Shit Happens: The Science Of Poop

What makes you shit? Well, it's what you eat, of course. Constipation can be caused by a low-fibre diet, dehydration, irritable bowel syndrome, or even the food you eat. Certain foods can help relieve constipation, while others can make it worse. For example, fibre-rich foods like legumes, vegetables, and grains can help promote healthy and regular bowel movements. On the other hand, high-fat and processed foods can contribute to constipation.

If you're feeling a bit blocked up, there are a few things you can try to get things moving again. Increasing your fibre intake, drinking more water, and exercising are all natural ways to relieve constipation. You can also try over-the-counter remedies such as laxatives, stool softeners, and fibre supplements. But if you're constipated for more than three weeks and lifestyle changes aren't helping, it's best to talk to your doctor.

Not drinking enough water

Water is essential for our bodies to function properly. It is recommended that we drink six to eight glasses of water per day, and for good reason. Water aids digestion, helps get rid of waste, lubricates our joints, and delivers oxygen to our bodies, among many other things.

Constipation

Water contributes to regular bowel function by keeping our stools soft and moving them easily through the digestive tract. When we don't drink enough water, our bodies pull water from our stools to compensate for the fluid loss, leading to harder stools that are more difficult to pass. This can result in constipation, abdominal pain, and cramps.

Dehydration

Weight Gain

Sometimes, when we feel hungry, we are actually just thirsty. Not drinking enough water can lead to weight gain as we may mistake thirst for hunger and eat more than we need to. Drinking a glass of water can help curb hunger cues and prevent us from overeating.

Bad Breath

Water is essential for saliva production, which helps rinse away bacteria and maintain healthy teeth and gums. Lack of water inhibits saliva production and allows bacteria to build up, contributing to bad breath.

Skin Problems

Water hydrates and plumps up our skin cells, giving our skin a brighter, more youthful appearance. Not drinking enough water can cause our skin to lose its plumpness and elasticity, leading to dryness, flakiness, fine lines, wrinkles, and sagging skin.

Lack of exercise

People who are unable to exercise regularly are more likely to experience constipation. However, it is important to note that exercise may not be a cure-all for constipation, especially for those with underlying health conditions such as slow transit constipation, which is a genetic condition affecting mostly women.

To prevent and relieve constipation, it is recommended to incorporate light exercises like walking, yoga, swimming, or cycling into your routine. These activities can help encourage bowel movements by increasing blood flow to the abdomen and stimulating the digestive tract. Additionally, staying hydrated and consuming enough fiber are crucial components of maintaining regular bowel movements.

By addressing these factors and making necessary lifestyle changes, individuals can effectively manage constipation and improve their overall digestive health.

Not eating enough fibre-rich foods

Fibre is an essential part of a healthy diet. It is a type of carbohydrate that keeps your digestive system healthy and can provide a host of other health benefits. Not eating enough fibre-rich foods can lead to some unpleasant side effects and increase your risk of certain health conditions.

Fibre is a type of carbohydrate that cannot be digested by the body. It passes through the digestive system relatively unchanged, providing bulk to stools and aiding smooth bowel movements. There are two main types of fibre: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fibre dissolves in water to form a gel-like substance and helps to lower cholesterol and stabilise blood sugar levels. Insoluble fibre does not dissolve in water but adds bulk to stools and helps prevent constipation.

The recommended daily fibre intake varies depending on age, gender, and individual circumstances. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends consuming about 14 grams of fibre for every 1,000 calories consumed daily. For a 2,000-calorie diet, this equates to around 28 grams of fibre per day. However, the average adult in the US and UK consumes less than this, with Americans consuming an average of only 14 grams per day and UK adults consuming an average of 20 grams per day.

• Constipation: Fibre adds bulk to stools and helps them pass through the digestive system more easily. Not getting enough fibre can lead to constipation, which is characterised by hard, dry stools that are difficult to pass.
• Hunger and weight gain: Fibre helps to increase feelings of fullness and satiety after meals. Low-fibre meals are digested more quickly, leading to hunger soon after eating. Additionally, high-fibre foods tend to be lower in calories, so not eating enough fibre-rich foods may contribute to weight gain.
• High cholesterol: Soluble fibre has been shown to help lower cholesterol levels by reducing the absorption of cholesterol in the body. Not getting enough fibre can lead to elevated LDL ("bad") cholesterol levels.
• Fatigue: Fibre helps to balance blood sugar levels and prevent energy crashes. Not getting enough fibre can lead to feelings of tiredness and lethargy, especially after meals.
• Vitamin deficiencies: A diet low in fibre may also be deficient in essential vitamins and minerals found in fibre-rich foods such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
• Hemorrhoids: Hemorrhoids are swollen, painful veins in the rectum and anus that can develop due to straining during bowel movements. A high-fibre diet helps to soften stools and reduce the risk of hemorrhoids.

How to increase fibre intake

If you are not eating enough fibre-rich foods, there are several simple ways to increase your fibre intake:

• Choose high-fibre breakfast cereals such as plain wholewheat biscuits, plain shredded whole grain, or porridge.
• Opt for wholemeal or granary breads, or higher-fibre white bread.
• Include more whole grains in your diet, such as wholewheat pasta, bulgur wheat, or brown rice.
• Eat potatoes with their skins on, such as baked potatoes or boiled new potatoes.
• Add pulses like beans, lentils, or chickpeas to stews, curries, and salads.
• Include plenty of vegetables with meals, either as a side dish or added to sauces, stews, or curries.
• Snack on fresh fruit, vegetable sticks, rye crackers, oatcakes, unsalted nuts, or seeds.

Ignoring the urge to go

It is okay to hold in your poop occasionally, but doing it regularly can lead to some health issues. While it may not be harmful to ignore the urge to go to the toilet once in a while, making it a habit can result in undesirable health effects.

Constipation

Constipation is a common issue that most people experience at some point in their lives. It is characterised by having a bowel movement fewer than once every three days, straining on the toilet, feeling like the bowel hasn't emptied, or passing hard stools. Holding in your poop can lead to constipation as the lower intestine absorbs water from the stool, making it harder and more difficult to pass.

Fecal impaction

Fecal impaction is a severe complication that can occur from holding in your poop too often. It is a large, solid buildup of stool that cannot be pushed out. This can be very uncomfortable and may require medical attention.

Incontinence

Gastrointestinal perforation

In rare cases, holding in your poop can cause a gastrointestinal perforation, which is a hole in the gastrointestinal tract due to the pressure of excess faecal matter. This can be life-threatening if fecal matter spills into your abdominal cavity as the bacteria can cause severe symptoms.

Rectal hyposensitivity

If you hold in your poop too often, you may lose sensation within your rectum, a condition called rectal hyposensitivity. This can lead to episodes of incontinence as you may no longer be able to control your bowel movements.

Inflammation and cancer risk

A 2015 study found that holding in your poop may increase bacterial counts and create long-term inflammation of the colon, which is a risk factor for colon cancer.

In conclusion, while it may be necessary to ignore the urge to go in certain situations, it is important to try to go to the toilet as soon as possible. Doing so will help you avoid the potential health complications that can arise from regularly holding in your poop.

Eating high-fat foods

High-fat foods can also upset the gut microbiota, which can lead to digestive issues. This is especially true if you've recently switched to a high-fat diet, like keto, which is often also lacking in fibre.

In addition, eating high-fat foods can exacerbate the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a condition that affects the large intestine. IBS symptoms include severe diarrhoea, which can be triggered by eating even moderate amounts of fatty foods, such as fried foods.

Another condition that can cause diarrhoea after eating high-fat foods is chronic pancreatitis, which affects the pancreas and makes it difficult for the body to absorb fat. Alcohol abuse is a common cause of chronic pancreatitis.

If you experience diarrhoea after eating high-fat foods, it's important to talk to a doctor to determine if your symptoms are part of an overall medical condition such as IBS or chronic pancreatitis. They can help you modify your diet or prescribe medication to manage your symptoms.

Frequently asked questions