Warning: These 9 Drinks Make You Poop Immediately
TL;DR these 9 drinks can make you poop immediately:
- Coffee
- Prune Juice
- Magnesium Citrate
- Baking Soda + Water
- Lemon Juice
- Kefir
- Kombucha
- Castor Oil
- Herbal Tea
Sometimes you don’t have the luxury of chilling on the toilet until your turds work their way out. Maybe you’re late for work and hate pooping at the office. Or maybe you want to clear your colon before date night so you don’t have an emergency shit-uation later on.
No matter why you want to dump on-demand, we compiled a list of ten drinks that make you poop immediately.
Full disclosure: We can’t guarantee any of these drinks will trigger an instant bowel movement. But they’ll definitely put the odds in your favor. Trust us—we’ve experimented.
9 Drinks That Make You Poop Immediately
Most drinks that make you poop are loaded with dietary fiber and/or antioxidants. That’s no coincidence considering both promote gut health and help food pass through your digestive tract more easily.
Let’s take a look at ten of the best drinks for constipation relief. No matter which one you try, make sure you identify the nearest bathroom beforehand.
1. Coffee
If you gotta go when you drink your morning joe, that’s no coincidence. Coffee contains chlorogenic acid, which triggers the production of acid in your gastrointestinal tract. This makes your stomach contract and sends a signal to your brain that it’s time to poo.
This study found that 29% of people had the urge to defecate in as little as 20 minutes after drinking a cup of coffee
2. Prune Juice
Prunes are the holy grail of fruits that make you poop. They’re packed with magnesium, potassium, and sorbitol, all of which have natural laxative properties. Mayo Clinic recommends drinking 4-8 ounces of prune juice each morning to do the trick.
Prunes also contain two types of fiber (soluble fiber and insoluble fiber) which make stool easier to pass. This 2014 review found that eating 100 grams of prunes daily helped people poop more frequently compared to psyllium, the active ingredient in fiber supplements like Metamucil.
3. Magnesium Citrate
Magnesium citrate is an over-the-counter supplement that can make you poop in as little as one hour. It pulls water into your intestines, which softens your poop so it’s easier to pass.
If you’re consuming magnesium citrate for constipation, drink about 10 ounces of it, followed by a glass of water. It has a slight citrus taste, so it mixes well with fruit juice.
4. Baking Soda Solution
Baking soda is a natural antacid that people use to treat all sorts of digestive health issues, including heartburn, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and constipation.
To make a baking soda solution, pour a glass of water and mix in a tablespoon of baking soda until it dissolves. Sip it slowly on an empty stomach and wait for the action to start.
Baking soda is a popular home remedy for constipation, but there aren’t any scientific studies to verify these claims.
5. Lemon Juice
Lemons are a great source of vitamin C, an antioxidant that sends water into your gut to stimulate bowel movements. Just add the juice of half a lemon into a glass of warm water and drink the mixture on an empty stomach.
6. Kefir
Kefir, a fermented milk drink, has been shown to “accelerate colonic transit.” Translation: it makes you poop fast. Drinking kefir also improves stool consistency, reduces straining on the toilet, and boosts overall bowel satisfaction scores, according to the same study.
That’s because the probiotics and yeast in kefir promote the balance of healthy bacteria in your gut.
7. Kombucha
Kombucha is a fermented tea drink that’s full of probiotics. Kombucha enthusiasts have long touted the drink’s ability to keep them regular, but there’s no (official) evidence that kombucha will make you poop on command.
Then again, the placebo effect is a powerful thing: if you’re convinced kombucha will make you poop immediately, it just might.
8. Castor Oil
Castor oil is derived from the seeds of castor beans. It contains healthy fats and anti-inflammatory properties. People have been sipping it to stay regular for thousands of years. This isn’t some hippy-dippy snake oil though.
Castor oil is classified as a stimulative laxative by the FDA, which means it causes your intestinal muscles to contract and produce a bowel movement.
The standard dose of castor oil for constipation is one tablespoon. It tastes like petroleum jelly, so you might want to mix it with fruit juice for a more pleasant experience.
9. Herbal Tea
Tea may have a natural laxative effect for some people because it lubricates your digestive system and helps you relax. Plus it helps with hydration so your poop doesn’t dry out.
Don’t guzzle one of those canned teas loaded with sugar—that can plug you up even more. Instead, opt for one of these herbal teas:
- Peppermint tea
- Ginger tea
- Black tea
- Green tea
- Chamomile tea
- Seanna tea
How to Get Ahead of Constipation
The best way to beat constipation is by treating the underlying causes. When your body is primed for bowel movements, you don’t have to consult Dr. Google to flush your gut.
Not sure why you’re always plugged up? Here are some notorious culprits of chronic constipation:
- Dehydration: Think of your poop like dough—if it’s too dry it’s stiff and hard to maneuver. That’s why you need to drink plenty of water throughout the day to avoid constipation.
- Low fiber intake: Adult men need 30-38 grams of fiber per day for optimal digestive health. Some examples of high-fiber foods include berries, beans, legumes, and whole grains.
- Lack of exercise: When you don’t move, your digestive system “goes to sleep” and causes constipation. Aim for 30 minutes of physical activity daily to kick your colon into high gear—like these easy exercises for constipation relief.
- Traveling: Traveling throws your pooping routine out of whack (and probably your diet too). That’s why it can be challenging to “go” when you’re on the go.
- Holding in your poop: The longer you hold in your poop, the worse your constipation gets. In severe cases, chronic constipation turns into fecal impaction: a lump of hard, dry stool that’s stuck in your rectum.
Whether you’re guzzling coffee or brewing kombucha to make yourself poop ASAP, be ready for the aftermath with DUDE Wipes. No matter when the urge strikes, we’ll have your ass covered—literally.