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from the picks-you-up-while-it-cleans-you-out dept.
Researchers Document Impact of Coffee on Bowels:
Coffee has long been known to increase bowel movement, but researchers have not pinpointed the specific reason or mechanism. Researchers examined changes to bacteria when fecal matter was exposed to coffee in a petri dish, and by studying the composition of feces after rats ingested differing concentrations of coffee over three days. The study also documented changes to smooth muscles in the intestine and colon, and the response of those muscles when exposed directly to coffee.
The study found that growth of bacteria and other microbes in fecal matter in a petri dish was suppressed with a solution of 1.5 percent coffee, and growth of microbes was even lower with a 3 percent solution of coffee. Decaffeinated coffee had a similar effect on the microbiome.
After the rats were fed coffee for three days, the overall bacteria counts in their feces were decreased, but researchers said more research is needed to determine whether these changes favor firmicutes, considered "good" bacteria, or enterobacteria, which are regarded as negative.
Muscles in the lower intestines and colons of the rats showed increased ability to contract after a period of coffee ingestion, and coffee stimulated contractions of the small intestine and colon when muscle tissues were exposed to coffee directly in the lab.
NOTE: Original is at Digestive Disease Week, but Javascript is required to view it. Also available at EurekAlert.
Further avenues of research that immediately came to my mind:
- How long does the effect last?
- Does the body develop a tolerance and require larger doses over time to sustain the effect?
- If so, how long a period of abstinence is required before coffee again becomes efficacious?
- Is there a larger effect with a "stronger" coffee such as an espresso?
- Does the species of coffee make a difference? Coffea arabica (Arabica) vs Coffea canephora (Robusta)?
Time to start conducting interviews of Starbucks' baristas.
(Score: 3, Funny) by Snotnose on Monday May 20 2019, @07:11PM (5 children)
Wish I could remember who it was, but it was a riff on how most people drank coffee to start their day. He drank it to start his colon. 5 minutes after the first cup he'd grab his newspaper and pronounce "you know where I'll be".
Back when I drank a lot of coffee it wasn't an issue (I drank a pot a day). For whatever reason I woke up one morning and didn't make a pot. Didn't miss it. Same next day, and the next. That was 8-9 years ago. Couple years back I met a friend at Starbucks and had a cup. 5 minutes later I was in the bathroom dropping a deuce.
When the dust settled America realized it was saved by a porn star.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday May 20 2019, @07:43PM
Al Bundy?
(Score: 2) by bob_super on Monday May 20 2019, @08:37PM (1 child)
They could have asked me. I don't drink coffee, and I try to keep sodas to a minimum (and no diet ones). Give me an American-size Coke, and I'll be looking for a bathroom within the hour.
They should stop saying "coffee", when they refer to the effects of caffeine.
(Score: 0, Disagree) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 21 2019, @04:23PM
hmm isn't an hour about how long it takes to fill and then feel the need to evacuate the bladder after drinking between 8 to 16 ounces of fluid?
contractions in the digestive tract should be felt far sooner than an hour. if you had to pass solids, i doubt your 'American-size' Coke had much to do with it considering how little caffeine is in that. the label says "contains caffeine" but they don't tell you how much for the good reason there isn't much. They claim it is there for taste, but it's also there so that no one can claim the product is simply carbonated sugar water and still has some resemblence to the "cola" of days long since passed.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday May 21 2019, @04:37AM
8-9 years worth of it??? Good Lord, you must've been so full of shit!
(Score: 2) by Snotnose on Tuesday May 21 2019, @01:42PM
Robin Williams (I should have known) https://www.quotes.net/mquote/1058315 [quotes.net]
Too lazy to look it up in Youtube.
When the dust settled America realized it was saved by a porn star.