The Astonishing Symptom of Dementia You Didn’t Know About
Chronic constipation can have far-reaching consequences beyond discomfort in the digestive system.
Recent research shows that it may be linked to an increased risk of developing dementia, based on a study involving over 110,000 middle-aged and older adults.
Participants who experienced chronic constipation, defined as having fewer than three bowel movements per week, demonstrated signs of accelerated brain aging, experiencing lower performance on memory and thinking tests compared to those with regular bowel movements.
The study’s findings indicated that chronic constipation equated to an additional three years of aging.
A new study suggests that middle-aged and older adults who were constipated had a higher risk of developing dementia
In addition, constipated participants were 73 percent more likely to report a decline in cognitive abilities.
While these findings are still in the early stages, they suggest a potential connection between gut health and brain health.
Constipation can indicate a diet lacking in essential high-fiber foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Fiber also possesses anti-inflammatory properties, which are crucial as inflammation is a leading cause of brain aging and dementia.
‘These results highlight the importance of clinicians discussing gut health, particularly constipation, with their older patients,’ stated Dr. Dong Wang, senior study author.
The findings were presented at a meeting of the Alzheimer’s Association in Amsterdam and were based on data from three large-scale studies. Participants reported their bowel habits between 2012 and 2013, and rated their cognitive function from 2014 to 2017. Some participants also underwent memory and thinking tests between 2014 and 2018.
On average, individuals with chronic constipation had lower cognitive scores compared to those with regular daily bowel movements.
The link between cognitive health and the gut microbiome has been explored in other recent studies.
In additional research presented at the conference, scientists at UT Health San Antonio found that middle-aged and older adults with poor cognition had lower levels of beneficial gut bacteria.
Dementia is an umbrella term used to describe a range of progressive neurological disorders affecting memory, thinking, and behavior.
The most common form of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease, accounting for 60 to 70 percent of all cases according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Symptoms include memory loss, poor judgement, confusion, repetitive questioning, difficulty communicating, slow completion of
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