How often should you go to the bathroom to defecate? A study published Tuesday (16) in the journal Cell Reports Medicine showed that having a bowel movement once or twice a day improves long-term health.
The research found that gut bacteria known as “strict anaerobes,” which are linked to good health, thrive with just one or two bowel movements a day, although more studies are needed to confirm this hypothesis.
“I hope this work opens up doctors’ minds a little bit to the potential risks of not controlling the frequency of bowel movements,” says Sean Gibbons, lead author of the study, explaining that doctors often dismiss irregular bowel movements as just a “nuisance.”
Gibbons and his team collected clinical data, lifestyle data, and biological data — including gut microbiome and genetic data — among other things, from more than 1,400 adults who showed no signs of the disease.
According to the expert, to achieve this frequency, you need to eat fruits and vegetables, drink plenty of water, exercise regularly and follow a diet with a predominance of vegetables.
“Stuck stool” is not good.
During the study, bowel movements reported by participants were classified into four groups: constipation (one or two bowel movements per week), low bowel movements (three to six per week), high normal (one to three movements per day) and diarrhea.
When stool sits in the intestines for too long, bacteria ferment proteins and produce toxins. “We found that even in healthy people with constipation, there is an increase in these toxins in the bloodstream, which mainly damages the kidneys,” Gibbons explained.
In cases of diarrhea, the team found clinical chemistry tests that suggested inflammation and liver damage. Gibbons explained that during diarrhea, the body secretes excess bile acid, which the liver recycles to dissolve and absorb dietary fat.
(AFP)
Charlotte Whitmore is a contributor at Mediarunsearch.co.uk, covering a broad range of topics including news, politics, business, technology, sport, entertainment, and lifestyle. She focuses on delivering clear, balanced reporting and practical information that helps readers stay informed about current events and emerging developments. Her work highlights stories that matter to everyday audiences, with an emphasis on accuracy, relevance, and accessible journalism that keeps readers connected to the issues shaping the UK and beyond.