Why coffee makes you poop

Whether you drink coffee for the taste, caffeine hit or just on occasion you may have noticed the overwhelming sensation that soon follows after.

Yes, it is true that coffee can make you poop. In fact, one study found that of a 92 person sample size 29% claimed that coffee induced a desire to defecate.  

There are a couple of reasons as to why this phenomenon occurs and in this blog post we will be taking a deeper look at some explanations and exceptions.

Does drinking decaf coffee also make you poop?

Coffee can make you poop and Initially we believed that this was due to the caffeine however recent studies have shown a correlation between drinking decaf coffee and the urge to defecate, leading to other factors at play.

Two compounds that are present in both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee are Chlorogenic acids and N-alkanoyl-5-hydroxytryptamides, both are believed to be a contributor to this phenomenon and studies suggest that these compounds can stimulate the production of stomach acids, this helps to digest food and promote bowel movement.

Other Factors:

The gastrocolic reflex is a physiological response that activates the bowel movement when the stomach expands from ingestion of food, this is usually a response that follows a meal however can also be activated when consuming liquids.

Could it all just be a coincidence?

Did you know that your bowels are twice as active when you wake up?

This also happens to be when people mainly drink coffee and in many cases this could be the reason as to why you are pooping. 

There are definitely no definitive answers to this question however the most likely scenario is that the phenomenon is caused by a combination of all these factors.

Sources:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2338272/

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/what-is-caffeine

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gastrocolic_reflex