A study published Tuesday in Cell Reports Medicine highlights the significant impact of bowel movement frequency on long-term health, with the best outcomes associated with passing stools once or twice a day.
Previous research has linked constipation and diarrhea to higher risks of infections and neurodegenerative conditions. However, it was unclear if irregular bowel movements were a cause or result of these conditions.
“I hope this work will open clinicians’ minds to the potential risks of not managing bowel movement frequencies,” said Sean Gibbons, the study’s senior author from the Institute for Systems Biology, adding that doctors often view irregular movements as merely a “nuisance.”
According to an AFP report, the research team collected data from over 1,400 healthy adults, examining their clinical, lifestyle, and biological information, including gut microbiome and genetics. Participants’ bowel movement frequencies were categorized into four groups: constipation, low-normal, high-normal, and diarrhea.
The study found that in healthy individuals with constipation, there was an increase in bloodstream toxins, particularly burdensome to the kidneys. Conversely, those with diarrhea showed signs of inflammation and liver damage due to excessive bile acid excretion.
Gibbons noted that fiber-fermenting gut bacteria, associated with good health, thrived in the “Goldilocks zone” of one or two bowel movements a day. “More research is needed to define this optimal range more precisely,” he added.
The study also found demographic variations, with younger people, women, and those with a lower body mass index having less frequent bowel movements. Differences in hormone and neurological function between men and women and dietary intake could explain these variations.
Pairing biological data with lifestyle questionnaires, the team identified key factors for maintaining optimal bowel movement frequency. “Eating more fruit and vegetables, drinking plenty of water, regular physical activity, and a plant-dominant diet were the biggest signals we saw,” Gibbons said.