Energy drinks are a perfect instant energy booster and keep you going to accomplish your challenging activity. But, have you ever wondered why there are times that, after drinking, you may experience or feel the urgency to go to defecate.
Do you ever wonder if the cause would be the energy drink?
In short, energy drinks don’t make you poop. However, if you have a sensitive stomach, you may often go to the bathroom and give yourself relief and comfort.
If you want a detailed explanation about this kind of experience when drinking energy drinks, you must stick around and read until the end of this article.
Page Contents
Typical Energy Drinks Ingredients
Caffeine, sugars, vitamins, amino acids, and herb extracts are the typical ingredients of energy drinks.
Caffeine
Caffeine is the main ingredient in every energy drink. It’s the main reason for enhancing your alertness and improving physical and mental performance.
It’s derived from different plants, including:
- coffee
- cacao
- kola
- tea
- guarana
Caffeine level in energy drinks usually ranges from 50mg to 300mg per serving. Those amounts are still within the maximum daily limit of caffeine which is 400mg.
Too much consumption of caffeine can cause different adverse effects, such as:
- anxiety
- insomnia
- headache
- nervousness
- irritability
- frequent urination
- fast heartbeat
- muscle tremors
So it’s better to consume energy drinks in moderation to avoid suffering adverse effects. And can provide several benefits, including:
- Boost weight loss
- Increase alertness
- Improve sports performance
- Enhance brain function
- Reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease
- Boost long-term memory
- Decrease the risk of liver disease
- Protection from an eye disorder
- Protect against certain cancer
- Lower the risk of developing kidney stones
Moreover, caffeine may stimulate your urgency to poop by stimulating active contractions in your colon and intestinal muscles. But not everyone is affected. It seems common to those people who have a certain digestive condition.
Sugar
Sugar is another mainstay in an energy drink. It’s responsible for the sweetness and tastiness of an energy drink.
The level of sugar varies in every energy drink brand. Some contain an average amount, and some have a high sugar level.
And nowadays, there are trends that energy drinks have become sugar-free. They have versions of energy drinks that are sugar-free and calorie-free for healthier consumption.
However, AHA recommends 25g and 36g of sugar daily for women and men for your reference. Excessive consumption of sugar can put you at risk of several health conditions, including:
- cardiovascular disease
- cognitive problems
- colon cancer
- diabetes
- hypertension
- kidney disease
- liver disease
- obesity
- pancreatic cancer
- retina damage
- nerve and muscle damage
It may also cause the following:
- cavities or tooth decay
- inflammation
- overeating
- increase waist size
- weight gain
- skin aging
- acne
- wrinkles
Amino Acids
Amino acids are essential for different bodily functions. They play a vital role in many chemical reactions and maintaining normal body functions.
They have several benefits, including:
- Improves mood
- Boosts exercise performance
- Prevents muscle loss
- Promotes weight loss
Essential Vitamins
The table below shows the usual vitamins found in energy drinks with their benefits.
| Vitamins | Benefits |
|---|---|
| Vitamin C | Reduces fatigue Reduces muscle soreness Boosts immunity |
| Vitamin D | Promotes healthy bones and teeth Supports immune system Regulates insulin level |
| Vitamin B3 | Prevents congenital disabilities Lower cholesterol Decrease joint pain |
| Vitamin B2 | Boosts immune system Maintains healthy hair Boosts athletic performance |
| Vitamin B6 | Improves mood Promotes brain health Prevention and treatment of anemia |
| Vitamin B12 | Boosts mood Improves mental function Improves concentration |
Herbal Extract
The usual herbal extract that you can find in an energy drink is guarana, ginseng, and ginkgo Biloba.
| Herbal Extract | Benefits |
|---|---|
| Guarana Extract | Improves focus Enhances memory Reduces fatigue |
| Ginseng Extract | Reduces inflammation Boosts immune system Increases energy level |
| Ginkgo Biloba | Improves brain function Reduces anxiety Fights inflammation |
Can Energy Drinks Affect Stomach Function?
If you drink too many energy drinks, it may affect your stomach function.
The cause for having an upset stomach when you drink too many energy drinks is the ingredients that you have in an energy drink.
Energy drinks, as mentioned above, contain caffeine, which triggers the increase of acid production in the stomach. And it will soon result in stomach and gut irritation and also heartburn.
Others will also experience side effects, such as:
- gastritis
- stomach pain
- nausea
Not only can caffeine in an energy drink cause stomach upset, but it includes guarana and L-Carnitine, which can cause vomiting and abdominal pain.
If you’re not sure about being sensitive to other energy drink ingredients, you should avoid this drink and find something that would not affect your stomach.
It would also help if you have limitations in your caffeine consumption and try to have a moderate intake of energy drinks to avoid further harm to your stomach.
Do Energy Drinks Have Laxative Effects?
Energy drinks don’t have laxative effects.
Beverages with caffeine don’t have a laxative effect on individuals. However, other people are more sensitive to these drinks, like energy drinks that urge them to go to the bathroom.
Another factor is that excessive energy drinks and other caffeinated beverages can lead to several side effects that affect your digestion, like diarrhea and loose stools. It’s because caffeine can increase the production of bile that can affect bowel movement.
Other artificial sweeteners in energy drinks can also have a laxative effect that can develop diarrhea in those people who have a sensitive stomach.
Do Energy Drinks Make You Poop?
If you’re a caffeine-sensitive person, it’s likely to make you poop if you consume energy drinks.
Caffeine is an energy booster, and it may also stimulate the urge to poop. Different studies have shown that caffeine can activate colon and intestinal muscle contractions. Colon contractions push digested foods quickly to the rectum.
It’s also a gastrointestinal stimulant that can trigger peristalsis movement in your gastrointestinal tract. It’ll increase bowel movement and can lead to diarrhea.
Those people who are caffeine sensitive can suffer diarrhea when drinking caffeinated beverages like an energy drink. Studies found that it can cause a shift in hormone or bowel stimulation when consuming caffeine.
What Are The Drinks That Can Alleviate Upset Stomach?
You can drink water and chamomile tea instead of caffeinated beverages when suffering from an upset stomach.
It’s recommended to drink clear fluids when you’re suffering from an upset stomach until it feels relieved.
Water doesn’t have any additional ingredients and is loaded with electrolytes to replenish and hydrate the body.
If you have stomach pain, stick with water until you feel better and ready to have other mild beverages.
On the other hand, chamomile tea is a flavorful tea with soothing effects on the body.
It’s caffeine-free and a great alternative to black and green tea. And it’s good protection against several digestive problems, such as:
- diarrhea
- stomach ulcers
- nausea
- gas
Conclusion
Energy drinks can affect your stomach and bowel movement due to their ingredients and how you consume them.
Excessive consumption of energy drinks can cause different adverse effects, including stomach upset.
Caffeine, the main ingredient in energy drinks, can also stimulate your gastrointestinal tract, triggering peristalsis movement and the urge to poop, especially to a person with caffeine sensitivity.
It would help if you always considered moderate consumption of energy drinks.