Ulcerative Colitis and Caffeine

How does caffeine affect ulcerative colitis? We know that caffeine does not cause ulcerative colitis, but we do know that caffeine can worsen symptoms of a flare-up. This can mean increased irritability of the bowels, passing more blood in stools, and further worsening abdominal cramping.

I love my caffeinated drinks, especially soft drinks. Even energy drinks have been my friend from time to time. I have completely omitted these drinks from my diet on many occasions, only to have them creep back into my life in some way or form. While one soft drink isn't likely to cause my body to throw itself into another UC flare-up, continuing to drink them makes them become a part of my daily routine, which can put me at higher risk for active ulcerative colitis.

So, how exactly does caffeine worsen UC symptoms?

• Caffeine increases certain hormone levels in the body, including cortisol and epinephrine. These hormones can increase heart rate and alertness. Have you ever seen a medical TV show where a person is dying and the doctors call out for "Epi" STAT! This is epinephrine (also known as adrenaline), and is commonly used in medical emergencies to help prepare the body for critical situations by directing blood to the brain and muscles. By doing so, blood bypasses other body systems, such as the digestive system. This can lead to indigestion, which can irritate ulcerative colitis smptoms.
  
• Caffeine is a diuretic, meaning it will make a person void, or urinate. By forcing liquid from the kidneys, too much caffeine can essentially cause dehydration. The digestive tract requires a healthy amount of water to function normally, and if the body is dehydrated, it can produce harder stools, which can lead to consitpation. Constipation can irritate or worsen ulcerative colitis symptoms.
  
• Caffeine can interfere with a process called GABA metabolism. GABA is short for gamma-aminobutyric acid, and is is a neurotransmitter that is made by the digestive tract and the brain. GABA is unique because it essentially creates a calming effect for the digestive system. Caffeine acts to block GABA with their repective receptors, thus disrupting any calming effect on the gastrointestinal tract. For people with active ulcerative colitis, the lack of this calming mechanism can further worsen UC symptoms.

The simple recommendation for people with ulcerative colitis would be to avoid caffeine entirely, as the risks far outweigh the benefits. Of course, I am not a doctor, so you should always check with your physician for advice of this sort.

Personally, my goal is to completely remove caffeine from my diet. Though I am not a coffee drinker, my soft drink cravings could make this difficult. To start weaning, I will be drinking non-caffeinated soft drinks, such as root beer. Sprite and 7-up are good options too, but after mixing those with my go-litely and other nasty UC drinks, I can't even stomach the lemon-lime taste anymore. It's a work in progress, but I will get there.

Information and facts from this article were pulled from "Effects of Caffeine and Coffee on
Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Crohn’s Disease, & Colitis" [Source].