Regular Coffee Drinking May Prevent IBS, But Not for Everyone

A recent meta-analysis involving populations throughout the world found that people who regularly consume coffee may be less likely to develop irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) than non-coffee-drinkers.

However, the analysis showed conflicting results, suggesting that in some people coffee consumption may contribute to IBS, a highly prevalent disorder affecting the stomach and intestines with symptoms such as cramping, bloating, diarrhea, constipation and gas.

Led by a group of researchers in Singapore, the study published in the MDPI journal Nutrients found that regular coffee drinkers are 16% less likely to develop IBS than people who do not drink coffee. The 16% mark applies to regular coffee consumption of any amount.

The analysis landed on eight previous studies that met the research’s standards, ultimately including data from more than 432,000 people.

As is the case with many meta-analyses regarding coffee consumption and health, the study found a troubling lack of standardization in past scientific literature regarding what exactly constitutes coffee and how its intake is measured.

“In our meta-analysis, the pooled analysis inevitably loses some granularity by simply comparing any coffee drinkers to study controls or non-drinkers because the dose, preparation method, and constituents may influence the biological effects of coffee,” the authors wrote. “There is, unfortunately, a lack of a standardized approach among the primary studies to quantify the actual coffee intake.”

In general, the researchers attribute “bioactive” chemical compounds in coffee to its potential benefits regarding IBS prevention and overall gut health. They encouraged further research that involves more specific methodology regarding coffee consumption.

They wrote, “Future research in this area should (1) prioritise high-quality prospective cohort studies with well-documented coffee consumption (and exposure) and track the development of incident IBS in previously healthy individuals over time, and (2) investigate biological mechanisms.”

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