ZURICH, Switzerland – A study examining the perceived impact on irritable bowel disorder, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis has concluded that some patients attribute gastric distress to coffee consumption, whiles others don’t.

Researchers in Switzerland surveyed 442 patients about their coffee habits and were surprised at what they found. Findings are published in the Aug. 12 edition of the Nutrition Journal.

About 73 percent of the 442 patients participating in the survey regularly drink coffee. About 96 percent of those patients with IBD blamed coffee for part of their gastric disturbance.
Among those who don’t drink coffee 62 percent attribute intestinal symptoms to coffee.

Researchers conclude a substantial fraction of IBD patients identify regular coffee consumption as an impacting factor on their intestinal symptoms. Of Crohn’s patients, 54 percent of patients surveyed say coffee impacts their symptoms, whereas only 20 percent of ulcerative colitis patients did.

Overall, 38 percent of all 442 patients think coffee impact their symptoms.
Even though patients think coffee impacts their GI symptoms, they do not abstain from drinking it.

Dr. Alethea Fleming, ND, at Vital Aging Clinic in Anacortes, Wash. said “The power of ritual is something that is often overlooked and under-appreciated in modern medicine.

“For many patients having that first of the morning cup of coffee is a critical ritual in their day and one that needs to be respected,” Fleming said. “Even if drinking coffee causes notable problems, many people persist with the habit because it is so deeply ingrained for them.”

She suggests doctors speak to their patients “to explore if there are other ways to observe the ritual, but minimize the harm.”

“Even encouraging patients to simply drink their coffee with cream can mitigate some of the effects, because the milk proteins bind with some of the irritating compounds present and reduce gastric discomfort,” Fleming said.

Fleming suggests trying alternative beverages such as teas, Teechino or Postum (a chicory-based coffee) or simply hot water with lemon.

http://www.nutritionj.com/content/14/1/78

 

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