For some people, coffee may increase the urge to use the bathroom. It stimulates the muscles in your colon, which can produce a natural laxative effect ( 58 , 59 ). This is largely due to the effects of coffee on gastrin, a hormone that is released after eating.

Is coffee an instant laxative?

For many of us, nothing quite gets us going in the morning like a cup of coffee. And when I say gets us going, I mean both mentally and physically, because it's no secret that for a lot of the population, coffee has an incredibly rapid laxative effect.

Is coffee a laxative for everyone?

While coffee may have a laxative effect in some people, whether it's the coffee or the caffeine is unclear. Coffee's effect is not solely due to caffeine, since decaf coffee has shown the same or an even greater effect.