Though food sensitivities in irritable bowel syndrome vary from one person to another, everyone with IBS should use caution with caffeine. This stimulant can aggravate sensitive bowels, leading to abdominal cramps, gas and diarrhea. Avoiding foods and beverages that have caffeine can help you control diarrhea and reduce the anxiety and nervousness that may worsen your IBS symptoms.
Gastrointestinal Reactions
IBS intensifies your reactions to foods, beverages and some medications. Caffeine increases bowel motility, which may cause painful colon spasms in people with IBS. Though intestinal muscle contractions are essential for digestion and the removal of waste from your body, abnormal spasms may push food through your digestive tract too quickly or too slowly, resulting in cramps, gas and diarrhea. Prolonged colon spasms may cause constipation or the feeling of having incomplete stools.
Side Effects
Though the most obvious effects of IBS are gastrointestinal, your nervous system also plays a role in this condition. Caffeine stimulates your central nervous system, making you anxious and edgy when you consume it in excessive quantities. If stress and anxiety trigger your colon spasms, cutting back on caffeine or eliminating it altogether may ease your IBS symptoms and help you feel more calm and relaxed.
Sources
If you're avoiding caffeine, be aware of hidden sources of this stimulant. In addition to coffee, tea and caffeinated soft drinks, chocolate and some over-the-counter pain relievers may have caffeine. Many bottled fruit teas, energy drinks and frozen desserts that contain coffee also contain caffeine. Even decaffeinated coffee has small amounts of caffeine, which may irritate your colon if you're highly sensitive to this stimulant.
Alternatives
Experiment with mild, caffeine-free drinks to find beverages that won't irritate your digestive system. Make your own iced herbal tea with fresh mint or honey to replace commercial fruit teas and soft drinks. Start your morning with a warm cup of rooibos tea--a flavorful red tea from South Africa--or caffeine-free chai instead of coffee. Try beverages, candy or desserts made with carob, a food that offers the flavor of chocolate without the caffeine.
Suggestions
The National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse recommends keeping a food diary to track your responses to different foods and beverages. If you're currently drinking or eating products with caffeine, record your reactions to determine if caffeine aggravates your IBS symptoms. If you decide to eliminate caffeine from your diet, MayoClinic.com advises cutting down gradually to avoid headaches, irritability or fatigue.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Causes
- AboutIBS.org: IBS Diet
- National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse: Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- Center for Science in the Public Interest: Caffeine Content in Food & Drugs
- MayoClinic.com: Caffeine - You May Like Caffeine's Effects, But How Much Is Too Much?
