Diarrhea after coffee
introduction
Who does not know it? You drink your obligatory cup of coffee in the morning and suddenly you have an unpleasant feeling. But not only in the morning, but also at noon or in the afternoon, diarrhea often occurs after drinking coffee. Sometimes this effect is desired, but often it is an unpleasant by-product of drinking coffee.
In addition to a genetic predisposition, this is also due to the effect that coffee has on the body. The caffeine contained in coffee has a digestive effect on the gastrointestinal tract. There are also different manifestations from person to person, which leads to increased or decreased symptoms.
Read more on the subject at: diarrhea
Why does diarrhea occur when I drink coffee?
The fact that diarrhea occurs while drinking coffee can be explained by several factors. The caffeine contained in coffee makes a big contribution to this. In the human body, caffeine stimulates the production and release of the hormone gastrin into the bloodstream. Various intracellular mechanisms promote the movement of the muscles in the intestinal wall.In addition, the production of stomach acid is stimulated by specialized cells in the stomach. An increased secretion of gastric acid not only causes the food components to break down more quickly, but also abdominal pain.
Due to the faster decomposition, however, more food enters the intestine in a short time. This makes it more difficult to absorb all of the components, and especially the water with regard to diarrhea. This effect is supported by the increased activity of the intestinal muscles. This results in a faster passage of the chyme through the intestine, which in turn does not enable proper absorption of food components and, above all, water.
Another important aspect in the development of diarrhea when enjoying coffee is played by genetics. Not every person or every body reacts to caffeine in the same way. This leads to milder or stronger courses or even the absence of diarrhea.
Can that also be a coffee intolerance?
If diarrhea occurs after drinking coffee, this may also be due to a coffee intolerance. The caffeine it contains does not necessarily have to be the cause of the symptoms. Some other components of coffee, such as biogenic amines, can trigger a similar reaction in the body.
Since the various types of coffee also differ in terms of their ingredients, it is worth trying other types. Espresso is also a widely used alternative because the beans are roasted differently.
Can that also be the milk in the coffee?
Sometimes it also happens that the cause of the diarrhea after drinking coffee cannot be found in the caffeine or other ingredients in the coffee. For people with a lactose intolerance or an intolerance to cow's milk, the milk in the coffee can also be the trigger for diarrhea. After milk is absorbed into the body, a similar reaction occurs and diarrhea occurs. Most of the time, symptoms such as diarrhea, abdominal pain and flatulence are slightly delayed.
Read more on the subject at: Symptoms of lactose intolerance
Other accompanying symptoms
In addition to diarrhea, there are often some accompanying symptoms. The high secretion of gastric acid in the stomach can quickly lead to stomach pains when coffee is consumed frequently. The mucous membrane is irritated by the acid.
Abdominal pain is also common. This can happen due to the high activity of the intestine. Furthermore, the high activity of the intestinal muscles contributes to the development of flatulence. Due to the high proportion of chyme in the large intestine, the bacteria that settle there generate more gas.
Read more on the subject at: Abdominal pain from coffee
Flatulence
Flatulence is a common symptom of diarrhea after drinking coffee. The caffeine, which increases the motility of the intestinal muscles, is causative. Overall, digestion is faster, resulting in an increased amount of chyme in the colon. The bacteria that normally reside here are able to produce a large amount of gas due to the high supply of food components. In addition to abdominal pain, this gas also causes the typical flatulence.
Read more on the subject at: Flatulence
stomach pain
Stomach pain is also very common in connection with diarrhea when drinking coffee. The caffeine increases the formation and secretion of gastrin. Gastrin, in turn, is a hormone that stimulates specialized cells in the lining of the stomach to secrete gastric acid. If coffee is consumed frequently, it can happen that the gastric mucosa is already irritated. This means that even a small amount of caffeine, for example from drinking a cup of coffee, can increase stomach acid production so much that stomach pain occurs.
Read more on the subject at: stomach pain
stomach pain
Abdominal pain can often occur in combination with diarrhea when drinking coffee. The abdominal pain can extend over the entire abdomen or only affect a smaller area. One can distinguish between cramp-like pain and pain caused by a feeling of fullness.
On the one hand, the high activity of the intestinal muscles causes cramps, which can cause pain. On the other hand, the feeling of pressure from diarrhea can be a burden and perceived as stomach pain. Furthermore, the possible high amount of gas in the context of flatulence leads to a feeling of pressure and counter-resistance. This too can cause abdominal pain.
Read more on the subject at: Abdominal pain from coffee
treatment
The problem of diarrhea and the possible accompanying symptoms after drinking coffee can be approached in different ways. First, however, you should be sure that the discomfort is caused by the coffee and not, for example, the added milk. You can try this out simply by leaving out the milk or even the coffee.
The simplest therapy, of course, is also to do without coffee. If there is no caffeine, it cannot cause the known problems. You can also make sure to drink the coffee in smaller quantities. This will weaken the body's response and may prevent diarrhea. Since the reaction of the body differs from person to person, you can find out the tolerable amount by trial and error.
Furthermore, it is advisable not to drink the coffee on an empty stomach in the morning, as the susceptibility is particularly high here. You can also try other types of coffee. Due to different ingredients and roasting processes, this can make a difference. Espresso, in particular, or drinks such as cappuccino, in which espresso is processed, are frequently used alternatives. Finally, the coffee should be boiled with sufficiently hot water or replaced with decaffeinated coffee.
Duration and forecast
The duration of diarrhea after drinking coffee is usually relatively short and rarely exceeds 30 minutes. The prognosis is also favorable, since after the caffeine effect has subsided there is no longer any risk of it occurring again. However, the body's reaction to coffee or caffeine remains relatively constant with increasing age, which is why the prognosis of improvement is rather poor and the symptoms often occur throughout life.
