Many Americans begin their day with a steaming cup of coffee. Coffee contains caffeine, which can make you feel more alert and awake. Unfortunately, it can cause digestive troubles in some people. If you are experiencing heartburn, diarrhea or constipation, try cutting down on the amount of coffee that you drink to see if it helps. Since suddenly eliminating coffee from your routine may cause headaches due to caffeine withdrawal, cut back slowly to minimize your discomfort.
Heartburn
Heartburn is also called acid reflux and occurs when stomach acid backs up into the esophagus. You may experience a burning pain in the center of your chest or in the back of your throat. Coffee and other caffeinated beverages may make heartburn worse. According to FamilyDoctor.org, even decaffeinated coffee can exacerbate heartburn symptoms. If you feel that you can't cut coffee out of your diet, you can still ease your pain by not lying down shortly after eating, avoiding other foods that make your heartburn worse and losing weight if you are overweight or obese.
Constipation
Coffee causes constipation in some people. The reason for this, according to the National Digestive Diseases Clearinghouse, is that caffeinated beverages tend to cause dehydration, and dehydration can make stools dryer and harder to pass. Drinking more non-caffeinated beverages at the same time that you drink your coffee may help relieve constipation, as may increasing both your fiber intake and your activity level. Since any change in bowel habits can indicate a medical problem, have chronic or prolonged constipation evaluated by your doctor.
Diarrhea and IBS
Paradoxically, coffee can also cause diarrhea, particularly if you have a condition called irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS. In this case, the caffeine in coffee may irritate your intestines enough to cause diarrhea. You may be able to drink decaffeinated coffee without experiencing this side effect. Also, talk to your doctor about ways to reduce your IBS symptoms, such as by adding fiber to your diet, reducing stress and eating several smaller meals throughout the course of the day instead of three larger meals.
Considerations
Sometimes the problems that you may have with your digestive system are not caused by your coffee itself but by what you are putting in your coffee. If you are lactose intolerant and are adding milk to your daily brew, you may suffer from stomach cramping, excess gas and diarrhea. Switching to a dairy-free creamer may help if this is the case. Also, some people are sensitive to artificial sweeteners. If yours seems to be causing diarrhea, experiment with using a different type or drinking your coffee without a sweetener.
