Does Joe make you go to the John?
Ever had to jolt to the bathroom minutes after finishing (or even not finishing) your morning cup of joe? Many typically think it’s the caffeine that simulates the bowls so quickly, but if so, why don’t other caffeinated drinks like tea or even chocolate which contains caffeine have the same effect?
A study found that in certain individuals, even decaffeinated coffee stimulates the bowls and had the same effect as caffeinated. This led the researchers to conclude that it’s not caffeine. It’s actually not the caffeine at all, but the xanthine in coffee beans PLUS the caffeine that creates such quick sensation to visit the john.
Do additions like milk, cream, and sweeteners make a difference?
More commonly, the laxative effects of caffeine are experienced more urgently when drinking coffee plain, however depending on how sensitive you are to coffee, results may vary and each person is different. Artificial sweeteners (even STEVIA) cause bloating and gastrointestinal discomfort, so adding those (yes, even stevia) will make IBS worse and I highly advise to forgo them all together.
I personally make my bullet proof coffee with gelatin almost every morning which has actually helped with my digestion and “natural flow” and many of my followers on Instagram have expressed the same benefit and overall positive feeling with no bloating (plus it tastes amazing!)
I cannot stress enough though, that each person is different, so if you feel you just can’t do coffee no matter what, I also like to switch it up with my Bullet Proof Matcha and it has the same health benefits as Bullet Proof Coffee. Or, if you like the “coffee taste” but don’t want the caffeine, try my Frothy Carob Elixir! Experiment and see what works best for your body.
Great post! I did some more reading and turns out xanthine is also in tea and chocolate just not nearly as much. Making me want some coffee ^_^
Pretty good information, I was wondering a couple of weeks about what kind of remedies or drinks can I use to stimulate my intestines, because unfortunately I suffer of constipation, and the other day I was reading your post about things that make constipation worst, and you wrote that coffe may help to make me poop, so I tried it, and it worked, I was happy but at the same time concerned because I don’t liked the idea of introducing much caffeine in my body to be able to go to the bathroom, but now I know that decaffeinated coffe also work. Thank you so much!
Oh I’m happy coffee helped! But yes, it’s certainly not something anyone should rely on to stay regular, but it can help in certain cases if need be. And yes, decaff does have the same affect! 🙂
I’d love your thoughts on coffee with gut issues. I know you suffer from gut issues (girl, I feel ya) and I hear so many conflicting “recommendations” about whether or not coffee impairs the healing of the gut (despite eating whole foods only and having daily collagen, broth and l-glut in my diet). Thank you!!!
Honestly, each person is different. So as mentioned in the last part of the post, if you feel coffee isn’t for you, then try some alternatives. For some it’s helped and for others it makes things worse. It’s also in the way you prepare it.