Overview
As a beverage, coffee is well-known for delivering a pick-me-up in the mornings and during work or study sessions — but did you know that it could actually help you with your bowel movements?
Many people often face struggle pooping if they have some digestive problems, constipation, faecal impaction or IBS; however, coffee can be a relatively affordable and natural solution that can help quicken the process. In this article, we will explore why and how coffee can help you poop and take a look at the research and evidence that supports this.
How Does Coffee Help?
Several studies conducted by experts suggest that coffee can act as a stimulant to the digestive system. When one consumes coffee — regardless of caffeinated or decaffeinated — the caffeine content of it can help with contractions of the stomach muscles as well as stimulate production of gastrin, which increases the rate at which food passes through the gut. This means that coffee can decrease the time it takes for food to travel through the digestive system by increasing bowel motility.
The American College of Gastroenterology explains that caffeine can help because it acts as a diuretic and the amount of fluids it contains can stimulate large intestine movements and encourage one’s bowels to empty.
Furthermore, coffee is also known to increase the production of gastric acid and we all know antioxidants when ingested can help with digestion of food.
Case Studies
There are several scientific studies about coffee’s effects on bowel movement that have been conducted over the last few years which involve hundreds of volunteers and participants.
A study from 2016 found that those tested that consumed caffeinated coffee had a 10% increase in bowel movements, as a result of higher levels of xanthines.
In a similar light, another study conducted in 2019 provided an insight into the effects of decaffeinated coffee on intestinal motility and its findings revealed that decaffeinated coffee also has the same result — albeit to a lesser degree.
Both of these studies involve using only boiled coffee or espresso, which acts as the main advocate for smaller, but more frequent stools — contrary to commonly held belief that coffee causes dehydration and constipation.
Experts Perspectives
Most gastroenterologists and experts would recommend adding a few cups of coffee — whether caffeinated or decaffeinated — to your regular diet as an efficient and relatively cheaper solution to curing common digestive troubles.
Simply drinking 3-4 cups of coffee a day can go a long way to cure discomfort induced by slow digestion.
Dr. Nina Elias of Healthline shared her opinions on the topic, “Caffeinated coffee especially may help stimulate the process of moving your food through the bowels. It may also help activate one’s metabolism, which can also help get things moving.”
Dr. Omar Khan, a gastroenterologist at Boston Medical Center chimes in by saying, “Drinking coffee, regardless whether caffeinated or decaffeinated can stimulate digestion and make one’s stool softer— making it easier to pass.”
Coffee alternatives
If for any reason, you are unable to drink coffee, there are a few alternatives you can turn to — such as herbal tea. While tea does not contain as much caffeine as coffee, nor as much as xanthines, herbal tea does contain properties that can still help with bowel movement.
Other alternatives you can incorporate into your regular diet include prune juice, dried fruit, wheat bran, and certain vegetables such as butternut squash and sweet potato.
In addition, getting enough exercise can also help strengthen one’s intestinal muscles, which over time can help improve digestive health to ease the process of passing stools.
Potential side effects
Consuming too much coffee can also have potential negative effects on your digestive system — since coffee is a diuretic and can cause dehydration. You should avoid consuming coffee on an empty stomach as this can cause nausea and stomach cramps.
In addition, if you’re someone who is sensitive to caffeine, it’s best to keep your coffee consumption to a minimum.
For coffee lovers that consume a lot of coffee — up to more than 8 cups daily — a doctor’s visit might be necessary to ensure that the caffeine is not becoming a toxic substance to the body and prevent you from developing any underlying digestive problems.
Personal Insights
Regularly drinking coffee can actually be beneficial for your health and can help with digestive problems — when done responsibly. As we can see from the studies and research conducted for this article, coffee can be a great stimulant for one’s digestive system as it contains antioxidants that can help with digestion and properties that can help contract the stomach muscles.
However, it’s best that if you’re a heavy coffee drinker, consider speaking to your doctor or nutritionist before making drastic changes to your diet — to ensure that your digestive system is in the best shape it can be.
Coffee Consumption Benefits
Coffee is a beverage that contains multiple health benefits that can be beneficial to one’s health. Coffee has been known to help ward off Type II diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, liver disease and even depression.
A 2011 study by Harvard University found that consuming 4-5 cups of coffee a day can reduce the risk of stroke and heart failure by as much as 20%.
Research conducted in 2012 revealed that consuming decaffeinated coffee or tea can also reduce inflammation, while 3-5 cups of coffee a day can help one reduce their risk of skin cancer considerably.
In an investigation of over 400,000 subjects over a period of 7 years, results showed that coffee drinkers had an overall lower chance of death due to its anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-cancer and anti-diabetic benefits.
Coffee Consumption Warnings
With any kind of coffee consumption, there are certain warnings that you should be aware of. Excess coffee consumption can lead to insomnia and heightened anxiety.
Coffee also contains certain toxins that can be detrimental to your liver health, so it’s important to not overconsume and keep it at the appropriate levels.
Coffee consumption can also increase your blood pressure — which can be damaging if you suffer from a heart condition.
The caffeine in coffee can increase joint discomfort and might worsen arthritic symptoms such as joint swelling and redness.
Healthy Coffee Practices
Whilst coffee can bring benefits to our bodies, it’s important to practice healthy caffeine consumption — such as drinking freshly brewed coffee instead of instant coffee.
Instant coffee contains synthetic ingredients, preservatives, added sugar and salt, which can cause serious long-term health issues and even weight gain.
It’s also important to keep sugar levels low in your daily coffees to minimize the risk of diabetes and keep in mind to purchase organic brands — as they are far better for our bodies and the environment.
Finally, it is important to monitor your daily caffeine intake to ensure that you’re not exceeding safe levels as this can be detrimental to your general health.
