'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
You wake up in the morning and go to the kitchen to make your morning coffee, but right after the first sip, you feel the coffee poop urging you to rush to the bathroom.
If you’re experiencing the same after consuming coffee, you’re absolutely not alone. Let's look further into what's the cause behind coffee poop, and how can we manage it.
Coffee poop: The urge to poop after coffee
Who doesn’t love a good, well-roasted cup of coffee with your favorite sweeteners and flavorings?
Coffee has a stimulating effect on the colon muscles, making them relax and contract after just four minutes of ingesting coffee. Along with that, coffee poop is also a consequence of coffee’s direct influence on gut hormones like gastrin and cholecystokinin (CCK), which are a major reason for the gastrointestinal reflex.
Both factors cause the poop to be pushed towards the end of the gastrointestinal canal for elimination. Interestingly, studies have proven that females experience a higher urge to defecate in comparison to males after consuming coffee.
Why coffee makes you run to the washroom
It has not been established what are the exact chemicals in coffee that lead to the urge to poop after drinking it.
Nevertheless, here are five plausible reasons why your cup of coffee is an invitation to visit the washroom after a few minutes.
#1 Morning coffee boost
While you sleep, the digestive process inside the body gets slowed down, but once you’re up, it starts working at the same pace again.
Coffee’s stimulating effect on the bowels appears to be the most potent in the morning. Due to that reason, your morning cup of coffee revs up the digestive system all of a sudden, intensifying the urge to poop.
#2 Caffeine power
Coffee has caffeine, one of its key components. Caffeine plays a role in promoting bowel movements and stimulating colon muscle activity. It increases the pressure on the anus, which enhances the urge to poop.
#3 Dairy dilemma
Adding dairy products like milk or cream to your coffee can directly impact bowel movements and result in coffee poop, especially if you’re lactose intolerant.
Moreover, other coffee additives like artificial sweeteners can also stimulate colon muscles similarly.
#4 Decaf's surprise
It was earlier considered that only caffeine present in coffee was responsible for coffee poop.
However, it has been discovered that decaffeinated coffee can also trigger bowel movements but with less intensity than caffeinated coffee. Other compounds found in coffee like chlorogenic acids and melanoidins are also suspected to contribute to this effect.
#5 Timing matters
It's possible that the timing of your coffee might be the reason behind coffee poop. To minimize inconvenient restroom rushes, you can try experimenting with the timings around which you usually consume coffee and check whether the changes have an impact on your urge to poop.
How to avoid coffee poop
Coffee-related poop at inappropriate times can be highly stressful and inconvenient.
It's not possible to always be in the proximity of a good, hygienic restroom after having coffee. So, developing a habit of coffee poop can become an unmanageable problem in certain circumstances.
Here're a few strategies that you can incorporate in your daily routine to minimize coffee-induced bowel movements.
- If dairy additives or sweeteners are causing a problem, you can switch to plant-based lactose-free dairy alternatives, along with monk fruit or stevia as sweeteners.
- Experimenting with the amount of coffee you’re consuming is a good way to check how much amount your gut is able to tolerate before sending you the signals to rush to the washroom.
- Try changing the timings of your coffee consumption to avoid coffee poop at useful hours of the day, like during a morning office meeting.
- Having coffee a little earlier, or a little later can help you prevent inconvenient bathroom trips.
Coffee poop is a common occurrence for many coffee lovers. The reason behind it can be many, including coffee’s caffeine content, its impact on gut hormones and the additives being used.
While it may not be possible to completely stop the occurrence of coffee-induced bowel movements, changes in coffee-consumption routine and other practices can help you out.
So, go ahead and enjoy your coffee, but don’t forget to make the required adjustments as per your digestive comfort.
