Drink enjoyed by millions every day dramatically eases constipation

Feeling bloated and bunged up? The chances are that you’ve got the perfect remedy waiting for you in your kitchen cupboard. 

Researchers have confirmed what many coffee drinkers already know—a steaming cup of Joe can genuinely help you to empty your bowels.  

A new study of more than 12,000 participants revealed that just 100mg of caffeine, roughly one cup of coffee, reduces risk of constipation by almost a fifth.

But if you drink more than 204mg of caffeine per day, which is roughly two cups of coffee, it can have the opposite effect. 

Scientists found every additional cup of coffee (100mg of caffeine) above the 100mg threshold increased the risk of constipation by six per cent. 

This is most likely because of caffeine’s diuretic properties, which means it can increase urination and lead to dehydration, a key cause of constipation. 

However, they added this wasn’t the case for people aged over 60, because high caffeine intake is linked to reduced risk of constipation for that age group.

In general, those with the highest level of caffeine intake had a 25 per cent lower risk of constipation than those with the lowest intake.

The researchers initially set out to explore the relationship between caffeine intake and irritable bowel disease (IBD) but found no significant link.

If you’re not a fan of coffee, you can get a similar effect from a cup of tea, with the average cuppa containing between 20 and 70 mg of caffeine. 

Or, if you’re not into hot drinks, you can reach for a can of caffeine-packed energy drink. 

Although in general they aren’t the healthiest option, a 250ml can of Red Bull contains 80mg of caffeine. 

But the experts warned this finding should be interpreted cautiously as the 12,759 people in their study only included a limited number of IBD patients. 

They were asked to keep two 24-hour food diaries, and record their bowel functions using the Bristol Stool Form Scale, a universally accepted picture guide which lets people categorise their excrement’s shape and consistency.  

On the findings published in the Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare, the researchers advised that using caffeine as a laxative should be done strategically.

This could mean prescribing drinking the right amount of caffeine in relation to the level of constipation of the patient.

This can, over time, increase blood pressure to dangerous levels and trigger heart rhythm abnormalities, according to Ireland-based drug expert, Lauren O’Reilly.

Interestingly, the scientists found that among high-income individuals, each cup of coffee recorded in their food diary came with a 12 per cent increased risk of chronic diarrhoea.

However, the dangers of drinking too much caffeine aren’t just constipation, it has also been linked to potentially life-threatening heart problems.

It follows a recent warning that gym-goers should avoid popular pre-workout powders due to the severe damage they could do to your heart.

Many supplements that claim to boost energy and exercise performance contain extremely high quantities of caffeine.

In a video posted earlier this month to her TikTok that has amassed over 82,000 views, Ms Reilly said she ‘wouldn’t touch’ the powders.

Experts have long warned of the dangers of high doses of caffeine, particularly for those with underlying heart rhythm problems that may be undiagnosed.

Caffeine results in the release of hormones that increase heart rate and blood pressure.

In some vulnerable individuals, this can lead to atrial fibrillation, a condition where the heart beats rapidly and irregularly, increasing the risk of a deadly heart attack or heart failure.

The pharmacist’s warning followed last year’s alert from the Government’s Food Standards Agency regarding the safety of caffeinated workout supplements.

The body warned of the dangers of the ‘extremely potent’ products, after the death of a 29 year-old man who suffered a fatal cardiac arrest after miscalculating the his dose of caffeine powder.

Personal trainer Thomas Mansfield died in January 2021 within hours of ‘necking’ a mixture that contained seven times the recommended daily dose of caffeine.

Minutes after drinking the supplement mix, he began ‘frothing at the mouth’ and ‘clutching at his chest’.

An inquest heard that Mr Mansfield, of Colwyn Bay, North Wales, had mistakenly taken nearly 16 times the recommended maximum dose listed on the packet.

While the latest findings suggest your morning cup of Joe can help get your bowels moving, the way your brew it is important.

Just last month a nutritionist warned that brewing with a French press could increase the risk of certain types of cancer.

That’s because the unfiltered method allows oily and potentially harmful compounds naturally found in coffee called—diterpenes—to sneak into your cup.

Long-term exposure to high levels of this compound has been linked to pancreatic throat cancers. 

Other unfiltered brewing methods which allow diterpenes to enter the brew include espresso, boiled coffee and trendy stove top devices. 

Filtered methods, meanwhile, have been linked to a lower risk of developing cancer.

According to American nutritionist Rhonda Patrick, the link to disease lies with both diterpenes and protective compounds called polyphenols.

In a video posted on X, which amassed over 1.9million views—she explained how one hand ‘coffee is rich in polyphenols’.

‘These are antioxidants that can lower dementia risk by as low as 50 per cent and reduce DNA damage—a critical precursor to cancer—by around 23 per cent’. 

But, on the other hand, she added, coffee also contains ‘fat-soluble diterpenes’ that raise both cancer and heart disease risk.