. This continues all the way down from the stomach to the small intestine to the colon, where you will eventually have your bowel movement. The effect is the same in men and women.
There’s some thought that the acidity of coffee is what also helps to stimulate your bowels. Coffee, both decaf and caffeinated, contain chlorogenic acid, which triggers higher stomach acid levels and higher production of gastric acid. The overall acidity bump makes the stomach move its contents out more quickly than usual. But, once again, it’s not clear which of the hundreds of chemicals found in a cup of Joe are responsible for that boost. Lastly, we know there is a role in the actual beans and oils in coffee that helps you poop.