Constipation found to be linked to cognitive decline: Report

Constipation seems like a normal affair. It is not something that is considered unmanageable. There are a number of treatments and medicines to manage the situation. But some of us who suffer from chronic constipation can attest to the fact that the condition can come in the way of healthy living. But now, a research has indicated that chronic constipation may have some other consequences. These effects on a person's health may makeall of us take note of a seemingly everyday affair and take steps to improve our health.

Chronic constipation has now beenlinked to cognitive decline, say media reports.

The research was reportedly presented at Alzheimer’s Association International Conference in Amsterdam on Wednesday (July 19).

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“Our study provided first-of-its-kind evidence that examined a wide spectrum of bowel movement frequency,” said Dr Chaoran Ma, the research’s first author and assistant professor in the Department of Nutrition at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

“We were surprised at how strong the associations were, especially for those with very infrequent bowel movements.”

Dr Ma was quoted by CNN.

According to the United States' National Library of Medicine, about 16 per cent of adults in the world experience constipation. However, the occurrence of the condition is more common among older adults due to age-related factors like lack of exercise and poor diet. The cause may also be medicines which can cause constipation as a side effect.

Chronic constipation has also been linked with mental disorders such as anxiety and depression.

The study has attempted to find links between constipation and its effect on cognitive functions.

The term 'Cognitive functions' refers to a person's capacity to think, learn, and reason as well as to make decisions, solve problems, memory and attention.

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The authors of the study made an assessment of more than 112,000 adults who had taken part in Nurses’ Health Study, Nurses’ Health Study II and Health Professionals Follow-Up Study. They collected data on participants' bowel movement frequency from the year 2012 to 2013. Then data from participants' self-assessment of cognitive function between 2014 and 2017 was analysed.

Data from the objective measurement of participants' cognitive functions (2014-2018) was also analysed.

It was found that compared to people who passed stools once a day, patients who were constipated showed cognitive ageing equivalent to three years.

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