Chronic constipation can cause more problems than digestive problems.
It could increase the risk of developing dementia, a new study of more than 110,000 middle-aged and older adults found.
Those who were chronically constipated, meaning they had fewer than three bowel movements a week, showed signs of an “older” brain, including performing worse on memory and thinking tests than their more “ordinary” counterparts.
The results were the equivalent of three extra years of aging.
A new study suggests that middle-aged and older adults with constipation had a higher risk of developing dementia
Participants with constipation were also 73 percent more likely to say their cognitive skills declined.
While these are early findings, the study suggests that the gut microbiome may be linked to brain health.
Constipation can be a sign of a diet lacking in essential high-fiber foods such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Fiber also has anti-inflammatory properties, which is crucial because inflammation is a major driver of brain aging and dementia.
“These results highlight the importance of clinicians discussing gut health, particularly constipation, with their elderly patients,” said Dr. Dong Wang, senior author of the study.
The findings, presented this week at a meeting of the Alzheimer’s Association in Amsterdam, were based on data from three large studies. From 2012 to 2013, participants reported their bowel movements, and between 2014 and 2017, they rated themselves on cognitive functioning.
A group of participants also underwent memory and thinking tests between 2014 and 2018.
On average, the researchers found that these cognitive scores were lower in those who reported chronic constipation compared to those who had one bowel movement per day.
The link between cognitive health and the gut microbiome has been evaluated in other recent studies.
In additional research presented at the conference, researchers at UT Health San Antonio found that middle-aged and older adults with poor cognition had lower levels of healthy gut bacteria.
Dementia is an umbrella term used to describe a range of progressive neurological conditions (affecting the brain) that affect memory, thinking, and behavior.
Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, accounting for 60 to 70 percent of all cases, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Common symptoms include memory loss, poor judgment, confusion, repetitive questions, difficulty communicating, taking longer to perform normal daily tasks, acting impulsively, and mobility problems.
A low-fiber diet is a major cause of constipation. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) estimates that 95 percent of Americans don’t get enough.
Fruits, vegetables and whole grains such as avocados, oats, apples, artichokes, lentils, quinoa and chia seeds are high in fiber.
The research presented is considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.
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