Does coffee’s sweet song beckon you out from under the covers in the morning? Does a latte provide a necessary stop on your commute to fuel up before a long day of battle at work? Does it appear as a mirage, a promise of rejuvenation and rebirth, during a typical afternoon slump? Of course it does. 

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But it does something, else, too. It gets something other than our day moving. It helps us move- uh, internally, too. For many, that first satisfying sip of a fresh cup of coffee means an urgent poop is soon on the way. But why?

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Many wonder anonymously, fearful to ask. Even the experts can’t provide sure answers.

The science...

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Though scientists, dieticians, and gastroenterologists know that two hormones created when coffee reaches your gut, gastrin and cholecystokinin, are principally responsible for this sudden urge, more data is sparse. Some say coffee may be a falsely accused culprit in the morning movement conversation, as our colonic activity spikes in the wee hours post-wake-up regardless. At that rate, almost any breakfast or beverage would get the ball rolling. Some think we creatures of habit might have potty-trained ourselves, linking coffee with a Pavlovian response to take a trip to the toilet.

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There’s still plenty left to the imagination, plenty of turds left unturned. 

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So why does coffee make you poop?

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The reason exceeds mere scientific explanation and provides us with a further philosophical understanding of that beloved, albeit bowel-affecting beverage. 

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It punctuates our day with moments to savor something simple, rituals for a recharge. It’s more than an ordinary laxative, it’s an energizing force, an extraordinary lightning bolt. 

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Coffee is an instigator, an agitator. It is the little but mighty enactor of great changes in our everyday lives. 

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Why do we love coffee so? Coffee makes us go.

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