Can we talk about the laxative effect of coffee? Is it true that a cup in the morning wakes up not only your brain, but also your intestines?
The reality is that while one group of coffee drinkers must immediately seek the toilet in the morning after the first few sips, others do not notice this effect. Organism and its reactions are really very individual.
Effect of coffee on the gut
A number of studies have addressed this issue. Interestingly, it has been found that both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee stimulate bowel movements. The effect described here cannot be attributed entirely to caffeine. The question has been raised as to whether bowel movements are stimulated by the temperature of the beverage alone, but on closer examination, drinking warm water did not have nearly the same effect as drinking coffee.
About a third of the study participants clearly confirmed that they felt the impact on their bowels and the need to defecate within minutes of drinking hot coffee. This stimulation is more pronounced with caffeinated versus decaffeinated coffee, and in both cases incomparably greater than drinking lukewarm or warm water.
Experts are therefore definitely talking about the laxative (laxative) effect of coffee, but they are not yet clear on the mechanism of action. It is also interesting to note that consumption of other caffeinated drinks (cola, energy drinks, etc.) does not have such effects. In the case of sweetened coffee with milk, the content of milk and sugar or sweetener should also be taken into account.
People who are unable to digest lactose (milk sugar) well enough may attribute the laxative effect of coffee in part to the milk contained. Also, the use of artificial sweeteners may be associated with an urgent trip to the toilet immediately after consuming the drink.
Coffee as a cause of diarrhea
The beneficial effect of coffee can be a welcome one for many people, unless coffee leads to diarrheal stools. This can happen in some more susceptible individuals, and this side effect is related to over-stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system and direct irritation of the bowel, which can result in diarrhea or other gastrointestinal problems. Diarrhoea following the consumption of coffee with milk could also be due, as already mentioned, to the fact that more than half of the population has problems digesting lactose.
So if you're experiencing - especially in the morning - the above difficulties, try putting plant milk in your coffee. You may well find after a few days that blaming coffee per se for your diarrhoea wasn't fair at all. On the contrary, thanks to its anti-inflammatory components, coffee protects the intestines from a number of unpleasant diseases, including those that can manifest themselves in diarrhea.
Generally, acute diarrhea is most often caused by a viral, bacterial or parasitic infection, but it can also be a side effect of certain medications.
What to take away from this?
While coffee can undoubtedly help with regular morning bowel movements, its stimulating effect also affects bowel function. Most likely, however, coffee itself is not the cause of diarrhoea and if you have this problem, look elsewhere for the culprit; there's a good chance it's milk or an artificial sweetener.
Choose a quality Sources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1378422/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9581985/
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1046/j.1365-2036.2001.00952.x
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