Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCoffee and the Urge to Poop: Is It Normal?Benefits of Using Coffee to Make You PoopAggravated SymptomsHow Soon After Drinking Coffee Will You Poop?Delaying Coffee PoopsStill Can’t Poop After Drinking Coffee
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Coffee and the Urge to Poop: Is It Normal?
Benefits of Using Coffee to Make You Poop
Aggravated Symptoms
How Soon After Drinking Coffee Will You Poop?
Delaying Coffee Poops
Still Can’t Poop After Drinking Coffee
Many people report needing to go to the bathroom shortly after drinkingcoffee. Coffee, especially when it contains caffeine, stimulates gastric acid secretion and motor activity in the colon.
However, it doesn’t affect everyone the same way. For some, it’s a harmless way to stay regular. For others, it exacerbates troublesome digestive issues. There are also other potential benefits and side effects of drinking coffee.
This article explores how coffee makes you poop and why it’s problematic for some people.
d3sign/ Getty Images
It’s perfectly normal for some people to feel the urge to poop after drinking coffee. Yet others don’t seem to be affected.
Coffee, particularly coffee withcaffeine, does have some effect on the colon. It stimulates contractions in the colon and speeds up bowel activity. It may also have alaxativeeffect on some people.
But it’s not all about the caffeine. Roasted coffee has thousands of bioactive compounds. Researchers don’t fully understand how each affects the gastrointestinal (GI) system. Studies suggest that with or without caffeine, coffee promotes the desire to go in at least one-third of the population, predominantly women.
Even some decaffeinated coffees may contain chemicals that can lead toloose stools.
Does Coffee Actually Dehydrate You?
You shouldn’t have to rely on coffee to stay regular. But it’s a nice benefit if you enjoy drinking it. Other benefits of coffee include:
Some studies suggest that coffee consumption is associated with a lower risk ofchronic kidney disease.Other research finds no evidence that moderate coffee consumption raises the risk of kidney stones in healthy individuals, provided you take in enough fluid overall.
About 400 milligrams (mg) of caffeine daily, which equals about four or five cups of coffee, is not usually associated with negative effects. However, some people are more sensitive to the effects of caffeine than others.
Mushroom CoffeeMushroom coffeeblends ground coffee beans and mushrooms, such aslion’s mane,reishi, and chaga. Many mushrooms are considered functional foods, which may have many positive health effects. More research is needed. Some things to know about these coffee blends include:You’ll get about half the caffeine of a cup of regular coffee. This may be helpful if caffeine triggers loose stools or diarrhea.Mushroom coffee can lead to digestive problems if you already have kidney or digestive issues.Some mushrooms may improve gut health because they containprebiotics.Some mushrooms are hard to digest and can causegas(flatulence).Avoid mushroom coffee if you are allergic to mushrooms.
Mushroom Coffee
Mushroom coffeeblends ground coffee beans and mushrooms, such aslion’s mane,reishi, and chaga. Many mushrooms are considered functional foods, which may have many positive health effects. More research is needed. Some things to know about these coffee blends include:You’ll get about half the caffeine of a cup of regular coffee. This may be helpful if caffeine triggers loose stools or diarrhea.Mushroom coffee can lead to digestive problems if you already have kidney or digestive issues.Some mushrooms may improve gut health because they containprebiotics.Some mushrooms are hard to digest and can causegas(flatulence).Avoid mushroom coffee if you are allergic to mushrooms.
Mushroom coffeeblends ground coffee beans and mushrooms, such aslion’s mane,reishi, and chaga. Many mushrooms are considered functional foods, which may have many positive health effects. More research is needed. Some things to know about these coffee blends include:
Aggravated Symptoms and Flares From Coffee Poops
More than two or three cups of coffee a day can sometimes causediarrhea.
If you have aggravated symptoms from coffee, you might also consider the effects of any add-ins such as milk, milk substitutes, creamers, and flavorings.Lactose intolerance, which affects about 65% of people, makes it hard to digest drinks that contain milk and dairy products.Adding too muchartificial sweetener, such as sorbitol, or oil (to keto coffees) can have a laxative effect.Some research suggests that coffee and caffeine are associated with greater odds of developingirritable bowel syndrome(IBS), especially among women.Many people with IBS identify coffee as a trigger for IBS symptoms, such asdyspepsia(indigestion), pain, and loose stools.
As for claims thatcoffee enemascan relieve constipation, a systematic review found no evidence that they are helpful. There’s no scientific evidence or recommendations regarding its effectiveness and safe administration. Coffee enemas are risky and have been known to cause:Rectal burnor perforationPain in the lower abdomen or anal regionBloody stoolColitis(when the inner lining of the colon is inflamed)If you have constipation, ask a healthcare provider if another type ofenemais the right choice.
As for claims thatcoffee enemascan relieve constipation, a systematic review found no evidence that they are helpful. There’s no scientific evidence or recommendations regarding its effectiveness and safe administration. Coffee enemas are risky and have been known to cause:
If you have constipation, ask a healthcare provider if another type ofenemais the right choice.
Everyone is different. However, one thing that may affect your body’s reaction is time of day. Your GI tract is most active in the morning and daytime.
For some people, the urge to go can hit as soon as four minutes after drinking coffee.But you might find that it takes 30 minutes or more. Whether you have digestive conditions can also affect how quickly your system reacts.
Delaying Coffee Poops: What’s Possible?
It may or may not be the caffeine that makes you poop right away, so you might want to try decaf to see if that helps.
You can also experiment to see if milk, cream, or other add-ins contribute to the sense of urgency. You can always reduce the amount of coffee you drink or wait to drink it after your first bowel movement.
If coffee doesn’t help, you may wish to try otherremedies for constipation, which include:
Chronic constipation can lead to complications, so seeing a healthcare provider for treatment is important.
Summary
Coffee stimulates the colon, which can bring on the urge to poop. For some, that urge comes within minutes of drinking that first cup of coffee. There are thousands of compounds in coffee, and many people add cream, milk, or other flavorings that may also affect the digestive system.
For most healthy people, a few cups of coffee to stay regular is harmless. If you notice stomach upset, loose stools, or diarrhea after coffee, try cutting back or taking out the add-ins to find the source of the problem. Drinking coffee may relieve constipation, but if constipation persists, see a healthcare provider to learn the cause.
19 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Cozma-Petruţ A, Loghin F, Miere D, Dumitraşcu DL.Diet in irritable bowel syndrome: What to recommend, not what to forbid to patients.World J Gastroenterol.2017;23(21):3771-3783. doi:10.3748/wjg.v23.i21.3771Iriondo-DeHond A, Uranga JA, del Castillo MD, Abalo R.Effects of coffee and its components on the gastrointestinal tract and the brain–gut axis.Nutrients.2020;13(1):88. doi:10.3390/nu13010088International Foundation for Gastrointestinal Disorders.Common causes of chronic diarrhea.Johns Hopkins Medicine.9 Reasons why (the right amount) of coffee is good for you.Larsson SC, Giovannucci EL, Wolk A.Coffee consumption and risk of gallbladder cancer in a prospective study.JNCI: Journal of the National Cancer Institute. 2017;109(3). doi:10.1093/jnci/djw237Kanbay M, Siriopol D, Copur S, et al.Effect of coffee consumption on renal outcome: a systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical studies.Journal of Renal Nutrition. 2021;31(1):5-20. doi:10.1053/j.jrn.2020.08.004Hu EA, Selvin E, Grams ME, Steffen LM, Coresh J, Rebholz CM.Coffee consumption and incident kidney disease: results from the atherosclerosis risk in communities (Aric) study.Am J Kidney Dis. 2018;72(2):214-222. doi:10.1053/j.ajkd.2018.01.030Wadhawan M, Anand AC.Coffee and liver disease.J Clin Exp Hepatol. 2016;6(1):40-46. doi:10.1016/j.jceh.2016.02.003U.S. Food & Drug Administration.Spilling the beans: How much caffeine is too much?UCLA Health.Should you switch to mushroom coffee?Hess J, Wang Q, Gould T, Slavin J.Impact of agaricus bisporus mushroom consumption on gut health markers in healthy adults.Nutrients.2018;10(10):1402. doi:10.3390/nu10101402MedlinePlus.Lactose intolerance.Koochakpoor G, Salari-Moghaddam A, Keshteli AH, Esmaillzadeh A, Adibi P.Association of coffee and caffeine intake with irritable bowel syndrome in adults.Front Nutr.2021;8:632469. doi:10.3389/fnut.2021.632469Capili B, Anastasi JK, Chang M.Addressing the role of food in irritable bowel syndrome symptom management.J Nurse Pract.2016;12(5):324-329. doi:10.1016/j.nurpra.2015.12.007Son H, Song HJ, Seo HJ, Lee H, Choi SM, Lee S.The safety and effectiveness of self-administered coffee enema: A systematic review of case reports.Medicine. 2020;99(36):e21998. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000021998National Institutes of Health.Keeping your gut in check.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Treatment for constipation.Harvard Health.Common causes of constipation.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disorders.Symptoms & causes of constipation.
19 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Cozma-Petruţ A, Loghin F, Miere D, Dumitraşcu DL.Diet in irritable bowel syndrome: What to recommend, not what to forbid to patients.World J Gastroenterol.2017;23(21):3771-3783. doi:10.3748/wjg.v23.i21.3771Iriondo-DeHond A, Uranga JA, del Castillo MD, Abalo R.Effects of coffee and its components on the gastrointestinal tract and the brain–gut axis.Nutrients.2020;13(1):88. doi:10.3390/nu13010088International Foundation for Gastrointestinal Disorders.Common causes of chronic diarrhea.Johns Hopkins Medicine.9 Reasons why (the right amount) of coffee is good for you.Larsson SC, Giovannucci EL, Wolk A.Coffee consumption and risk of gallbladder cancer in a prospective study.JNCI: Journal of the National Cancer Institute. 2017;109(3). doi:10.1093/jnci/djw237Kanbay M, Siriopol D, Copur S, et al.Effect of coffee consumption on renal outcome: a systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical studies.Journal of Renal Nutrition. 2021;31(1):5-20. doi:10.1053/j.jrn.2020.08.004Hu EA, Selvin E, Grams ME, Steffen LM, Coresh J, Rebholz CM.Coffee consumption and incident kidney disease: results from the atherosclerosis risk in communities (Aric) study.Am J Kidney Dis. 2018;72(2):214-222. doi:10.1053/j.ajkd.2018.01.030Wadhawan M, Anand AC.Coffee and liver disease.J Clin Exp Hepatol. 2016;6(1):40-46. doi:10.1016/j.jceh.2016.02.003U.S. Food & Drug Administration.Spilling the beans: How much caffeine is too much?UCLA Health.Should you switch to mushroom coffee?Hess J, Wang Q, Gould T, Slavin J.Impact of agaricus bisporus mushroom consumption on gut health markers in healthy adults.Nutrients.2018;10(10):1402. doi:10.3390/nu10101402MedlinePlus.Lactose intolerance.Koochakpoor G, Salari-Moghaddam A, Keshteli AH, Esmaillzadeh A, Adibi P.Association of coffee and caffeine intake with irritable bowel syndrome in adults.Front Nutr.2021;8:632469. doi:10.3389/fnut.2021.632469Capili B, Anastasi JK, Chang M.Addressing the role of food in irritable bowel syndrome symptom management.J Nurse Pract.2016;12(5):324-329. doi:10.1016/j.nurpra.2015.12.007Son H, Song HJ, Seo HJ, Lee H, Choi SM, Lee S.The safety and effectiveness of self-administered coffee enema: A systematic review of case reports.Medicine. 2020;99(36):e21998. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000021998National Institutes of Health.Keeping your gut in check.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Treatment for constipation.Harvard Health.Common causes of constipation.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disorders.Symptoms & causes of constipation.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Cozma-Petruţ A, Loghin F, Miere D, Dumitraşcu DL.Diet in irritable bowel syndrome: What to recommend, not what to forbid to patients.World J Gastroenterol.2017;23(21):3771-3783. doi:10.3748/wjg.v23.i21.3771Iriondo-DeHond A, Uranga JA, del Castillo MD, Abalo R.Effects of coffee and its components on the gastrointestinal tract and the brain–gut axis.Nutrients.2020;13(1):88. doi:10.3390/nu13010088International Foundation for Gastrointestinal Disorders.Common causes of chronic diarrhea.Johns Hopkins Medicine.9 Reasons why (the right amount) of coffee is good for you.Larsson SC, Giovannucci EL, Wolk A.Coffee consumption and risk of gallbladder cancer in a prospective study.JNCI: Journal of the National Cancer Institute. 2017;109(3). doi:10.1093/jnci/djw237Kanbay M, Siriopol D, Copur S, et al.Effect of coffee consumption on renal outcome: a systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical studies.Journal of Renal Nutrition. 2021;31(1):5-20. doi:10.1053/j.jrn.2020.08.004Hu EA, Selvin E, Grams ME, Steffen LM, Coresh J, Rebholz CM.Coffee consumption and incident kidney disease: results from the atherosclerosis risk in communities (Aric) study.Am J Kidney Dis. 2018;72(2):214-222. doi:10.1053/j.ajkd.2018.01.030Wadhawan M, Anand AC.Coffee and liver disease.J Clin Exp Hepatol. 2016;6(1):40-46. doi:10.1016/j.jceh.2016.02.003U.S. Food & Drug Administration.Spilling the beans: How much caffeine is too much?UCLA Health.Should you switch to mushroom coffee?Hess J, Wang Q, Gould T, Slavin J.Impact of agaricus bisporus mushroom consumption on gut health markers in healthy adults.Nutrients.2018;10(10):1402. doi:10.3390/nu10101402MedlinePlus.Lactose intolerance.Koochakpoor G, Salari-Moghaddam A, Keshteli AH, Esmaillzadeh A, Adibi P.Association of coffee and caffeine intake with irritable bowel syndrome in adults.Front Nutr.2021;8:632469. doi:10.3389/fnut.2021.632469Capili B, Anastasi JK, Chang M.Addressing the role of food in irritable bowel syndrome symptom management.J Nurse Pract.2016;12(5):324-329. doi:10.1016/j.nurpra.2015.12.007Son H, Song HJ, Seo HJ, Lee H, Choi SM, Lee S.The safety and effectiveness of self-administered coffee enema: A systematic review of case reports.Medicine. 2020;99(36):e21998. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000021998National Institutes of Health.Keeping your gut in check.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Treatment for constipation.Harvard Health.Common causes of constipation.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disorders.Symptoms & causes of constipation.
Cozma-Petruţ A, Loghin F, Miere D, Dumitraşcu DL.Diet in irritable bowel syndrome: What to recommend, not what to forbid to patients.World J Gastroenterol.2017;23(21):3771-3783. doi:10.3748/wjg.v23.i21.3771
Iriondo-DeHond A, Uranga JA, del Castillo MD, Abalo R.Effects of coffee and its components on the gastrointestinal tract and the brain–gut axis.Nutrients.2020;13(1):88. doi:10.3390/nu13010088
International Foundation for Gastrointestinal Disorders.Common causes of chronic diarrhea.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.9 Reasons why (the right amount) of coffee is good for you.
Larsson SC, Giovannucci EL, Wolk A.Coffee consumption and risk of gallbladder cancer in a prospective study.JNCI: Journal of the National Cancer Institute. 2017;109(3). doi:10.1093/jnci/djw237
Kanbay M, Siriopol D, Copur S, et al.Effect of coffee consumption on renal outcome: a systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical studies.Journal of Renal Nutrition. 2021;31(1):5-20. doi:10.1053/j.jrn.2020.08.004
Hu EA, Selvin E, Grams ME, Steffen LM, Coresh J, Rebholz CM.Coffee consumption and incident kidney disease: results from the atherosclerosis risk in communities (Aric) study.Am J Kidney Dis. 2018;72(2):214-222. doi:10.1053/j.ajkd.2018.01.030
Wadhawan M, Anand AC.Coffee and liver disease.J Clin Exp Hepatol. 2016;6(1):40-46. doi:10.1016/j.jceh.2016.02.003
U.S. Food & Drug Administration.Spilling the beans: How much caffeine is too much?
UCLA Health.Should you switch to mushroom coffee?
Hess J, Wang Q, Gould T, Slavin J.Impact of agaricus bisporus mushroom consumption on gut health markers in healthy adults.Nutrients.2018;10(10):1402. doi:10.3390/nu10101402
MedlinePlus.Lactose intolerance.
Koochakpoor G, Salari-Moghaddam A, Keshteli AH, Esmaillzadeh A, Adibi P.Association of coffee and caffeine intake with irritable bowel syndrome in adults.Front Nutr.2021;8:632469. doi:10.3389/fnut.2021.632469
Capili B, Anastasi JK, Chang M.Addressing the role of food in irritable bowel syndrome symptom management.J Nurse Pract.2016;12(5):324-329. doi:10.1016/j.nurpra.2015.12.007
Son H, Song HJ, Seo HJ, Lee H, Choi SM, Lee S.The safety and effectiveness of self-administered coffee enema: A systematic review of case reports.Medicine. 2020;99(36):e21998. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000021998
National Institutes of Health.Keeping your gut in check.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Treatment for constipation.
Harvard Health.Common causes of constipation.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disorders.Symptoms & causes of constipation.
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