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New research found a correlation between chronic constipation and a 73% increased risk of subjective cognitive deterioration, according to scientists. Chronic constipation is classified as having a bowel movement only once every three days or less often.
The study was presented on Wednesday, July 19, at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference in Amsterdam, according to CNN.
Constipation affects around 16% of individuals globally. However, it is more frequent in the elderly because of age-related variables such as decreased physical activity, reduced fiber intake, and medication side effects.
According to a news release, chronic constipation is associated with inflammation and mental problems, including anxiety and depression. Nevertheless, many uncertainties remain regarding the connection between gut health and long-term cognitive performance.
The ability to learn, think, reason, problem solve, make decisions, recall, and pay attention are all examples of cognitive function.
Studies That Shed Light on These Questions
The authors analyzed data from almost 112,000 individuals who took part in the Nurses' Health Study, Nurses' Health Study II, and Health Professionals Follow-Up Study to help shed light on these questions. The first two studies looked at the variables that put women in North America at risk for developing chronic illnesses, while the third did the same for males.
The current study gathered data on participants' bowel movement frequency from 2012 to 2013, their self-assessments of cognitive performance from 2014 to 2017, and some individuals' objectively evaluated cognitive function from 2014 to 2018.
The scientists observed that constipated patients experienced cognitive aging comparable to three years more than those who defecate once a day. People who had more than two bowel movements every day also had a slightly increased risk.
Alzheimer's Association chief science officer Maria Carrillo, who was not involved in the study, said, "The more we learn about the gut-brain access, the more we understand that it's just so important to ensure that (preventing or addressing cognitive decline) is a system approach."
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Brain Processes and Bowel Habits
Dr. Chaoran Ma, the study's first author and assistant professor of nutrition at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, said this research was not meant to examine the causal association between bowel movements, the gut microbiome, and cognitive health. As a result, it is difficult to determine the exact chain of events that led to the emergence of this correlation.
The scientists also observed that gut microbiomes affected bowel movement frequency and cognitive performance.
The gut barrier stops bacteria and other germs from entering the circulation, and the Cleveland Clinic reports that those with irregular bowel movements and worse cognitive function have less beneficial bacteria that make butyrates, fatty acids that sustain the barrier.
"Further studies are needed to identify the microbes involved and their function," Ma stated.
"Good food not only feeds our brain, but it also promotes healthy bowel movements," Carrillo added, referring to the connection between the digestive system and the neurological system.
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