Why do you feel the urge to poop after your morning coffee? Can drinking it really help with constipation?
What is it in coffee that makes you run for the bathroom minutes after drinking it?
You could still get the laxative effect even with decaffeinated coffee. (Photo: iStock/Wachiwit)
This audio is generated by an AI tool.
It hasn’t been 30 minutes since you’ve drained your first cup of coffee. But right on schedule, there’s that all-too-familiar urge to do the Number 2. For many coffee drinkers, the morning cuppa almost always requires a quick deposit in the toilet before you can step out of the house with ease of mind. So why is this happening to you? Why does it only happen in the morning? And can you use coffee to help with constipation?
WHAT’S IN COFFEE OTHER THAN CAFFEINE?
Most people know that coffee contains caffeine, which is a diuretic that increases your body’s production of urine. But what many don’t know is that caffeine also has some effects on gut motility, said Dr Sulaiman Bin Yusof, a senior consultant general and colorectal surgeon from Colorectal Clinic Associates (a subsidiary of Foundation Healthcare Holdings).
“Like all things in life, it’s never due to one thing,” he said, adding that there are other substances in coffee that can move things along in your colon. These include chlorogenic acids, citric acid, acetic acid, flavonoids and tannins, among other compounds. “There have been research papers stating that even the bitter taste of coffee itself has a role in stimulating the stomach,” said Dr Sulaiman.
And some of these compounds, such as caffeine, are found even in decaffeinated coffee. “However, the caffeine content is about 1 per cent to 5 per cent of regular coffee,” said Dr Stephen Tsao, a senior consultant gastroenterologist from AliveoMedical, also a subsidiary of Foundation Healthcare Holdings.
WHY DOES COFFEE MAKE US GO?
So, what’s going on as you sip your cappuccino? There’s, of course, caffeine which stimulates the muscles in your digestive tract, including the colon, said Dr Tsao. Remember the chlorogenic acids in coffee? These gut-stimulating compounds add to the action caffeine has on your colon, said Dr Kewin Siah, a senior consultant with National University Hospital’s Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Department of Medicine.
Related:
Your body's hormones are also involved. “Prostaglandins play a role in various bodily functions, including the contraction of the smooth muscles in the intestines,” said Dr Tsao. According to Dr Siah, “gastrin (a hormone that stimulates the stomach to release gastric acid) and cholecystokinin (a hormone that triggers the secretion of bile and enzymes to digest fats and proteins) are also released in response to coffee, further stimulating colon contractions”.
As the muscle contractions build to a certain frequency, the urge to defecate is created and you’re on your way to perform the bathroom ballet. This sensation may come as soon as 4 minutes or up to 30 minutes after your coffee, said Dr Sulaiman.
HOW MUCH COFFEE DOES IT TAKE FOR THE URGE TO KICK IN?
If you’re wondering whether reducing the caffeine level may help, “the effect is not solely based on caffeine”, said Dr Sulaiman. That’s the reason why the caffeine in energy drinks or colas don’t usually make you hightail it to the bathroom. “Interestingly, this phenomenon (the urge to defecate after drinking coffee) only affects about 30 per cent of people,” he said, albeit based on a small study on 100 people.
It also depends on the individual as well as the type of coffee consumed, said Dr Sulaiman. “The caffeine content varies with the type of coffee and how the beans are roasted. Generally, the kopi from the kopitiam has more caffeine (about 100mg per cup) than an espresso (about 40mg per cup).”
WHY DOES IT HAPPEN MOSTLY IN THE MORNING?
The rush hour in your colon typically occurs in the morning as coffee’s effects on an empty stomach are intensified, said Dr Siah. Furthermore, colonic activity and cortisol levels are naturally higher at this time, making your gut more responsive to coffee, he said.
DO DAIRY AND SUGAR ALSO PLAY A PART?
Cow’s milk, for sure, contributes to the urge if you’re lactose intolerant, said Dr Tsao. “The consumption of sugar can stimulate the release of insulin. This, in turn, may contribute to increased bowel movement in some individuals.”
Furthermore, milk lactose and sugar are classified as fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols (FODMAPs), said Dr Tsao. “These substances can contribute to symptoms like gas, bloating and changes in bowel habits. Such a combination may exacerbate the effect in some people.”
SINCE COFFEE HAS A LAXATIVE EFFECT, IS IT A GOOD WAY TO OVERCOME CONSTIPATION?
Drinking coffee to help you go in the morning may not cause any harm, said the experts. But you shouldn’t rely on your cup of joe to have regular bowel movements.
“Relying on coffee for constipation is not ideal due to potential issues like gut irritation and dehydration,” said Dr Siah. You are better off exploring approaches such as a fibre-rich diet, hydration, regular exercise and natural laxatives such as prune juice or psyllium husk, he added.
Coffee can be a supplement that we use to jump-start our bowels, said Dr Sulaiman. “However, if we suffer from constipation despite all these measures, we should consider doing a colonic evaluation to ensure there is no underlying issue with our colon. This is important if you have other symptoms in addition to constipation such as bleeding or abdominal pain.”
