The utterly bizarre symptom that may be a sign of DEMENTIA

Chronic constipation could spell more trouble than digestive distress. 

It could increase the risk of developing dementia, a new study of more than 110,000 middle-aged and older adults. 

Those who were chronically constipated, meaning they had fewer than three bowel movements a week, showed signs of an ‘older’ brain, including performing worse on memory and thinking tests than their more ‘regular’ counterparts. 

The results were the equivalent of three extra years of aging. 

Constipated participants were also 73 percent more likely to say their cognitive skills were declining.  

Though these are early findings, the study suggests that the gut microbiome could be linked to brain health. 

Constipation could be a sign of a diet lacking essential high-fiber foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Fiber also has anti-inflammatory properties, which is crucial because inflammation is a leading cause of brain aging and dementia. 

‘These results stress the importance of clinicians discussing gut health, especially constipation, with their older patients,’ said Dr Dong Wang, senior study author. 

The findings presented this week at a meeting of the Alzheimer’s Association in Amsterdam were based on data from three large studies. From 2012 to 2013, participants reported their bowel habits, and between 2014 and 2017, they rated themselves on cognitive function.

One group of participants also underwent memory and thinking tests between 2014 and 2018. 

On average, the researchers found that these cognitive scores were lower among those who reported chronic constipation compared to those who had one bowel movement per day. 

The link between cognitive health and the gut microbiome has been evaluated in other recent studies. 

In additional research presented at the conference, researchers at the UT Health San Antonio found that middle-aged and older adults with poor cognition had lower levels of healthy gut bacteria. 

Dementia is an umbrella term used to describe a range of progressive neurological disorders (those affecting the brain) which impact memory, thinking and behavior. 

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, accounting for 60 to 70 percent of all cases, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). 

Common symptoms include memory loss, poor judgment, confusion, repeating questions, difficulty communicating, taking longer to complete normal daily tasks, acting impulsively, and mobility issues. 

A low-fiber diet is one major cause of constipation. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) estimates 95 percent of Americans aren’t getting enough of it.

Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains like avocados, oats, apples, artichokes, lentils, quinoa, and chia seeds are high in fiber. 

The presented research is considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.