What Ingredient In Coffee Makes You Poop? (Solved & Explained!)

If you’re a coffee drinker, especially in the morning, you are familiar with coffee poops. It’s often the source of many jokes and relatable memes, but the fact is, coffee can make you poop. 

The exact reason why coffee makes some people have to poop has been studied, but there isn’t one conclusive answer. 

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What Ingredient In Coffee Makes You Need To Poop?

There have actually been studies looking at the reasoning for coffee’s diuretic capabilities, and there are a couple of different answers. 

It was believed initially that caffeine is what made people have to use the bathroom after consuming coffee, but since decaf coffee can also have the same effect, further inspection of coffee needed to be done to figure out what exactly about it makes people have to poop. 

How Does Caffeine Make You Have To Go To The Bathroom?

Coffee is rich in caffeine. Essentially, the caffeine makes its way to your colon, which will help kickstart it by causing it to contract. Caffeine can also do this to your intestines. 

While this might seem a little bit odd, this is a good thing. This process is what makes your body start the process of removing waste after digestion. 

So How Does Decaf Coffee Help You Poop?

Decaf coffee has been shown to have a similar effect to caffeinated coffee in terms of how it can help you poop. However, caffeine-containing coffee has a stronger effect on the colon than decaf, meaning that it’ll most likely help you poop more than decaf would. 

What Other Ingredients In Coffee Can Potentially Make You Poop?

Studies have been conducted on two other components of coffee that could be resulting in your urge to poop; chlorogenic acids and N-alkanoyl-hydroxytryptamine. 

The reason these two components seem to contribute to the need to poop is because they support healthy stomach acids that help break down your food and keep it moving throughout your digestive tract. 

How Else Can Coffee Help You Poop?

There are also a couple of hormones that coffee helps wake up in your body, which also contribute to aiding your digestive tract in producing and eliminating waste. These hormones include gastrin and cholecystokinin. 

What Is The Most Likely Culprit In Coffee That Makes You Poop?

While further studies need to be done, it seems as though gastrin could be the main reason why a cup of coffee, either with or without caffeine, can make you need to use the washroom. 

In a nutshell, gastrin is a hormone that works with your stomach and your intestines to helps your digestive tract in many ways. 

Is It Only Black Coffee That Makes You Poop?

Drinking black coffee isn’t desirable for many, but the more you add to your coffee, the more you might be diminishing its immense health benefits. 

Adding dairy to your coffee might inhibit your ability to poop slightly, but only if you’re someone who is sensitive to dairy. Many of us cannot digest lactose properly, but we don’t always realize that unless we experience physical symptoms. 

There isn’t any conclusive evidence to suggest that adding sugar or milk, even non-dairy milk, will have a certain effect on coffee’s diuretic capabilities. 

Does Coffee Make Every Coffee Drinker Have To Poop?

Coffee does not have the same effect on every coffee drinker, whether they drink decaf or caffeinated. One study of coffee drinkers found that only 29% of participants had to poop after drinking their coffee. 

Could It Just Be That I Drink Coffee First Thing In The Morning?

While your colon is much more ready in the morning to have a bowel movement, you’ll probably notice that you’re just as likely to need to use the bathroom after a cup of coffee in the afternoon. 

If I Have Digestive Issues, Will Coffee Still Help Me Go To The Bathroom?

Some people who experience irritable bowel syndrome, which can make it difficult to use the bathroom, find that drinking coffee can help stimulate that need. However, some people with digestive issues or sensitive stomachs might find that too much coffee can leave their tummy feeling sore. 

It could be worth talking to your doctor about your specific digestive issue to know whether or not coffee can aid in relieving constipation or gas, or will only contribute to it further. 

What If I Drink Coffee With My Medication For Digestive Issues?

Once again, it’s always best to talk to a doctor to see if certain health practices will work for you. However, some doctors will recommend that trying to have your medication with a small meal and cup of coffee might be a combination that can help relieve constipation without causing any unsavory after effects such as a sore stomach. 

Is Coffee Recommended To Relieve Constipation?

It is not recommended to rely on coffee as a method to relieve constipation. This might sound confusing, with coffee making some people have to poop, but there’s a reason. 

The caffeine in coffee can dehydrate you, so unless you are actively replenishing your electrolytes after consuming coffee, you could end up dealing with the unpleasant symptoms of dehydration. 

That being said, you would have to drink a lot of coffee to be impacted by dehydration. 

You may also want to opt for decaf coffee if you enjoy having your coffee, but don’t want to be impacted by the caffeine. 

Can Coffee Be Used As A Laxative?

Coffee would not be considered a laxative. Being that it does not have the same impact on everyone in terms of whether or not it will make you poop, it wouldn’t be considered an alternative to a laxative.

Coffee can also make you have to pee often, so it works both ways, so to speak. 

What About Coffee Enemas?

Coffee enemas have become a trend for a small group of people who believe that it is necessary to use products to aid in detoxing their body. There is no scientific evidence that coffee enemas are beneficial in any way. In fact, they could pose some health risks.