Decaf or decaffeinated coffee is coffee that has most of the caffeine removed from it. Decaf coffee can be an excellent option for those who have caffeine addiction and are looking for ways to get off the addiction slowly.
Decaf coffee, however, can have disadvantages, too. Have you ever felt the urge to poop after drinking a cup of coffee? You might be wondering if it’s due to the caffeine, but guess what, it is not.
People who drink Decaf coffee also experience an urge to defecate.
Scientific Evidence
According to research done with 99 young volunteers, 29 % of volunteers claimed to have an urge to defecate for 30 minutes after drinking coffee. This was experienced for volunteers who drank regular as well as decaf coffee.
There was an increase in the rectosigmoid motility. But when the volunteers drank just hot water, there was no significant effect.
It was found that caffeinated coffee induced an urge to defecate 60 % stronger than that after water and 23 % stronger than that after decaf coffee.
Further, it was found that coffee consumption induces coffee secretion, whether regular or decaf coffee, is consumed. You can read the entire research article over here.
What Causes The Urge To Defecate After Drinking Any Kind Of Coffee?
There are compounds in coffee other than caffeine that cause this effect.
Chlorogenic acids and N-alkanoyl-5-hydroxyptamides are chemicals in coffee that can stimulate the bowel’s activity and create the urge to poop. These chemicals are present in decaf coffee as well.
Drinking anything can rend to activate your colon. This is known as the gastrocolic reflex mechanism. This is the same reflex that gets activated after a meal.
Summing Up
Considering the above studies, there is sufficient evidence regarding the fact that coffee acts as a laxative. Not just regular, but also decaf coffee can increase the urge to poop for half an hour after consuming it.
Since many people consider coffee to be an essential drink, this is a vital fact to know.
Research is still going on to determine if there are any more ingredients in the coffee that can cause this urge other than the ones already found. However, up till now, there is sufficient research and evidence to prove the same. Also, do checkout our another post if you are curious to know about the time required for caffeine to wear off.