Can drinking coffee treat irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)?

According to the MSD Manuals – Medical documents of the American pharmaceutical company Merck & Co, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a condition of recurrent abdominal discomfort or pain accompanied by ≥ 2 symptoms such as: associated pain to defecation, pain related to a change in stool frequency (diarrhea or constipation), or pain related to a change in stool consistency. The disease often has no clear cause but is related to psychological and physiological factors and mostly appears in teenagers, the elderly or people under 20 years old.

If you have IBS, you may have specific symptoms such as dull or intermittent pain in your lower abdomen. Besides, abdominal pain is accompanied by diarrhea or constipation. Or you may also have symptoms of abnormal bowel movements (difficulty defecating, straining or the feeling of incomplete bowel movements), bloody mucus in the stool, or a feeling of fullness or bloating.

Dull or intermittent pain in the lower abdomen can be a sign of IBS

A comprehensive study in the scientific journal Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute examined the association between coffee drinking and the risk of developing Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Scientists tracked changes in more than 430,000 people through eight different studies. Of these, three studies showed that coffee had a negative impact on IBS. The remaining studies found that drinking more coffee can reduce irritable bowel syndrome. People whose symptoms include bloating, constipation or abdominal pain can all benefit to some degree with regular coffee consumption. Furthermore, regular coffee consumption also reduces the risk of irritable bowel syndrome. Specifically, people who consumed 0.5, 1, 2, 3, and ≥ 4 cups of coffee per day reduced their risk of developing IBS by 7%, 9%, and 19%, respectively. People who use instant or ground coffee even reduce their risk of IBS by 20%.

Drinking coffee can help relieve irritable bowel syndrome

Through analysis, scientists believe that in some cases, coffee has a positive impact on IBS disease. This effect is not influenced by the amount of coffee consumed but emphasizes regular consumption. However, it cannot be concluded that all patients with irritable bowel syndrome will be completely cured by coffee. Each person will have different IBS symptoms. Each condition requires a separate course of treatment. In particular, coffee can cause complications in people with diarrhea due to IBS but can alleviate symptoms in patients with symptoms of abdominal pain and constipation.

Drinking coffee can reduce symptoms of abdominal pain and constipation in patients

When reviewing data from eight studies, scientists were not sure whether drinking coffee could treat irritable bowel syndrome. However, based on empirical evidence, most of the decrease in IBS incidence is associated with increased coffee consumption. The main reason is the effect of substances in coffee including polyphenols, diterpenes, trigonelline and melanoidin. These substances have powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which in turn may protect against the development of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). In addition, some compounds in coffee can support the production of intestinal microbiota, protect the intestinal barrier, maintain intestinal permeability and motility, and reduce hypersensitivity. in internal organs and local inflammation. This can improve gut health, reducing the risk of IBS. Therefore, in certain cases, drinking coffee regularly can help reduce and prevent IBS symptoms.

Using pure coffee ensures safety for your health

Through research, we can determine the great potential of coffee for improving health. However, when using coffee, you need to pay attention to your body’s condition as well as the quality of coffee. Because coffee contains more than a hundred compounds and its content can vary significantly depending on origin, roasting, grinding and preparation methods. Therefore, if you want to add coffee to your healthy diet, carefully research your current health as well as the appropriate type and dosage of coffee. You can experience high-quality specialty coffee beans produced according to a sustainable scientific model at XLIII Coffee.

Articles you may be interested in:

– “Borrowed” from wine production – How has the specialty coffee processing process changed?

– Does new espresso machine technology meet environmental sustainability?

– Ross Droplet – Tips to upgrade your espresso cup