Age, sex and body mass index are “significantly related” with bowel movement frequency, according to a study that delves into the relationship between long-term health and the frequency of bowel movements.
The results are published in the journal Cell Reports Medicine and the research, which examines, among other things, clinical and lifestyle data from more than 1,400 adults, is led by researchers from the Institute for Systems Biology in Seattle, United States.
Frequency as a key factor
According to the researchers, the frequency of defecation can have a major influence on physiology and health. The study focused on generally healthy adults and excluded those with certain conditions or took medication.
The team classified self-reported bowel movement frequency into four groups: constipation (one to two bowel movements per week), low-normal (three to six bowel movements per week), high-normal (one to three bowel movements per day) and diarrhea, the institute said in a statement.
The study found that age, sex and body mass index (BMI) were “significantly related” with bowel movement frequency. Specifically, younger people, women, and those with a lower BMI tended to have fewer bowel movements.
The researchers showed, among other things, that the composition of the participants’ gut microbiomes was a telltale sign of bowel movement frequency.
Potential links between gut health and chronic disease risk
For example, byproducts of protein fermentation of microbial origin that are known to damage the kidneys, such as p-cresol and indoxyl sulfate, were more present in the blood of the people with constipationwhile chemicals linked to liver damage were higher in people with diarrhea.
Unsurprisingly, the scientists say, those who reported eating a high-fiber diet, staying hydrated and exercising regularly tended to rank higher when it came to bowel movements.
Constipation and disease development
Chronic constipation has been linked to neurodegenerative disorders and the progression of chronic kidney disease in patients with active disease, says Sean Gibbons, senior author on the paper.
However, it was not clear, he added, whether bowel abnormalities are early drivers of chronic disease and organ damage, or whether these retrospective associations in sick patients are merely coincidental.
Here, in a generally healthy population, we show that constipation, in particular, is associated with blood levels of microbial toxins known to cause organ damage, prior to any disease diagnosis,” Gibbons summarizes.
The study also explored associations between bowel movement frequency and anxiety and depression, indicating that mental health history is connected to the frequency.
“Overall, this work shows how bowel movement frequency can influence all body systems and how aberrant periodicity can be an important risk factor in the development of chronic diseases,” Gibbons concludes.
(With information from EFE)
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