Why Does Coffee Make You Poop?

Coffee isn’t just your morning energy boost—it can also quickly send you running to the bathroom. For about one-third of people, coffee stimulates bowel movements soon after drinking it. This effect comes from the way coffee interacts with your digestive system, colon, and hormones.

Understanding why coffee makes you poop can help you manage your bathroom habits, especially if you want to enjoy your daily brew without discomfort.

Coffee And Your Colon

When you drink coffee, it stimulates peristalsis—the wave-like contractions in your colon that move food and waste through your digestive tract.

• Research suggests these contractions can start within 4 minutes of drinking coffee.

• Coffee also boosts gastrin, a hormone that increases gastric motility and helps food move through your system.

• In addition, coffee may increase cholecystokinin (CCK), which promotes bile release and speeds waste elimination.

This combination of contractions and hormone release can explain the sudden bathroom urge many people feel after a cup of coffee.

Does Adding Dairy Make It Worse?

What you put in your coffee can also affect your digestion.

• Lactose intolerance: If you’re sensitive to dairy, adding milk or cream can worsen digestive effects, leading to diarrhea, bloating, or cramps.

• Artificial sweeteners: Products like Splenda may also speed up digestion in some people, increasing the urge to poop.

If you notice coffee with cream bothers you, try lactose-free or plant-based alternatives.

Does Time Of Day Matter?

Yes. Drinking coffee in the morning may have the strongest laxative effect.

• Your circadian rhythm naturally increases gut activity upon waking, preparing your body for digestion.

• Coffee adds an extra push to this already-active system, making you more likely to need a bowel movement early in the day.

Will Caffeine Make You Poop?

Caffeine is one of the key compounds responsible for coffee’s digestive effects.

• A typical cup of coffee has 80–100 mg of caffeine.

• Studies show caffeinated coffee makes the colon 60% more active than water and 23% more active than decaf.

• Caffeine can also increase pressure in your anus, intensifying the sensation of needing to go.

Digestive Effects Of Decaf Coffee

Interestingly, decaf coffee can still trigger bowel movements, though usually less strongly than caffeinated coffee.

That’s because coffee contains over 1,000 compounds—some of which (beyond caffeine) also stimulate digestion. So, switching to decaf may reduce but not always eliminate the bathroom effect.

Does Coffee Make Everyone Poop?

Not everyone experiences this phenomenon. Studies show only about one in three people feel the urge to poop after coffee.

Factors that may influence this include:

• Sex: Women are more likely than men to report coffee-related bowel movements.

• Digestive conditions: Those with IBS or other gut sensitivities may be more prone to coffee’s effects.

• Menstruation: Hormonal changes during periods can increase digestive sensitivity, making coffee’s impact stronger.

How To Reduce Pooping After Drinking Coffee

If coffee makes you poop more often than you’d like, here are some adjustments you can try:

• Switch to decaf or mix decaf with regular coffee.

• Limit dairy or use alternatives if you’re lactose intolerant.

• Drink fewer cups—stay under the FDA’s guideline of 400 mg caffeine/day (about 4 cups).

• Have coffee later in the day, when your GI system is less active.

• Talk to a doctor if your bathroom urgency feels unmanageable or could be linked to IBS.

A Quick Review

Coffee stimulates colon contractions, hormones, and bile production—all of which can make you poop. While not everyone experiences this, about one-third of coffee drinkers do.

If the urge is uncomfortable, reduce your intake, try lactose-free creamers, switch to decaf, or change the timing of your coffee. Most of the time, this digestive effect is normal and harmless.