US, Nov. 11 -- If you drink coffee regularly, it appears to alter not only your gut bacteria but also the physiology of the gut itself. That is the conclusion of a study from the University of Copenhagen, which may help point the way towards better treatments for constipation.

A research team from the University of Copenhagen asked a group of Danish participants to swallow a small electronic capsule. As it travelled through the digestive tract, the capsule measured, among other things, transit time through the gastrointestinal system, temperature, pH levels and intestinal contractions.

The results confirmed that coffee affects the composition of gut bacteria, as previous studies have suggested. Frequent coffee drinkers had a greater di...