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WriterWriter at Xataka. I studied education and music, but since 2014 I've been writing about my passion: video games and technology. I specialize in product analysis, photography, and video. My body is 70% coffee.
Alba Mora
WriterAn established tech journalist, I entered the world of consumer tech by chance in 2018. In my writing and translating career, I've also covered a diverse range of topics, including entertainment, travel, science, and the economy.
Poop serves as an important indicator of gut health. In Australia, employees are even encouraged to use restroom breaks at work. People often use this time to read or scroll through their phones and even share their experiences on social media. However, paying closer attention to what happens in the toilet is important.
In fact, the timing and frequency of bowel movements reveal much about your long-term health.
Cause or consequence? Researchers have conducted numerous studies on the significance of bowel habits, including the ideal timing and frequency. They’ve also studied characteristics such as stool shape, size, and texture. Some studies have linked constipation to a higher risk of infections and chronic diarrhea to neurodegenerative diseases.
However, these findings were primarily based on subjects who already had certain health conditions. This raises the question of whether bowel issues were a cause or a result of these conditions. A team from the Institute for Systems Biology recently carried out some research to try to address this uncertainty.
The study. Researchers analyzed several clinical, genetic, microbiological, and lifestyle factors among 1,400 healthy adults. Participants reported their frequency of bowel movements, classified as follows:
- Once or twice a week: Constipation
- Three to six times a week: Low normal
- One to three times a day: High normal
- More than three times a day: Diarrhea
“Goldilocks zone.” The team discovered that individuals who maintained a high-fiber diet, exercised regularly, and stayed well-hydrated experienced healthier bowel movements. Researchers humorously referred to this ideal range as the “Goldilocks zone,” a term used to describe a situation that is "just right," which encompasses one to two bowel movements per day.
According to researchers, this frequency represents the optimal balance between the microbiome and several physiological markers. As such, deviations from this balance can lead to digestive problems.
The Bristol Stool Chart. The ideal stool shape is types 3 and 4.
More serious than it sounds. “If stool sticks around too long in the gut, microbes use up all of the available dietary fiber, which they ferment into beneficial short-chain fatty acids. After that, the ecosystem switches to fermentation of proteins, which produces several toxins that can make their way into the bloodstream,” author Johannes Johnson-Martinez explains.
The by-products of protein fermentation, such as p-cresol sulfate and indoxyl sulfate, can reach the kidneys, causing damage in cases of constipation. In contrast, during diarrhea, stool rapidly passes through the intestine, leading to clinical parameters associated with liver damage. In short, constipation can harm the kidneys, while diarrhea can affect the liver.
Chronic conditions. Author Sean Gibbons points out that chronic constipation has been linked to neurodegenerative disorders and the ongoing progression of kidney disease. However, it’s still unclear whether this abnormality in bowel movements serves as an early warning sign of chronic diseases or organ damage.
Moreover, the study investigates how bowel movement frequency relates to anxiety and depression, establishing a connection between mental health and gastrointestinal health. Researchers have found that bowel movement frequency is linked to all body systems and can serve as a risk factor for developing chronic diseases.
Authors hope the medical field takes bowel movements seriously to “optimize health and wellness,” even in healthy populations. Importantly, you should neither hold the urge nor force a bowel movement because this can artificially prolong the time stool spends in your gut.
Understanding your poop. Having a different frequency from once or twice a day can still be considered normal. The real concern arises when irregularity becomes chronic. As such, you should investigate potential health issues or consider if you follow a low-fiber diet lacking in fruit and vegetables.
Your diet and lifestyle are intrinsically linked to your bowel movements. Regularly monitoring your stool is a simple way to gauge intestinal health. Additionally, there are apps available that utilize AI to analyze how your poop looks.
Timing matters. Being in the “Goldilocks zone” of bowel movements is important. However, recent studies have also examined the importance of timing. They found that gastrointestinal activity decreases significantly at night while it increases during the day, especially after waking up or eating.
The optimal time for a bowel movement is around half an hour after waking up because the colon becomes activated after a night’s rest. However, having a bowel movement later than this doesn’t necessarily indicate a problem.
Images | Giorgio Trovato | Nasim Shokohui et al.
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