Why Does Coffee Make You Poop?

It isn’t a topic most of us like to think about, but it’s nevertheless one that needs addressing: Why does Coffee make you poop? A Cup of Joe in the morning seems to have such an effect on countless people.

Whether it’s a blessing or a curse is down to the individual, of course. However, the mechanisms behind your brew causing you to run to the toilet have, for the most, remained a mystery. No more.

The following article will determine the facts - without, hopefully, getting too crude. Afterwards, you can buy the finest Coffee - as well as some 1,000 types of Tea - here at The Kent and Sussex Tea and Coffee Company.

Our family-run business roasts its beans using the latest state-of-the-art Neuhaus Neotec fluidised air-bed system. We then pack them fresh to order, ensuring quality and consistency.

The Reason Coffee Makes You Poop?

There are several theories around “why does Coffee make me poop?” Perhaps the most likely reason is Caffeine in Coffee, a stimulating chemical compound that most of us know and love first thing in the morning.

It is best known for providing an energy boost by blocking adenosine, a neurotransmitter that relaxes the brain while making you feel tired. Doing so has the opposite effect.

Yet, that isn’t all it can seemingly do. A significant portion of the scientific community believes that it likewise induces bile production and increases bowel movement. That said, some studies have proven to be contradictory.

Another theory is that the simple act of consuming Coffee stimulates defecation via the gastrocolic reflex. This effectively jumpstarts your bowels whenever you eat or drink.

The third and final theory we’ll be talking about here derives from an admittedly outdated 1990 study. The research in question found that Coffee increases rectosigmoid motility, referring to the movement at the intersection of the large colon’s end and the upper rectum.

It concluded that Coffee, regular or decaf, alongside a 1,000-calorie meal stimulated the colon. The bottom line is that, well, we don’t 100% know.

Does Decaf Coffee Make You Poop?

If you’re keen to learn how to stop Coffee from making you poop, the best solution would appear to be Decaf Coffee. Though there is a chance that it, too, could serve as a laxative, it might at least be less likely.

This is primarily because the most widely accepted theory surrounding the question, “why does Coffee make you poop?” is that it has something to do with caffeine.

Decaffeinated Coffee is where the beans have undergone the process of decaffeination. The result is that up to 98% of its caffeine content gets removed.

These kinds of infusions are also an excellent choice for pregnant women who, according to NHS Choices, should have no more than 200-mg of caffeine daily. Alternatively, you could try making a caffeine-free Coffee substituent such as Dandelion Coffee.

Summary to Can Coffee Help You Poop

The mystery has been solved - well, almost. The consensus is that everyone’s favourite stimulant has something to do with it, potentially by increasing bowel movement.

While other theories exist, it is indeed the caffeine in Coffee one that has the most support. With that out of the way, we can move onto the more pleasant topic of buying Coffee from The Kent and Sussex Tea and Coffee Company.

Author: Richard Smith

Partner at The Kent and Sussex Tea and Coffee Company

Richard Smith is a Tea expert, entrepreneur, and owner of The Kent and Sussex Tea and Coffee Company. Part of a family of renowned Tea planters dating back four generations, he was born in Calcutta (Kolkata), India, where he spent his childhood between Tea Estates in Assam and Darjeeling.

In the late 1970s, having accumulated years of knowledge in the industry, Mr Smith and his mother, Janet Smith, moved to Kent, South East England, to establish a Tea business in the village of Pluckley. Their early days of packing Tea Bags by hand from chests of 10,000 prompted the creation of the company’s flagship infusion known as Pluckley Tea. It remains our most popular product today.

Mr Smith, who studied economics at London Polytechnic, has since specialised in over 1,000 types of Loose Leaf Tea - in addition to around 70 varieties of Roast Coffee - from around the world. These are now available at The Kent and Sussex Tea and Coffee Company, where everything is still packed by hand and fresh to order, not only to honour tradition but to ensure the utmost quality and consistency.