Can I Drink Coffee with IBS?

If you’re like many people, you may enjoy starting your day with a cup of coffee. But if you have IBS, you might wonder if combining coffee and IBS is a good idea.

Coffee can stimulate the bowels, so for people with diarrhea-predominant IBS, drinking coffee could increase the urge to have a bowel movement. And while coffee may help promote a bowel movement for people with constipation-predominant IBS, it can also cause abdominal pain.

Read on to learn about the link between coffee and IBS, plus tips for including coffee in your diet if you have IBS.

Can I Drink Coffee If I Have IBS?

If you have IBS, you may be wondering if you can still enjoy a cup of coffee. Unfortunately, few studies have examined the relationship between coffee and IBS symptoms.

One study examining the link between coffee intake and IBS in adults found that people who drank coffee weekly or more frequently had a higher chance of having IBS than those who did not drink coffee. The study found that the people who drank the most coffee had the greatest chance of having IBS. However, the study didn’t explain why people who drank more coffee had higher rates of IBS, so more research is needed before we can definitively say whether coffee causes IBS.

Coffee and IBS

While there’s little research about the connection between coffee and IBS, there are studies showing a relationship between gut motility (how fast food moves through your digestive tract) and drinking coffee.

Based on what we know about gut motility and drinking coffee, whether or not you can drink coffee with IBS depends on what type of IBS you have. 

IBS-D

Studies show that drinking coffee (both caffeinated and decaffeinated) promotes the urge to have a bowel movement in at least one-third of the population, especially among women. This was found to occur as soon as four minutes after drinking coffee. They also found that drinking coffee was associated with higher rates of abdominal pain and gas.

If you have diarrhea-predominant IBS (IBS-D) and already struggle with bowel urgency, drinking coffee could make this worse. If you suspect that coffee is triggering your IBS-D, try gradually decreasing how much coffee you drink to see if it leads to symptom improvement. It’s best to gradually reduce your coffee consumption to avoid caffeine withdrawal symptoms, such as headaches and tiredness.

IBS-C

Since coffee has been found to promote the urge to have a bowel movement, it could theoretically help people with constipation-predominant IBS (IBS-C) have a bowel movement. However, using coffee to promote bowel movements should only be done if your healthcare provider recommends it, as too much coffee can lead to abdominal cramps.

Tips for Drinking Coffee with IBS

In general, the best type of coffee for IBS is coffee that does not contain high FODMAP ingredients. FODMAPs stands for Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides and Polyols. FODMAPs are types of carbohydrates that are not digested by humans. When they enter the colon undigested, they get fermented by your gut bacteria. This can lead to symptoms of IBS, such as gas, bloating, and abdominal pain.

Avoid coffee with added chicory root

Chicory root is a naturally caffeine-free root that’s roasted and added to some coffee blends. While it can be a good option for people wanting to reduce their caffeine intake, it could cause symptoms in people with IBS.

Chicory root contains high amounts of a type of fiber called inulin. Inulin is a type of FODMAP. For people with IBS, FODMAPs can worsen symptoms. Check the label of your favorite brew to ensure it doesn’t contain chicory root.

Be mindful of high FODMAP add-ins

If you like your coffee sweetened or with added milk, be mindful of whether your additions are high FODMAP. Since FODMAPs can worsen IBS symptoms, try to stick to low FODMAP add-ins.

Here are some high FODMAP sweeteners to avoid:

• Agave syrup
• Honey
• Molasses

Instead, stick to sweeteners like table sugar or stevia.

If you like milk in your coffee, choose a low FODMAP plant-based milk alternative or lactose-free cow’s milk. The lactose in regular milk can be hard for some people to digest, which can lead to unpleasant symptoms like gas, bloating and diarrhea. Lactose-free milk has been processed so that the lactose has already been broken down, so it shouldn’t upset your digestive system.

Keep your caffeine intake to 400 milligrams or less per day

If you’re already drinking coffee and haven’t noticed it impacting your IBS symptoms, there’s no need to give it up completely. According to the Food and Drug Administration, as much as 400 milligrams of caffeine per day is considered safe for adults. For reference, an eight-ounce cup of black coffee contains about 95 grams of caffeine.

Reducing your intake could be helpful if you consume more than 400 milligrams of caffeine daily. If you’re unsure how to go about reducing your caffeine intake, consider working with a registered dietitian. 

How Coffee Can Worsen IBS Symptoms

Coffee can worsen IBS symptoms in several ways, including increasing stomach acid, increasing the stress response, and speeding up bowel movements.

Increase Stomach Acid

When food arrives in the stomach, acid and enzymes are released so that the food can be digested. Studies show that coffee stimulates the production of a hormone called gastrin, as well as hydrochloric acid. This could lead to symptoms of heartburn and indigestion for some people. 

Increase Stress Response

IBS is a disorder of the gut-brain interaction, meaning it’s thought to be due to a miscommunication between our gut and brain. Psychological stress is one of the main risk factors for developing IBS. Since studies show that caffeine can increase stress and anxiety, excessive coffee consumption could worsen IBS symptoms, especially if you’re sensitive to caffeine.

Speeds Up Bowel Movements

Studies show that coffee consumption can lead to increases in gut motility (how fast waste moves through the digestive tract). This could be problematic for people with IBS who are already struggling with bowel urgency. 

Is Coffee Low FODMAP?

Plain, black coffee is low FODMAP. Be sure to check the label to ensure your coffee does not contain chicory root, a high FODMAP ingredient.

If you are adding sweetener or milk to your coffee, be sure to choose low FODMAP options such as table sugar and lactose-free milk.

Takeaway

Research on coffee's effects on IBS is lacking, but the studies that have been conducted have found that increased coffee consumption is associated with higher rates of IBS. Studies also show that coffee increases the urge to have a bowel movement. For people with IBS-D, this could worsen their already-urgent bowel movements.

Since coffee speeds up the movement of waste through the digestive tract, it could theoretically help people with IBS-C. However, it’s important to note that coffee can cause abdominal pain, so using it to treat constipation should only be done if your healthcare provider recommends it. 

If you want to enjoy a cup of coffee, be mindful of the sweeteners and kinds of milk you add to it. While black coffee is low FODMAP, add-ins such as honey and regular milk are high FODMAP and could worsen IBS symptoms for some people.

How a Dietitian Can Help

Working with an IBS registered dietitian can provide clarity if you’re struggling with IBS symptoms and aren’t sure what is causing them. Nourish offers personalized nutrition counseling and accepts the most popular insurance carriers. If you want to learn more about the connection between diet and IBS, consider booking a virtual appointment with a registered dietitian.