Many of us have noticed that after a few cups of coffee, the toilet calls us (like Tom La Cuvette, but less funny…)! Coincidence… or would coffee be laxative (better to be sure to avoid taking too much before an important meeting)?
Notice to those who can't last an hour without peeing after a cup:it's NOR-MAL! The caffeine in coffee has diuretic effects. In short:it increases the production of urine (to be avoided before running a marathon…).
And in some people, those with the most sensitive gut, coffee can ALSO have laxative effects, because caffeine stimulates muscle contractions in the large intestine (unlike decaf, which goes to show that the "culprit" is caffeine), like when you have just eaten.
In addition, the acidity of coffee increases the production of bile by the liver, which is stored in the gallbladder. And caffeine, that naughty thing, can trigger the "opening of the floodgates" and cause that bile to leak out into the stomach, causing glamorous diarrhea. Not to mention that the artificial sugars and lactose that can be added can accentuate the symptoms! This is where the toilet call sounds urgently.
So, how much coffee should you drink to avoid taking risks? No more than 2 to 3 cups close together if you want to avoid diarrhea, tells us The International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders, which recommends alternating with decafs.
This is a good thing to tell your colleagues at the coffee machine!;o)
