Drinking Warm Coffee May Help Stimulate Bowel Movements

Jakarta (ANTARA) – Warm drinks such as coffee may help make bowel movements easier.

“Many people tolerate it well, and coffee can help stimulate movement in the large intestine through muscle contractions that push stool along,” said Supriya Rao, a board-certified gastroenterologist, as quoted by EatingWell on Wednesday (28 October).

The gastrocolic reflex is the body’s response that triggers the urge to have a bowel movement, usually after eating or in the morning after waking. Drinking coffee may help activate this reflex and move stool out of the body.

As the gastrocolic reflex is most active in the morning, this can be a good time to enjoy a cup of warm coffee to help promote a bowel movement.

Having coffee with food may offer greater benefits. Food helps stretch the stomach, prompting digestive contents to move through the digestive tract.

Stool moves through the large intestine in waves of muscle contractions. Irregular contractions can contribute to constipation or abdominal cramps.

“Research has found that coffee can increase contractions in the colon within minutes,” said Edmundo Rodriguez-Frias, a board-certified gastroenterologist.

Coffee’s effect on these contractions is 60 per cent stronger than that of plain water. However, similar results have not always been consistently observed with decaffeinated coffee.

Several digestive hormones are needed to break down food, and coffee may help the body produce more of them.

“Research shows that coffee can increase levels of gastrin and cholecystokinin, two hormones involved in digestive activity,” Rodriguez-Frias said.

Gastrin plays a role in stomach movement. It also signals the body to produce hydrochloric acid, which helps digest protein.

Cholecystokinin, meanwhile, prompts the pancreas to release enzymes that help digest carbohydrates, fats and proteins.

As well as drinking coffee, bowel movements can be made easier by gradually increasing fibre intake. Fibre adds bulk to stool and softens its consistency, making it easier to pass. However, most people do not consume enough fibre.

“If fibre has been almost absent from your diet, it is best to add it gradually,” Rodriguez-Frias said.

This approach can prevent excess gas, bloating and even constipation, which may occur when someone suddenly switches from a low-fibre diet to a high-fibre intake.

When increasing fibre intake, be sure to drink more fluids as well. Fibre needs fluid to work properly, so the two go hand in hand in helping maintain regular bowel movements.

It is also important not to ignore the urge to have a bowel movement and to go to the toilet promptly. Repeatedly holding it in can make stool harder and more difficult to pass.

“Repeatedly ignoring the urge to have a bowel movement can contribute to constipation,” Rodriguez-Frias said.