Do Energy Drinks Cause Constipation? Find Full Detail

Nowadays energy drinks are in high demand mostly by teens and young people. These colored canned drinks are full of caffeine and other stimulants that give you quick energy. 

Nevertheless, such people are skeptical about energy drinks excessive consumption and the possible aftermath - constipation. 

This article is going to investigate whether there is any link between energy drinks and constipation.

We estimate that more than fifty percent of US adults are caffeinated daily. The main sources of caffeine are coffee, tea, soda, and chocolate. 

However, a lot of young people and teens get their caffeine from energy drinks. One common size of energy drink has about 80 mg of caffeine per 8 ounces or can. This is the same as a cup of coffee.

Caffeine is supposed to accelerate the rate at which food and drinks move through the gastrointestinal tract. 

This process goes under the name of gastrointestinal motility. Most individuals will experience no issues due to the speed of transit throughout the system. 

On the other hand, however, if a lot of caffeine is downed daily, it could, in fact, lead to constipation as things might get slower instead of faster.

The microorganisms that usually inhabit our intestines, the gut microbiota, additionally participate in digestion and bowel movements. 

Gut microbiota imbalance or disruption has been tied to some diseases like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and constipation. Certain studies propose that caffeine affects the gut microbiota.

To determine whether there is a connection between energy drink consumption and constipation, the researchers analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, or NHANES, for short. 

NHANES surveys periodically thousands of Americans on their health and lifestyle habits.

The participants of the study were asked about the frequency of consumption of energy drinks by them and the symptoms they experienced such as hard stools or infrequent bowel movements. 

Caffeine intake was obtained from dietary recall interviews. Investigators then sought for correlation between energy drink user levels and rates of self-reported constipation. We took into account the influence of other factors.

Detailed Article: Do Energy Drinks Cause Constipation 2024 – Lowdown on Lattes

During 13,000 NHANES participants, we were able to get information on their energy drink use and bowel habits. 

The average age was about 45 years. Roughly 40% of those surveyed said that they drank at least one energy drink a month.

After age, sex, physical activity, and other factors were controlled for, the data demonstrated that higher energy drink intake was significantly associated with a lower probability of constipation. 

People who consumed more than 4 cans a week were 28% less likely to experience constipation than those who did not drink or drink moderately.

When analyzing different age groups individually, a similar effect of energy drinks on constipation was detected for both younger adults under 40 and middle-aged adults up to 60. The P values were not statistically significant for participants older than 60 years.

Such outcomes indicate the fact that moderate caffeine consumption through energy drinks does not cause constipation in most people and it may even be beneficial in preventing it. 

This is consistent with other studies that have found caffeine to speed up gastrointestinal motility through its effects on the central nervous system and colon muscles.

Nevertheless, mechanisms are not understood completely. Caffeine may produce this effect via the stimulation of colon contractions to pass through stools quickly. 

The intestine flora may also be altered in a manner that soothes constipation. Conversely, a small number of people may experience sluggish bowels after consuming a high amount of caffeine.

Due to the cross-sectional design of the study, it shows only correlations and not cause-and-effect relationships. 

Some other dietary or lifestyle habits that might go together with the use of energy drinks may also be the reason for the link with bowel regularity. 

The measures of self-reporting are also vulnerable to inaccurate recall or bias. We need more controlled experiments.

In sum, a study based on such a large national health survey demonstrated that mild energy drink consumption (up to 4 cans per week) was associated with an increased possibility of self-reported constipation, mainly in younger and middle-aged individuals. 

It has been shown in other studies that this protective role can also reflect caffeine's influence on gastrointestinal motility and intestinal microbiota.

Albeit, there is still more to be done, for those people who use energy drinks only occasionally, the risk of constipation is minimal. 

Yet, those who are sensitive to caffeine or who have irregular bowel habits may want to drink them in moderation or avoid them altogether. 

Ensuring that you have a balanced diet which is high in fiber-rich whole foods and drink enough also aids in proper digestion and regular bowel movements.

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