Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), a common condition affecting the neural-stomach axis, is well-known to have significant societal and economic repercussions, as well as a profound influence on people’s social functioning and quality of life. According to recent research, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) affects up to 10% of the global population.
This condition has a detrimental influence on work production, engagement in extracurricular activities, and absenteeism. According to various studies, diet is a significant component typically related to irritable bowel syndrome since it can help lessen symptoms. A meta-analysis of eight studies, including 432,022 people, found a possible relationship between coffee drinking and a lower risk of developing irritable bowel syndrome.
Coffee consumers may have a reduced incidence of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) than non-drinkers, according to the findings; this protective effect is maintained even after adjusting for coffee abstainers. Despite the fact that the meta-analysis acknowledged several limitations, the association remained noteworthy.
It wasn’t easy to develop solid conclusions or establish dose-response correlations since the primary studies differed in quality, characterized exposure variables (coffee intake) differently, and utilized different groups as comparisons. Some of the variables that made the experiment more difficult were the components, the brewing technique, and the need for more conventional protocols for assessing coffee intake. Â
Whatever the situation may be, there is historical evidence that coffee may help prevent IBS. Coffee’s constituents, such as polyphenols, diterpenes, trigonelline, and melanoidins, have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory characteristics that may have an impact on gastrointestinal health. Potential methods include maintaining the intestinal barrier, changing the makeup of gut flora, and reducing bile acid production. Â
According to the meta-analysis, the protective advantages of coffee were more evident in individuals who drank instant or ground coffee. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) appears to be more frequent in coffee drinkers, implying a dose-response association between the two. Still, there needs to be a uniform technique to quantify coffee intake across research, which is an issue that has to be addressed. Â
Despite the study’s mixed results, other primary studies have found a relationship between coffee and an increased incidence of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The bulk of this research is cross-sectional, which opens the door to reverse causality and ascertainment bias. Â
Additional study on parameters such as brewing methods, coffee varietals, and portion amounts is required to understand the complicated link between coffee and IBS fully. In order to better understand the intricate interactions with IBS, future research should strive to give more accurate characterizations of coffee consumption. The effects of coffee on the gut microbiota, bile acid production, and the gut-brain axis are three intriguing topics that may be studied further. Â
Furthermore, further research on this issue is needed due to the complexity and individual diversity of coffee’s effects; yet, the meta-analysis successfully highlights the relationship between coffee and the lower prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Future efforts to curb the epidemic may involve tailored nutritional counseling, which may be part of an ongoing study into the complicated linkages between diet, gut health, and the development of irritable bowel syndrome. Â
Journal Reference Â
Lee, J. Y., Yau, C. Y., Loh, C. Y. L., Lim, W. S., Teoh, S. E., Yau, C. E., … Ng, Q. X. (2023). Examining the Association between Coffee Intake and the Risk of Developing Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Retrieved from https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/15/22/4745Â
