Constipation Linked to Faster Brain Aging, Study Finds
Constipation lasting three days or more may accelerate brain aging by up to three years, according to research presented by a Thai brain specialist, with healthy diet and regular movement recommended as prevention.
On September 23, Professor Thiravat Hemachudha, a brain specialist, shared findings on Facebook showing that constipation may cause rapid brain aging. Tracking people constipated for three days or longer revealed significantly worse cognition equivalent to three years of additional cognitive aging. People who have bowel movements twice daily face a slightly elevated risk, linked to gut microbiota producing increased inflammatory substances, as reported at the Alzheimer's dementia conference in Amsterdam in July 2023.
To prevent cognitive decline, experts recommend eating healthily with vegetables, fruits, and fiber while reducing meat consumption and replacing it with fish. Natural movement such as walking is encouraged over intense cardio, particularly for those with cardiovascular risk factors. Long-term use of any laxatives increases dementia risk, so both severe constipation and prolonged laxative use are problematic.
US researchers found that abnormal intestinal function links to brain function. When constipation lasts three days before bowel movement, the brain ages by three years due to changes in gut microbiota, which reduces intestinal function and impairs brain efficiency, affecting cognition, comprehension, and memory.
