2024-08-14 17:53:10
Constipation can be a risk factor for kidney damage and Parkinson’s disease. Researchers have discovered this in a new study.
Anyone who frequently suffers from constipation has enough problems. Now researchers at the University of Washington (USA) have discovered that infrequent bowel movements are also linked to the development of chronic diseases. The study was published in the journal “Cell”.
For the study, the research team analyzed the stool and blood samples of around 1,400 healthy Americans. They also asked the subjects about their bowel movements, eating habits, physical activity and stress levels. The aim was to find out how the frequency of bowel movements is related to the intestinal bacteria contained in them and the development of chronic diseases.
The result: Good bacteria were particularly well represented in subjects who had bowel movements once or twice a day. They primarily ferment fiber and produce vitamins and short-chain fatty acids.
In contrast, people who had a bowel movement less than twice a week (constipation) or more than four times a day (diarrhea) had particularly high levels of bacteria that tend to ferment proteins. This process can produce toxic degradation products, including the so-called toxin 3-indoxyl sulfate. This degradation product was particularly frequently detected in the blood of subjects with constipation.
Microbial toxins such as 3-indoxyl sulfate have long been suspected of causing organ damage to the kidneys and liver as well as neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s. High concentrations of these toxins can also be detected in people with these diseases. However, it was not known until now whether this was a coincidence.
The fact that constipation leads to high toxin concentrations in the blood even in healthy people is an important result for the researchers. Because it shows, according to them, that constipation is a risk factor for these diseases even in healthy people. Although the authors assume that the microbial toxins directly cause the organ damage, they themselves point out that the exact connections are not yet fully known.
Even though the study cannot yet provide a definitive link between constipation and chronic diseases, it does draw attention to the importance of a healthy gut. For the study authors, it is clear that people should pay attention to their gut health early on: “Overall, this study shows how the frequency of bowel movements can affect all body systems,” said Sean Gibbons, study author in a press release.
In general, regular bowel movements are considered to be beneficial for health. A diet rich in fiber, drinking enough fluids and regular exercise can all contribute to healthy and regular bowel movements.