Everyone has to go to the bathroom, but not everyone does so every day. According to new research from the Institute for Systems Biology (ISB), how often you poop could have a significant impact on your long-term health.
The ISB-led research team delved into the clinical, lifestyle, and multi-omic data of over 1,400 healthy adults. They discovered that the frequency of bowel movements can play a crucial role in one’s physiology and overall health. Their groundbreaking findings are set to be published in Cell Reports Medicine on July 16.
The researchers analyzed data from willing participants of the consumer wellness company Arivale, focusing on generally healthy adults while excluding those with specific health conditions or medication use.
The study categorized self-reported bowel movement frequency into four groups: constipation (one or two bowel movements per week), low-normal (between three and six bowel movements per week), high-normal (between one and three bowel movements per day), and diarrhea.
Once the data was categorized, the team investigated associations between bowel movement frequency and various factors like demographics, genetics, gut microbiome, blood metabolites, and plasma chemistries.
The research revealed significant associations between age, sex, body mass index (BMI), and bowel movement frequency. Younger individuals, women, and those with a lower BMI tended to have less frequent bowel movements.
“Past studies have highlighted the impact of bowel movement frequency on gut ecosystem function,” explained Johannes Johnson-Martinez, the lead author of the study. “When stool lingers in the gut for too long, microbes exhaust all available dietary fiber, fermenting it into beneficial short-chain fatty acids. However, prolonged stool retention leads to protein fermentation, producing toxins that can enter the bloodstream.”
The study also uncovered that the composition of study participants’ gut microbiomes closely correlated with their bowel movement frequency. Fiber-fermenting gut bacteria, which are linked to good health, thrived when individuals had a Goldilocks zone of one to two bowel movements per day. On the other hand, constipated individuals had bacteria associated with protein fermentation, while those experiencing diarrhea had bacteria typically found in the upper gastrointestinal tract.
Furthermore, various blood metabolites and plasma chemistries demonstrated significant connections with bowel movement frequency, indicating potential links between bowel health and the risk of chronic diseases. Byproducts of microbially derived protein fermentation, such as p-cresol-sulfate and indoxyl-sulfate, known to harm the kidneys, were elevated in the blood of individuals reporting constipation.
Indoxyl-sulfate levels were particularly linked to diminished kidney function, suggesting a causal relationship between bowel movement frequency, gut microbial metabolism, and organ damage in this healthy group of participants.
Individuals who reported consuming a fiber-rich diet, staying well-hydrated, and engaging in regular exercise were more likely to fall within the desirable bowel movement frequency range.
“Chronic constipation has been associated with neurodegenerative disorders and the progression of chronic kidney disease. However, it has been unclear whether bowel movement abnormalities precede chronic diseases and organ damage or if these associations in sick patients are coincidental,” said Dr. Sean Gibbons, ISB associate professor and corresponding author of the study.
“In this study, we demonstrate that constipation, in particular, is linked to elevated levels of microbially derived toxins that can harm organs prior to the onset of any disease. This highlights the potential importance of managing bowel movement frequency, even in healthy individuals, to optimize health and well-being.”
The research also explored the relationship between bowel movement frequency and anxiety and depression, underscoring the connection between mental health and one’s bathroom habits.
“This study underscores how bowel movement frequency can impact all bodily systems, and how deviations from the norm may increase the risk of chronic diseases,” Gibbons emphasized. “These findings could guide strategies for regulating bowel movement frequency, even in healthy populations, to enhance overall health and quality of life.”
