Why does coffee make you want to poop? – GOOD SHAPE

You wake up early to work, sit down to have your coffee and when you get up to finish getting ready, you feel an urge to go to the bathroom that moves your plans. Did you relate? Don’t worry! Know that this routine is common for many people. But after all, why does coffee make you want to poop? People explain it to you below.

WHY DOES COFFEE MAKE YOU WANT TO POOP?

The relationship you make between coffee and going to the bathroom is not wrong, don’t worry.

In fact, coffee contains substances that cause the contractions of the gastrointestinal tract, increasing the movement of our intestines and making us want to go to the bathroom.

“It’s what we call a gastrocolic reflex, very common in newborns, which can remain in adult life in some people”, explains Antonella Turci, functional and integrative clinical nutritionist.

There is also another hypothesis that suggests that the acidity of the coffee bean helps to stimulate the intestine. “That’s because both regular and decaffeinated coffee contain chlorogenic acid”, comments the nutritionist.

– (Andrea Piacquadio/Pexels)

IS THE COFFEE EFFECT TOO FAST?

It’s difficult to pinpoint an exact time for the action of coffee when we talk about its relationship with the urge to poop, because it will depend on each person. But some scholars are working on it.

“Recent research from the University of Texas Medical School at Galveston has shown that coffee affects large bowel movement within four minutes of drinking it. They also observed that its effect lasted for at least 30 minutes”, says Antonella.

– (Andrew Neel/Pexels)

DO THE QUANTITY AND INTENSITY OF THE COFFEE INFLUENCE?

One study published in Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol showed that the ingestion of 240ml of coffee stimulated the contractions of the colon in a similar way to what happens when we ingest a meal of a thousand calories.

The researchers hypothesized that coffee’s gut and brain messages are likely caused by its chemical components, not the amount ingested, meaning it’s what you drink, not how much you drink.

In this line, Antonella comments that some people report a relationship between the intensity of coffee and the “urgency” to go to the bathroom. “Stronger (or intense) coffees can accelerate the stimuli of intestinal peristaltic movements”, adds the nutritionist.

CAN WE USE COFFEE AS ​​A “MEDIUM” FOR A TRAPPED BOWL?

As much as coffee can stimulate the urge to poop, Antonella does not indicate its consumption for this purpose.

“Strategies like this do not justify the prescription of the drink to encourage going to the bathroom. Constipation is something serious and must be treated with a diet rich in fiber, adequate water intake, repair of the intestinal microbiota, among others”, warns the nutritionist.

“Coffee should be consumed in a pleasurable way, maintaining the traditions and cultures of the habit”, he adds.

WHAT TO DO IF COFFEE MAKES ME WANT TO GO TO THE BATHROOM?

The first tip is: go to the bathroom! Now, be aware of the intensity of these effects and the consistency of your stools.

“Intense intestinal cramps and softer stools are not healthy”, explains Antonella.

In these cases, the nutritionist’s advice is to intersperse coffee consumption with tea (if possible piperine mint, mint or chamomile) and seek a medical and nutritional evaluation. “Often, starting a treatment to repair the intestinal microbiota alleviates the gastrointestinal symptoms”, concludes the specialist.