Bowel disorders

There are many other disorders of the large intestine that have a variety of causes, including Irritable Bowel Syndrome (a group of intestinal symptoms including pain, nausea, constipation and diarrhoea) and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (a disease associated with inflammation or chronic swelling of the intestines). Crohn’s Disease is a specific type of chronic inflammatory disease of the digestive tract, and Ulcerative Colitis (UC) is associated with ulcers in the colon and rectum.

As with other common gastrointestinal disorders, individuals often regulate their own diet based on perceived symptoms and there is no indication that coffee influences the course of these disorders.

Inflamatory Bowel Disease (IBD)

• A narrative review investigating the role of foods in IBD leading to development of the Groningen anti-inflammatory diet (GrAID), concluded that coffee consumption does not need to be restricted in this diet⁶
• A 2022 meta-analysis investigating differences in the environmental and dietary risk factors for IBD between Eastern and Western populations, identified coffee intake as a protective factor in relation to IBD²⁵  
• A 2024 case control study among Arab populations concluded that frequent consumption of coffee and tea was inversely associated with Crohn’s Disease, although further research is recommended to confirm the associations and mechanisms²⁶

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

• A 2023 meta-analysis suggested that coffee drinkers (any intake) had a 16% reduced likelihood of developing IBS compared to controls, although the authors advised that further research is required⁷
• A 2021 study suggested that there maybe a gender difference in the association, with the authors concluding that there may be an association between coffee consumption and IBS in women but not in men. Frequency of coffee consumption and obesity were considered to be confounding factors²⁷

Ulcerative Colitis (UC)

• A2017 meta-analysis evaluating six studies showed that coffee consumption tended to be inversely associated with UC risk, but it was not significant and was confounded by smoking⁸
• A 2024 case control study in Japan suggested that no association was observed between consumption of decaffeinated coffee, black tea, green tea, or oolong tea and the risk of UC. The authors additionally suggested that total caffeine intake was inversely associated with the risk of UC²⁸