Dubai, United Arab Emirates (CNN) — In the first research to look at the effect of constipation on the aging brain, scientists have found some troubling links.
Research presented Wednesday at the Alzheimer’s Society International Conference in the Dutch capital, Amsterdam, found that chronic constipation was associated with a 73 percent increased risk of subjective cognitive decline.
Chronic constipation is a bowel movement every 3 days or more.
“Our study examined a wide spectrum of bowel movement frequency,” said Dr. Churan Ma, first author of the research and assistant professor in the Department of Nutrition at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, via email.
He continued, “We were surprised by how strong the associations were, especially for those with irregular bowel movements.”
About 16% of adults worldwide suffer from constipation, but it is more common among the elderly due to age-related factors, such as lack of exercise, consumption of dietary fiber, and use of medications with side effects that may cause constipation.
Chronic constipation has been linked to infections and mental disorders, such as anxiety and depression.
And there have been many unanswered questions about the relationship between digestive health and long-term cognitive function, according to a press release.
Cognitive function refers to a person’s mental ability to learn, think, reason, solve problems, make decisions, remember, and pay attention.
To find evidence for these inquiries, the authors assessed more than 112,000 adults who participated in the Nursing Health Study, the Nursing Health Study 2, and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study.
The first two studies looked at risk factors for major chronic diseases among women in North America, while the latest study looked at the same subjects, but only in men.
The research authors collected data on participants’ bowel movement frequency between 2012 and 2013, participants’ self-ratings of cognitive function between 2014 and 2017, and details of objectively measured cognitive function for some participants between 2014 and 2018.
Compared to people who pooped once a day, the researchers found that the constipated participants had significantly worse cognition.
An increased risk was found among those who pooped more than twice a day.
“The brain is not completely isolated from what’s going on in your blood flow,” said Maria C. Carrillo, chief scientific officer of the Alzheimer’s Association, who was not involved in the research.
Bowel movement and the brain
Ma said the research was not “designed to test for a causal relationship between bowel movement, the gut microbiome, and cognitive health…so we cannot firmly draw conclusions as to the exact causal sequence underlying this association.”
The researchers found that bowel movement frequency and subjective cognitive function were also associated with the participants’ gut microbiome.
Among those with irregular bowel movements and poor cognitive function, there was a deficiency in the good bacteria that produce butyrate, a fatty acid that supports the gut barrier, which in turn prevents bacteria and other microbes from entering the bloodstream, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
Butyrate also greatly aids in digestive health, by providing the main energy source for colon cells.
It can be found in high-fiber foods, fiber supplements, probiotics, and full-fat dairy products, eaten in moderation, such as butter, cheese, milk, or margarine.
In terms of nervous and digestive health, Carrillo said, “Good food not only nourishes our brains, but also promotes healthy bowel movements.”
And you must eat enough fiber, vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and nuts, as they can prevent constipation.
And total fiber intake should be at least 25 grams per day, according to the US Food and Drug Administration. Adequate hydration can cause stools to become softer so that a person can pass them without straining.
2023-07-20 06:32:46
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