Watch For Hidden Caffeine Sources
Remember that coffee isn’t the only source of caffeine. If you are trying to watch your intake, you should also be aware that many foods, beverages, and supplements may also contain caffeine. Milk chocolate, dark chocolate, hot chocolate, tea, iced tea, soft drinks, energy drinks, and even decaffeinated coffee also contain varying amounts of caffeine.
Side Effects Of Drinking Caffeine According To Science
There’s a lot to love about caffeine. First, because it’s found in plants, it can actually be said to be all-natural, and those plants, including the ones used to make coffee, tea, and cocoa, are rich in sources of antioxidants and phytonutrients. Caffeine, itself, is a phytonutrient that can help reduce your risk of Parkinson’s, dementia, and certain oral cancers, according to the University of Michigan Health Service.
One of caffeine’s immediate physiological effects is to speed up your central nervous system, which can help you feel alert and focused. Another is that it increases levels of dopaminewhich is one of those “feel-good” chemicals your body produces that improves your mood.
Consuming moderate amounts of caffeine has never been scientifically linked to long-term harm in healthy adults. However, that’s not to say it doesn’t have side effects.
For example, to the extent it can improve your mood, it can also be addictive. And while it can keep you focused, it can also leave you feeling overstimulated, according to registered dietitian Amy Goodson. Read on to learn more about the side effects of drinking caffeine, according to science. And don’t forget to check out the 7 Healthiest Foods to Eat Right Now.
Youve Got The Jitters
Coffee makes you feel more alert, but sometimes that feeling turns into too much of a good thing. This is where the jitters come in. Caffeine speeds up your central nervous system, causing you to feel jumpy. Skip that fourth cup and stop the shakes. Check out these myths about how coffee can affect your health.
Read Also: What Foods To Eat If You Have Diarrhea
Health Conditions And Hormones
Many studies have been conducted on the effects of coffee. Here are some things scientists have been able to tease out about how drinking coffee affects your gastrointestinal tract.
Within minutes of consumption, your body releases hormones that act throughout the digestive system, including the stomach and small intestine. Coffee makes you poop during the day because it affects your digestive system so quickly.
When you drink a cup of coffee, it stimulates your body to release the hormones gastrin and cholecystokinin. Both gastrin and cholecystokinin trigger the gastrocolic reflex, which stimulates your body to make a bowel movement.
These hormones also increase the motility of the colon and rectum. Because coffee activates your gut in a similar way, it also gives you the urge to eliminate as you would after eating a big dinner.
Some health conditions can cause the bowels to empty more frequently, like irritable bowel syndrome . Patients may think they suddenly need to go because they just drank a few cups of coffee, when really theyre experiencing the symptoms of IBS.
What does coffee do to your intestines? Coffee increases the motility of your intestines, which can make you need to poop. Coffee has a moderate effect on the small intestine, but really gets the colon and rectum moving.
When To See A Doctor
If a person has any symptoms of caffeine overdose, or if they have taken a large amount of caffeine accidentally, they should seek medical advice.
A person can get immediate advice from Poison Control, a not-for-profit organization that runs a helpline and website to give information on accidental poisoning.
The half-life of a drug is how long it takes for half the drug to leave the body. The half-life of caffeine is 3 to 5 hours.
A person may experience side effects that are unpleasant but not a cause for concern, such as feeling restless or dehydrated. These side effects will usually go away within 3 to 5 hours.
In the case of mild side effects, a person can take the following steps at home:
- not drinking any further caffeine
- drinking water to rehydrate
- taking a walk to use energy and stop feeling restless
A person who has a caffeine overdose may need medical treatment, including intravenous fluids, supplements, or activated charcoal.
Activated charcoal can stop caffeine from entering the gut. If caffeine does enter the gut, an even higher level could get into the blood and cause further health problems.
Regularly consuming high doses of caffeine may cause long-term health problems, including:
- anxiety and depression
For most people, caffeine consumption is unlikely to lead to an overdose or long-term health problems. People who consume caffeine regularly develop a tolerance to some of its side effects. Drinking coffee in moderation may also have health benefits.
Read Also: What Is Best To Take For Constipation
Your Heart Feels Like It’s Racing
If your heart feels like it’s pounding or racing uncontrollably, you may be drinking too much caffeine. Caffeine is a stimulant that can increase your heart rate. If you drink too much caffeine, you may experience heart palpitations, where your heart feels like it’s beating too fast or unnaturally. Your body reacts to caffeine by going into overdrive.
What To Drink When You Have Diarrhea
To help prevent worsening diarrhea symptoms, its important to manage your condition with what you drink. Not only can different foods cause diarrhea, but for some people, certain drinks can also be the cause of diarrhea or worsen symptoms.
When looking at your diet to identify trigger foods, remember to also note what youre drinking. For example, coffee causes diarrhea in some cases. Take a look at the list below for drinks that can trigger or worsen diarrhea.
- Sweetened drinks: Drinks with high concentrations of sugar and juices containing fructose may worsen diarrhea.
- Diet drinks: Drinks and gums containing sweeteners such as sorbitol, mannitol, and xylitol may worsen diarrhea.
- Caffeine: The caffeine in coffee and teaas well as many soft drinkshas been identified as a trigger for some people. If you enjoy a hot drink, consider opting for a decaffeinated option.
- Alcohol: Your favorite alcoholic beverage might worsen your diarrhea. Establish which drinks disagree with you and prove problematicand avoid them.
You May Like: Does Bloating Make You Gain Weight
Okay But Is There Any Way To Stop Pooping Whenever You Drink Coffee
Um, not really, says Dr. Farhadi. Since eating food also stimulates your colon, it’s unlikely that drinking coffee with a meal will make a huge difference, if any. The same seems to be true for diluting the coffee, like with milk in a latte, says Dr. Staller.
But there is one you can do: If the whole pooping after coffee thing is truly irking you, you can try to find your limit by scaling back on the coffee until you find an amount that doesn’t make you have to beeline to the bathroom. It really is individual, says Dr. Farhadi.
Overall, though, Dr. Farhadi recommends looking at your timely coffee poops as a good thing. This can help keep you regular, he says. Thats a huge positive aspect of drinking coffee. And honestly, a regular pooping schedule sounds like reason enough to grab another cup.
Should You Have Milk In Your Coffee
If you take your coffee with milk, this may contribute to digestive symptoms. Cowâs milk contains lactose, which is a FODMAP that may contribute to gut problems. In small quantities, milk is usually tolerable to people with IBS, but you may wish to remove it from your diet if symptoms become severe.
Recommended Reading: Can Nuts Make You Constipated
Read Also: What’s Good For Heartburn And Indigestion
How To Drink Coffee Without Worrying About Diarrhea
Coffee is the favorite morning beverage of millions, but it can lead to complications in some people such as diarrhea. Does coffee give you diarrhea? Ingredients in coffee, most notably caffeine, have been associated with numerous ailments over the years. Its not clear if it is the caffeine that causes the runs for coffee drinkers, but there does appear to be some kind of identifiable link between coffee and diarrhea in some.
Weve taken a close look at what conventional wisdom has to say on the subject and what other potential issues may give you diarrhea after drinking coffee. Those findings are outlined in detail below. Some of the conclusions may surprise you.
Causes And Risk Factors Of Caffeine Overdose
A caffeine overdose occurs when you take in too much caffeine through drinks, foods, or medications. However, some people can ingest well above the daily recommended amount each day without issue. This isnt recommended because high caffeine doses can cause major health issues, including irregular heartbeat and seizures. Consuming high caffeine doses on a regular basis can also possibly lead to hormonal imbalances.
If you rarely consume caffeine, your body may be especially sensitive to it, so avoid ingesting too much at one time. Even if you regularly consume large amounts of caffeine, you should stop when you feel any unpleasant symptoms.
Babies can also suffer from caffeine overdose. This can happen when breast milk contains excessive amounts of caffeine. Some mild symptoms include nausea and muscles that continually tense and then relax.
More serious signs of caffeine overdose can accompany these symptoms, including vomiting, rapid breathing, and shock.
If you or a child under your care is experiencing these symptoms, seek a doctors help immediately for diagnosis and treatment.
You May Like: Are Probiotics Safe For Pregnancy
How Much Coffee Does It Take To Make You Poop
Not everyone who drinks coffee will experience the same effects.
And for those who do find coffee to be an effective colonic stimulant, the amount of coffee needed to cause a bowel movement will vary from person to person.
Factors that can impact the effect of coffee include a persons general health, tolerance to caffeine, and the type of coffee they drink.
According to the Food and Drug Administration , up to 400 milligrams of caffeine per day is a safe and healthy guideline for most adults.
It is, however, important to note that the overconsumption of caffeine can cause unwanted side effects, including:
Keep in mind that processed caffeinated foods and beverages can have varying amounts of caffeine.
To ensure youre consuming a safe amount of caffeine, check the nutrition facts before consumption.
Why Do People Reach For Stimulants
In todays busy world, more and more people feel like they need a little boost to get them through the demands of the day. Coffee and other caffeinated beverages increase alertness and mental performance are are used daily by 90 percent of Americans with more than 50 percent of Americans having up to 300 milligrams of caffeine per dayit is Americas most popular drug.
Also Check: How To Repair Your Gut Microbiome
Your Stomach Is Sensitive To Coffees Acids
Our digestive systems run on acids. Theyre the fuel of the machine that breaks down what we consume. Weve got to have them!
However, too much gastric acid can be a problem, causing some not-so-fun symptoms.
Most of these issues manifest in the form of bloating, belching, and general discomfort. Though considered mild symptoms, theyre quite annoying.
Many articles out there claim that drinking coffee can lead to acid reflux, an involuntary series of muscle movements that send gastric acid up into the esophagus. However, this connection has long been disproven .
If you find yourself with similar discomforts when you drink acidic drinks like fruit juice or alcohol, its worth cutting out acidic foods and drinks for a few days to see if you notice a difference.
If acid seems to be the issue, heres what you can do to still enjoy your coffee:
- Find low-acidity, stomach friendly coffees. If it seems youre only slightly sensitive but you still want to try reducing acids, opt for coffee beans that are known to be lower on the acidity scale. Coffees grown at low altitudes typically have lower acid levels.
- Cold brew. Cold brewing coffee in cold water reduces the acid levels of the final drink as much as 66%. Once youve brewed the concentrate, you can still cut it with hot water to enjoy a hot mug like normal.
Its the caffeine that really upsets most stomachs.
How To Drink Coffee And Avoid Diarrhea
So what can we do to avoid the onset of diarrhea after drinking coffee? Weve already suggested switching to a decaffeinated brew as a potential solution, but thats not ideal for most coffee drinkers who enjoy the stimulating qualities of their brew in the morning. A better solution may be to switch to a richer coffee with less acidity such as espresso.
You may also want to cut back on the sugar or sweeteners as these can irritate the stomach. Also, remember to have something to eat with your coffee. This will help to settle your stomach and dilute the acidity of the coffee.
Table of Contents:
Also Check: What Is The Best Probiotic To Take For C Diff
Is Coffee A Laxative
Things that make you poop more frequently and easily are laxatives. Despite the fact that constant research is still underway, coffee is generally known to function as a laxative.
Coffee is one of the most complex drinks in the world. Several things happen at once when you drink this complex drink. But its mainly known for waking you up and giving you a short quick boost of energy. By releasing dopamine in your brain, it also lifts your mood. But could coffee be a laxative?
Laxatives are chemicals that are found in medicine or naturally in foods and drinks which promote frequent bowel movements and pooping without causing discomfort. And one such laxative is coffee. We can safely conclude that coffee is a laxative since it contributes to bowel movements. You see, gastrin is released in order to allow the colon to run at full speed.
Drinking coffee stimulates more gastrin release than normal, which causes bowel movements. And gastrin causes muscles to relax and contract in waves, a process known as peristalsis.
Peristalsis helps food waste i.e. poop reach its destination. ready to be pushed out through the rectum. Furthermore, cholecystokinin stimulates the production of digestive enzymes and bile, which are essential for pooping.
Learn How To Identify The Foods Or Ingredients That Give You The Runs
As we age, our digestive systems can become more sensitive to certain types of foods and methods of food preparation. While you once may have handled the spiciest of foods without breaking a sweat, now that super-hot chicken curry gives you the digestive drama known as diarrheauncomfortable, unformed, watery stool.
Sometimes diarrhea occurs because of an underlying condition, or as a side effect of a medication . However, diet is often the cause.
Recommended Reading: What To Eat For Leaky Gut
Side Effects Of Too Many Energy Drinks On Your Stomach
Related Articles
They may be sold over the counter, but energy drinks are not benign beverages. They contain high amounts of caffeine and, when consumed in excess, may cause health problems. Even if you can tolerate the extra stimulation, a regular, multi-drink habit may have serious long term effects on your body, including your stomach.
Sugar And Artificial Sweeteners
Some sugars and artificial sweeteners can have a laxative effect.
Fructose is a component of table sugar and occurs naturally in fruits. The body can only digest a certain amount of fructose at one time. Consuming more fructose than the body may cause diarrhea.
One source estimates that approximately 3040% of people have trouble absorbing significant amounts of fructose.
Some fruits contain more fructose than others. Some examples of foods high in fructose include:
Don’t Miss: How Do You Say Heartburn In Spanish
What Are The Symptoms Of Caffeine Toxicity
Caffeine is a stimulant, which is why it helps us stay awake. Most of the signs of toxicity are a result of the stimulant effects of caffeine. Think about how you feel after 3 cups of coffee and you will get a good idea of what your dog or cat is experiencing after lapping up a spilled energy drink.
“Pets that consume caffeine may have an increased heart rate and become hyperactive.”
Pets that consume caffeine may have an increased heart rate and become hyperactive. They get jittery and restless and do not want to lie still. They may also pace or vocalize excessively.
“Caffeine also raises blood pressure and causes cardiac arrhythmias, which can be dangerous.”
Caffeine raises blood pressure and causes cardiac arrhythmias, which can be dangerous. Pets may also lose muscle control and have tremors or seizures. Caffeine affects the gastrointestinal tract and can cause vomiting and diarrhea. Vomiting may actually be a helpful side effect, since it can remove some of the toxin from the body. Pets may also need to urinate more just like people do after drinking a couple of sodas. Large ingestions of caffeine can be fatal to dogs and cats, especially if no treatment is given.
Numbers Matter
“Caffeine can damage major organs like the liver, heart, kidneys, lungs, and central nervous system.”
Signs Of Too Much Caffeine In Children
The FDA has not set a limit for caffeine intake among children but states that the American Academy of Pediatrics discourages the consumption of caffeine by both children and adolescents.
According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry , children under 12 should not consume any caffeine and avoid common sources of the stimulant found in food and beverages including soda and chocolate. For adolescents 1218 years old, the AACAP suggest limiting caffeine to no more than 100 milligrams per day. Additionally, both the AACAP and AAP recommend that children and adolescents avoid energy drinks entirely.
Since caffeine affects the central nervous system as a stimulant and children’s brains are more sensitive to caffeine than adults, it may cause the following health issues:
- A feeling of being “addicted”
Keep in mind that caffeine dependency is not the same as drug addiction. Though caffeine does not cause “addiction” in the traditional sense, you may begin to crave the rise in dopamine that’s associated with caffeine consumption. While too much caffeine may be harmful, it is unlikely to result in the same negative consequences as drug addiction.
Also Check: How Do You Improve Your Gut Microbiome