Does Cocaine Make You Poop? Causes And Relief

Clinical studies are beginning to see a correlation between the long-term effects of snorting or ingesting cocaine and pooping, constipation, and other gastrointestinal problems. Some street mixtures may have laxatives, further contributing to this phenomenon.

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Dr. Langdon M.D.

Medically Reviewed By: Kimberly Langdon M.D.

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The answer to ‘does cocaine make you poop’ is a little bit difficult to pin down, as cocaine is very rarely just cocaine.

Most street-quality coke substances are laced with solvents and other chemicals to purify the substance and ‘stretch’ the quantity of the freebase substance.

Some of the cheapest and most popular cutting agents and additives are caffeine and laxatives, two substances that are known to cause diarrhea and other ‘loose’ bowel problems.

These chemicals are present when smoking crack cocaine, a cheaper and more widely available form of cocaine, but both irritate the bowels and cause contractions in the intestinal muscles.

How Cocaine Makes You Poop

Cocaine causes you to poop by virtue of its stimulant nature, much like nicotine and methamphetamines.

This substance impacts the neurotransmitters in the brain, specifically the regulators of stress chemicals such as dopamine and serotonin.

With cocaine causing a release of serotonin, the digestive tract becomes spurred into action, thus producing bowel movements.

Cocaine’s Effect On Metabolism

People with a cocaine addiction have experienced dramatic shifts in weight, to both extremes, because of the effects of cocaine on the metabolism.

Cocaine has been found to reduce the body’s ability to store fat, as well as suppress the appetite. These effects together cause a lack of nutrients necessary to function properly.

If the body cannot retain certain vitamins and healthy fats, many of the bodily processes become unable to function properly, resulting in an unhealthy metabolism.

Cocaine’s Effect On The Digestive System

Cocaine can prevent blood vessels from reaching certain parts of the lower intestine as well as cause intestinal tissue to develop perforations in the bowels, causing abdominal pain.

Further, if the body is unable to properly store and retain fat, the digestive system, charged with regulating nutrients in the body, becomes malnourished.

This can lead to short-term effects of constipation, chest pain and abdominal pain, high blood pressure, intestinal ulcers, and potentially ischemic colitis.

Why Cocaine Makes You Poop

Cocaine can induce constipation or diarrhea depending on the purity of the mixture, what types of solvents are used, and more.

One of the best methods for determining the quality of any given cocaine sample is by how fast it makes you poop.

If you need to have a bowel movement following the use of cocaine, the faster you feel the need to satiate nature points to the purity of the cocaine product.

Generally, people who use cocaine report that feeling the need to use the restroom within five minutes of any given cocaine high means that your product is at least 70% pure, and so on.

Purity Of The Cocaine

The purity level of cocaine varies greatly depending on which additives and cutting agents are mixed with the pure product, a practice extremely prevalent with street vendors.

Many street sellers use these additives to ‘fluff’ the mix or to temper the acidic qualities of some solvents, such as laundry detergent and creatine.

Cutting Agents Used In The Cocaine

Many cheap cutting agents are used in the manufacturing process of cocaine.

Some cocaine cutting agents include:

  • laundry detergent
  • baking soda
  • talcum powder
  • kerosene and gasoline
  • cement
  • laxatives
  • creatine
  • caffeine

Ways To Relieve Cocaine-Related Bowel Movements

Fortunately, cocaine-induced pooping or other intestinal damage is reversible with over-the-counter laxatives, constipation medications, and other organic supplements.

Some methods of treating cocaine-related bowel movements are:

  • taking probiotics and other cocaine detox supplements or eating nutrient-rich foods
  • daily use of vitamins and minerals, including magnesium
  • anti-inflammatory vitamin C and E supplements
  • taking plant-based digestive enzymes

Treatment Programs For Cocaine Abuse

There are a number of cocaine addiction treatment programs available to assist people with a history of drug addiction to live a life of sobriety.

Some of these drug abuse treatment programs and services are:

  • inpatient and outpatient treatment
  • mental health services
  • drug use educational programs
  • substance abuse counseling
  • nutritional weight loss coaching to reverse the side effects of cocaine on the metabolism
  • medication-assisted treatment (MAT)
  • cocaine detox

Find Cocaine Treatment At Bedrock Recovery Center

If you or a loved one are in search of cocaine addiction recovery services, give our helpline a call to discuss obtaining a free referral to Bedrock Recovery Center.

  1. National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) https://nida.nih.gov/publications/drugfacts/cocaine

Written by Bedrock Recovery Center Editorial Team

© 2024 Bedrock Recovery Center | All Rights Reserved

* This page does not provide medical advice.

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