Irregular bowel schedules, particularly constipation and diarrhea, are so common that people often see them as mere annoyances. However, a new study suggests they may increase the risk of chronic diseases.
We found that chronic constipation or diarrhea may be an indication of organ damage and chronic disease, even in "healthy populations,” the researchers wrote in the study, published in "Cell Reports Medicine."
The authors found that people who have less than one bowel movement a day have higher levels of uremic toxins, which are related to chronic kidney diseases, inflammation, and oxidative stress. Meanwhile, having one to two bowel movements daily was linked to more beneficial bacteria.
They also found that those who frequently have diarrhea have elevated markers of inflammation and bilirubin, which can indicate liver damage.
An abundance of literature links abnormal bowel frequency to conditions like Parkinson’s disease and chronic kidney disease. However, this new study suggests the importance of gut health and chronic disease. “It’s less known whether these abnormalities are causally influencing the development of chronic disease or are simply a coincidence,” reports Professor Sean Gibbons, one of the study’s authors, told The Epoch Times.
The researchers used a comprehensive set of biological, health, diet, and lifestyle data from 1,425 healthy participants to study the associations between bowel movement frequency and factors like gut microbiome composition and blood proteins in healthy individuals.
Constipation and Diarrhea Affect Gut Health
Constipation affects the gut ecosystem and is linked to chronic diseases.
“The gut ecosystem largely focuses on fermenting dietary fiber. That’s sort of the main function of the microbiome; it takes fibers and ferments them into organic [fatty] acids,” explained corresponding author Dr. Gibbons.
Dr. Gibbons noted that if stool stays too long in the gut, microbes exhaust the dietary fibers and start consuming proteins from the mucus layer. This shift to consuming proteins ends up producing a lot of toxins known to damage our organs, he explained. One such toxin often produced in constipation is indoxyl sulfate (3-IS), which is linked to poorer kidney function. This gut imbalance results in fewer organic fatty acids being produced from dietary fibers, contributing to poor health and chronic disease progression.
When we looked at people with diarrhea, we saw that markers of liver dysfunction and inflammation were higher, Dr. Gibbons said.
A healthy gut microbiome prevents inflammation and colonization from pathogens, but diarrhea disrupts the microbiome, driving up inflammation. Dr. Gibbons postulates that diarrhea may also harm the liver, as the rapid movement of stool prevents the reabsorption of bile acids, which the liver produces to digest dietary fats.
This loss burdens the liver to produce more bile acids, contributing to liver dysfunction.
Bacteria Abundance Linked to Bowel Movements
The researchers explored how bowel movement frequency (BMF) variations affect different molecules in the body, organ function, and disease.
Participants’ BMF was categorized into four groups: constipation (passing stool once or twice a week), low-normal (three to six times a week), high-normal (one to three times a day), and diarrhea (four times a day).
The researchers found that specific gut bacteria are more or less abundant depending on how often people have bowel movements. For instance, beneficial bacteria associated with dietary fiber fermentation were more abundant in those with one to two bowel movements a day. In contrast, people who regularly suffered from constipation and diarrhea had more potentially pathological bacteria in their upper gastrointestinal tract.
Bowel Movements Linked to Diet, Lifestyle, and Mental State
The researchers also looked at potential associations between BMF and demographic factors like age, sex, body mass index (BMI), and mental state. Results showed the following:
- Higher snack intake was linked to low-normal BMF.
- Higher intake of fruits and vegetables, easier bowel movements, and more frequent diarrhea were linked to high-normal BMF.
- Individuals with lower low-density lipoprotein (better cholesterol) reported eating more fruit.
- Those with lower C-reactive protein (less inflammation) reported eating more vegetables.
The study also found that people with siblings or family members with a history of depression or anxiety experienced abnormal bowel frequency. Similarly, individuals with a personal history of depression or anxiety disorders were also associated with decreased bowel movement frequencey.
These findings align with recent research showing that constipation is linked to an increased risk of depression and anxiety.
Lifestyle Changes to Improve Gut Health
The study emphasized that “common-sense dietary and lifestyle changes, like increasing intake of fruits and vegetables, may help normalize BMF and perhaps reduce BMF-associated risk.”
Dr. Gibbons illustrated that the microbes in the gut act like an engine, transforming what we consume into the body’s biomass. However, this engine doesn’t burn clean and produces toxic byproducts. “Our body is designed to deal with the toxicity, however not chronically then starts causeing damage.”
Fortunately, with the right plan we can improve the bowel movement frequency through diet and supplements.
Dr. Gibbons explained that feeding the microbes with fiber can sometimes help correct the physiological processes associated with increased disease risk but we know there is much more to it than that.” Taking prebiotics and probiotics, including fermented foods like yogurt, sauerkraut, and kimchi, are also good sources of probiotics.
When asked about an ideal bowel schedule, Dr. Gibbons suggested that having a bowel movement at least daily is highly recommended and twice would be better!
Currently, it appears that people and most Doctors don't view bowel movement abnormalities as a cause for concern. “I think our work is showing that it is a vital component of what needs to be managed in our health care,” said Dr. Gibbons.
In Summary and Specifically to our Parkinson's Disease patients
It is well know that medications commonly prescribed for Parkinson's Disease (and other conditions) will directly cause or worsen your constipation which of course, now starts to complicate your progression and directly affecting your quality of life.
We encourage you to schedule some time directly with Dr. Koehler or someone from our team to talk about you need help with the most as your life may depend upon it.