By Chaima Chihi & يورونيوز
Published on
A scientific study by the University of Copenhagen found that regular coffee consumption can affect the functioning of the digestive system, particularly bowel movements and colon contractions, and is also linked to a greater diversity of gut bacteria.
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The study was published in the journal “Gut Microbiology”, which specializes in research on intestinal microorganisms, and aimed to explore the relationship between habitual coffee consumption and physiological conditions of the digestive system.
What does coffee do to your digestive system?
The research team used a small electronic capsule that participants swallowed to track changes as it moved through the digestive system.
The capsule measured a range of indicators, including the time it took for contents to pass through the gastrointestinal tract, temperature, acidity levels and intestinal contractions.
The study involved 61 healthy adults in Denmark, who the researchers divided into two groups based on the amount of coffee they consumed.
The first group consisted of people who drank between one and five cups of coffee per day for more than three of the eight days covered in the study, while the second group included people who drank coffee less frequently.
The results showed that people who regularly consumed coffee had a greater diversity of microorganisms present in their intestines than participants who drank less coffee.
This finding is consistent with research suggesting that coffee may influence the composition of the gut microbiome, the community of bacteria and other microorganisms that live inside the digestive system.
Francesca Bucci, lead researcher of the study and doctoral student at the Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sport at the University of Copenhagen, said regular coffee consumption appears to affect gut physiology.
One of the most notable findings was that people who regularly drank coffee had much lower levels of acidity in the small intestine than those who drank it less often.
Researchers also observed a link between higher coffee consumption and more contractions in the colon, muscle movements that help push intestinal contents through the digestive system.
These contractions play a role in digestion and maintaining regular bowel movements, as they help move waste away and can help prevent constipation and keep intestinal muscles in good condition.
Bucci said intestinal contractions can promote healthy digestion, help reduce constipation and help maintain the functional state of intestinal muscles.
On the other hand, researchers are still unable to determine whether a lower acidity level in the small intestine is beneficial for health or could have negative effects.
Is coffee responsible for the changes?
The researchers emphasize that the study cannot prove that coffee consumption is the direct cause of the changes observed in the digestive system.
However, Henrik Munch Roager, associate professor and head of the research group at the Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sport at the University of Copenhagen, believes that there are reasons to support the possibility that coffee plays a role in these changes.
He explained that previous studies have shown that coffee affects a series of processes that take place in the digestive system, including the secretion of acids in the stomach.
He added that this evidence suggests that the differences observed by the researchers are related to the effects of coffee rather than just coincidence.
He pointed out that many people notice, based on their daily experience, that coffee affects their digestion.
The research team believes that the next step will be to conduct a study that monitors the amount of coffee participants drink, instead of simply observing their drinking habits and comparing the differences between them.
This type of study would help determine whether coffee is truly causing these changes and understand the mechanisms by which it may affect bowel movements and contractions.
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