Are you having infrequent bowel movements, and when you do, is it hard and dry? Then, you’re constipating. Constipation is only one of several human gastrointestinal problems.
It is so prevalent with humans that the National Center for Biotechnological Information (NCBI) estimates that about 16% of adults and about 30% of children worldwide have had this issue.
Apart from lack of physical exercise, other things could be responsible for constipation. But is green tea among those that could cause constipation?
Not to worry! We’ll be examining the fact and proffering answers to this question right here.
What Causes Constipation?
There are several things responsible for constipation. Top on the list is nutrition habits. Eating food with little or no fiber, such as milk, egg, fast foods, and the likes, is a way to develop this problem.
Fiber helps with bowel movement, and that’s why your diet should contain fruits, veggies, whole grains, and lentils.
Also, people that do not have time for exercise are prone to constipation. An unhealthy habit of not answering the call to use the toilet will only worsen the situation.
A study by the NCBI established a correlation between age and constipation. People within the age of 65 and above are prone to this challenge. This is because people of this age are often fazed with dental issues, which later reduce their ability to chew or take fiber-rich content.
Also, people within this age usually abstain from physical activities that their body needs to facilitate bowel movement.
Meanwhile, some other causes include:
- Drugs (sedatives, antidepressants, and blood pressure-lowering pills)
- Pregnancy
- Mental health disorder
Does green tea cause constipation?
Working only with the available facts, green tea can cause constipation. However, many also believe it helps to prevent constipation, but there is a dearth of studies to validate this claim.
Dehydration is one of the results of pooing. As long as there is little water content in your diet, the movement in the colon will be slow, thereby decreasing moisture in the waste mass.
In addition, caffeine is known to cause dehydration, especially when it is present in the body in high quantities. Although green tea has only a little caffeine content, it can become too much in the body if you take the tea in excess.
Besides, green tea contains tannins – a type of polyphenols, which if consumed in large amounts can lead to acid reflux and nausea. This compound, if present in excess, can also hinder digestion, thereby resulting in constipation.
So, you’ll be watching out for more than just caffeine in your tea.
On the other hand, there is an argument that green tea helps to prevent constipation due to its laxative effect. As a result, some people drink it to make them use the toilet without difficulty.
Meanwhile, it is well established that green tea generally helps with digestion.
Another assumption is that green tea is fluid and should ease digestion and excretion as most fluids do. Studies revealed that caffeine causes and worsens diarrhea.
However, there aren’t enough studies to correlate the intake of green tea with the prevention of constipation.
How much green tea can cause constipation?
While it is good to know that green tea doesn’t contain much caffeine, one must be wary of drinking too much. Moreover, an excess quantity depends on the individuals.
Generally, green tea contains 30 to 50 mg of caffeine in an 8 oz (230ml) cup. Experts consider between 200-300 mg to be safe for adults. Some believe that 400 mg is ideal as long as you don’t have caffeine intolerance.
Caffeine is a diuretic, though mild, yet above these quantities can make you visit the toilet more than you expect. As a result, you may lose more fluid than necessary.
Consequently, depending on the type of green tea you’re drinking, one can consider 4-5 cups to be the limit. Anything more is putting oneself in danger of dehydration which is a harbinger of constipation.
You must be careful not to take more than 200 mg of caffeine (four 8 oz cups) at a seating. Consider at most two cups each serving to stay within healthy limits.
Safe Way to Drink Green Tea
Green tea is one of the best and popular teas around. Although it is frequently employed to resolve several health challenges, it has a side effect of causing constipation.
Nevertheless, this is not enough for you to abstain from drinking green tea. Just follow the rules.
The first among them is that you must take green tea responsibly. Remember that each cup increases the caffeine content in your body, which could lead to dehydration.
At the most, 3-4 cups a day should give you all you want from it without necessarily overdosing.
In the same light, you must not assume that you have enough fluid from drinking green tea. Ensure you drink an adequate quantity of water even after drinking your green tea.
Meanwhile, avoid taking this tea when your stomach is empty and after taking your medications.
You may also want to avoid drinking it when you’re about to sleep. It’s logical to know that you won’t be able to sleep due to the caffeine content.
Asides from that, research shows that one of the dangers of not being able to sleep is that you risk urinating more than usual. When this occurs, dehydration is inevitable, and constipation comes knocking.
If you begin to feel giddy after taking green tea, you should quickly reach for some water and drink surplus. That would help to urinate in little time, flushing out much of the caffeine.
Final Thoughts
If you feel the consumption of green tea is responsible for your constipation, you should tone down on the quantity you take daily or cease taking it for a while.
There are other teas and drinks with less caffeine content. Examples include white tea (6 to 55ml), cocoa beverages (4mg), and even water (0mg).
Moreover, you should ensure you eat enough fiber-rich food and fruit. Garden eggs, avocados, whole-grain meals, and pulses are just a few examples of what you’ll need to add to your diet regularly.
Another piece of advice is to lose your sedentary lifestyle and exercise more frequently. How about registering with a gym for some workout?
Lastly, should you notice that there is no improvement, see your doctor for a diagnosis. However, while constipation may not be a life-threatening issue, it can result in undesirable conditions.
