Six little known root cause of constipation
Constipation is common. In Australia one in five people experience it. We should be having a complete bowel movement one to three times daily.
Importantly, constipation is a common sign and complication in neurological diseases, especially dementia and Parkinson's.
Here are six different root causes of constipation you may not have heard of.
These are functional causes, examples of the kind of puzzle piecing I do to reveal the underlying cause of health problems so they can be dealt with permanently.
Dysbiosis – an imbalance of good gut bacteria to bad, especially having low Bifidobacteria, can suppress the optimal release of the hormone cholecystokinin in the small intestine, failing to trigger some digestive secretions needed for bowel movements
Insufficient serotonin – this can cause sluggish peristalsis, the wave-like muscle contractions that release along the entire GI tract, and prevent food bioproducts from moving on and out at the right pace
Stress and hypothyroidism – adrenal dysfunction (high or low) can promote high cortisol, which can in turn lead to the over conversion of thyroid hormone into either an inactive form (rT3) or lack of conversion into the useful from T3. A sluggish thyroid means a sluggish everything, including your gallbladder, which is responsible for the flow of bile needed for digestion and motility
Excessive calcium intake – the electrolytes potassium, magnesium and calcium are vital for regular bowel movements. Too much calcium will overpower magnesium, a driver of motility or bowel movements because it allows potassium into the cells to promote peristalsis
Insulin resistance – high blood sugar leads to oxidative damage in our nerve cells, possibly causing neuropathy (numbness, weakness) in the GI tract or enteric nervous system, which can lead to dysmotility, or the lack of bowel contractions
Insufficient dietary fat – a lack of good fat means there could be poor lubrication in the gut and the stools may not be able to pass easily