aka S.H.I.T.S

Ok, not exactly rusty water but about 30 mins after my first coffee of the day i have to go sit down for a bit. It doesn't seem to be caffeine because I don't get it with tea, and my current coffee is decaff (but ground) – which i know is fundamentally wrong but i was drinking so much i need a way to cut down a bit.

Just interested, like.

Back in 5 mins to find out the answer <starts clenching>

never happens to me. Right, i'm off to make a nice strong coffee.

Never noticed it. But I suppose drinking the first cuppa of the day would stimulate your digestive system, making everything faster. But the squits, no reason I can see.

stimulates sympathetic nervous system, fight or flight (or take a dump in this case)

ahh – decaf – fek knows then

There is a link, but I'm not sure what the mechanism is.

Although its for totally bunk reasons (I suspect) those health farm / spa places pump coffee up your butt while giving you an enema. With enemas like that who needs friends?

The coffee poo. A well-known phenomenon in our house.

No idea why though.

Unless medical reasons are involved, I've never quite understood decaf. Indeed, even if medical reasons were involved I'll still be inclined to go for "full fat" coffee, just to see what happens.

Coffee shits, yes, caffeine will stimulate the gut, decaf shouldn't, more likely to coincide with you eating something that day.

Swear by it pre long Sunday run to provide a bowel moevement! Either that or squatting in the bushes after about 10 miles!

I was told there's something in coffee other than caffeine which actually stimulates the bowel. However, I can't help thinking its just that time of the morning so people associate it with coffee. If I drink coffee, I need a shit at 9am. If I don't drink coffee, I need a shit at 9am.

many other stimulants have the same effect – smoking a cigarette, eating really dark chocolate, dropping an "E", etc etc

It doesn't seem to be caffeine because I don't get it with tea,

There's much more caffeine in coffee than tea.

And before the pedants leap in, yes, there is more caffeine in tea by weight, but there is less 'tea stuff' in a cup of tea than 'coffee stuff' in a cup of coffee.

And yes, strong coffee makes me dump too.

I need a shit at 9am. If I don't drink coffee, I need a shit at 9am.

I'll bear that in mind if I ever suggest going riding early 😉

To the OP – do you take your coffee with milk? I used to find I was very 'regular' when I used to have muesli every day with milk. Now that I have porridge (no milk) I don't have the same urges…

But it isn't time related, other than it's 20-30 mins after the first cup.

This am. Rose at 0710 as usual, to sound of children scrapping. Put kettle on. Made cup of tea. Made breakfast (porridge, as usual).

About 0815, just about ready to leave for work and decide I'd better make a visit in case Monday am traffic is heavy. Pass typical am motion, about 4 on the Bristol scale.

Just before 1000, by now at work and with emails checked and dispatched, decide to have first coffee – decaff ground Fairtrade Latin American through a cafetiere.

About 20-30 mins later, I'm typing the above post. Which turned out as expected to be about a Bristol 5-6. As always.

I'm not typing this on a whim. This is the result of extensive research. Some days I stick to tea and then don't need a sit down all day. Why?

Ah the Bristol Scale, surely one of britain's finest medical and scientific achievements. (although I still reckon its possible to score an 8)

EDIT: that 'score and 8 – [close brakets]' not score as smiley

IHN. Is there a lot of caffeine in decaff coffee?

does redbull make you shit too then? I always drink it in vodka and regret it the next day.

been here before

Without getting too personal my wake up two espresso's in the morning sorts any movements out for the day straight away. I don't do too much through the day as caffeine gives me mood swings – more of an issue than sitting down!

Coffee contains a load of stimulants including caffeine and theobromine, which is the thing in chocolate that's bad for dogs.

Caffeine though stimulates peristalsic movement of the intestines tho iirc. I get the same thing.

A drink of coffee has much more caffeine than the same volume of tea as a drink. Though surprisingly tea leaf has higher levels of caffeine than coffee beans.

I can usually guarantee a dump after my first cup of the day.

As was said before this may well also be caused by the fact that you are kick starting your digestive tract after 6 plus hours of rest. Also it may now be learned behaviour that a dump follows a cup of coffee in the morning.

If I'm getting ready for a ride early morning I always make sure that I have my coffee fix a good 30 mins before set off to get my daily business out of the way before riding.

I'm guaranteed a huge logging about 20mins after morning coffee. I use one of pete's eats pint mugs tho, full to the brim.. http://www.petes-eats.co.uk/

..badoom splosh.