Is it possible to physically need caffeine to 'ahem'...go #2? (read my d!
Question: On a normal day I drink 3-4 cups of coffee and everything is regular. However for the past 4 days, I have not had access to any coffee and I also have not gone to the bathroom. This morning I had 2 cups of coffee, and I have been running to the bathroom all morning. (I know, this is kind of gross, but I am sorry) I am just wondering if my body had become dependant on caffeine. I have never heard of this happening. If so, what should I do? Is it dangerous? help me, please.
Answers: On a normal day I drink 3-4 cups of coffee and everything is regular. However for the past 4 days, I have not had access to any coffee and I also have not gone to the bathroom. This morning I had 2 cups of coffee, and I have been running to the bathroom all morning. (I know, this is kind of gross, but I am sorry) I am just wondering if my body had become dependant on caffeine. I have never heard of this happening. If so, what should I do? Is it dangerous? help me, please.
3-4 cups is a bit much and I am wondering how many ounces are in these "cups." Having coffee does make you go poopy but it's really not the healthiest way. When you go is it formed or very loose, if it's really loose that is not good. If you are using cream in your coffee that can be what is helping you go too, I also think artificial sweetners act as laxatives (if you use sweet n low or equal or something). If you are drinking lots of caffeinated coffee you need to make sure you are hydrating yourself so you should be drinking AT LEAST 10-12 cups of water throughout the day. You may want to make 2 of those coffees decaf or do what I do I mix the grinds half decaf and half caf and basically have half decaf cups of coffee. I do this because I love the taste of coffee and I love the relaxing moments I have when I sit down and drink a cup of coffee (away from my kids!) so I make half decaf so that I can have more than just one cup of coffee a day.
coffee is an irritant to the intestinal lining, and yes, you could have become dependant upon it to maintain regularity. I would suggest that what you need to do is drink more water and a lot less coffee. Coffee elevates blood pressure (and it isn't the caffiene that does this) and increases heart rate. It is not the healthiest drink in the world. The human body needs 2 liters of water daily to function efficiently.
I am a coffee drinker myself and as a child coffee had that affect on me but as an adult it does not. I personally think the warmth of the coffee and the sugar placed in the coffee has a laxative effect. Sometimes warm prune juice or even a glass of warm water has a laxative effect on people. I don't necessarily think it is the caffeine becasue how often do you hear people saying that tea or soda make them get the runs? Or how often do you hear aboput laxatives having caffeine in the product? YOU don't!!! You could have trained your body to produce bowel movements in the AM w/ the help of coffee. So if you are trying to give up the caffeine maybe you should drink a large glass of water everyday after work and go and sit on the pot until you go!!!