# Does anyone know if decaffeinated products cause diarrhea?



## NANCY588 (Oct 29, 2001)

I wonder what chemicals or process is used to remove caffeine - and how or if it effects our bowels!!


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## c100176 (Feb 3, 2004)

what products? I think some products, caffeinated or not can cause problems. But you never know, I can handle caffeine-free sodas once in a while, but I can't have them often or they get me, now coffee, I cannot even look at!!


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## m_m_forth (Oct 21, 2003)

Apparently decaf and regular coffee have an enzyme in it that is a GI irritant.


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## BBDM (Oct 17, 2003)

I drink decaf tea and pepsi and have had no trouble at all with either. My doctor even told me to drink them, so I don't know if there's anything in them that would cause diarrhea.


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## Julianna (Sep 8, 2003)

I have far less trouble with decaf diet sodas and coffee than I do with the regular caffeinated beverages. I do not know the methods by which drinks are decaffeinated but I haven't experienced any trouble with them.


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## raeofsunshine (Mar 22, 2004)

most regular cafeinated sodas are caffinated( or more caffeination is added) with the caffeine stripped from the decaf coffee. decaf coffee still has caffene in it but ony 1/4- 1/3 the amount of regular.herbal teas (mint, berry, chammomile) are naturally uncafeinated while brews like orange pekoe and green has more caffeine than coffee.


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## NarmatDCL (Dec 22, 2003)

My first GI dr. said to cut out all coffee. My current GI dr (who did more for me in one appointment than my other one ever did) said I can have decaf coffees or drinks. I do try to limit them as I think they have some effect on me. But I used to drink regular coffee in the morning and then when I would come home from picking up my son from school, make another pot in the afternoon. No wonder my system was so much more worse. Now, I've cut out a lot of caffeine and take elavil, buspar, bentyl, Lomotil and Immodium (as needed to supplement the rest!).


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## flux (Dec 13, 1998)

> quote:Apparently decaf and regular coffee have an enzyme in it that is a GI irritant.


Coffee is not known to be generally "irritating" to the intestine like rubbing salt in a wound. Coffee with caffeine may influence motility (increasing it), but I suspect a person who drinks regularly may have built up any tolerance to any effect it would have. Decaffeinated coffee does not have any specific effect over the gut that it isn't present in regular coffee.See http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov:80/entrez/quer...st_uids=2338272 and http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov:80/entrez/quer...st_uids=9581985 for the details.


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## Trudyg (Aug 16, 2002)

It sure bothers me, that's all I know. Sometimes even the decaf versions get me, but the full caf ones do each and every time.


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## c100176 (Feb 3, 2004)

coffee bothers a vast majority of IBS'ers, so instead of disputing the obvious, just find an alternative that is known to be safe by you....why risk it?


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## ebbie (May 4, 2004)

i'm a caffeine freak! i don't know how i could go on without caffeine... i have found that drinking lots of water - or crystal lite is great in the morning. i'm also a smoker so i tend to always have something to drink when i smoke, so i drink lots of liquid throughout the day...


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## m_m_forth (Oct 21, 2003)

most regular cafeinated sodas are caffinated( or more caffeination is added) with the caffeine stripped from the decaf coffee. decaf coffee still has caffene in it but ony 1/4- 1/3 the amount of regular.herbal teas (mint, berry, chammomile) are naturally uncafeinated while brews like orange pekoe and green has more caffeine than coffee. _________________________________________________This post is horribly wrong! Decaf coffee essentially has NO caffeine in it. Tea, brewed to a normal concentration has about half the caffeine coffee has, which is about the same as colas. What I said about the enzyme in coffee before was slightly incorrect. What I meant to say is that this enzyme is thought to be particularly irritating to those with GI disorders (check out Heather Van Vorous' website, it's from there). Personally, I do fine with coffee or any form of caffeine. But I am the weirdest IBSer there is, with totally uniqure triggers. I often wonder if I have it at all or something different altogether. I did give up regular consumption of caffeine anyway as I hate how it bounces my blood sugar and mood around. I also hate addictions.


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