Why Does Coffee Make Me Poop?

[elias7]

3. How about the old gastro-colic reflex?

First thing in your stomach in the morning often triggers defecation in a process known as the gastro-colic reflex. It is not mediated by the brain. For many, the first thing in their stomach is coffee, but really any food (or a stimulant like tea or coffee) in your stomach begins the process of digestion, which is part chemical (secretion of digestive enzymes and bile) and part mechanical (intestinal peristalsis). Some of that peristaltic process is in the sigmoid colon which warehouses the stool for your next bowel movement. This colic peristalsis can also be induced by cigarettes (another stimulant), and I reckon you’ll find folks, especially those who are regular, that their first cigarette, first cup of coffee or first meal of the day will often be followed by a sh*t…