How often you go to the toilet could indicate your risk of future stroke

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Infrequent bowel movements may be an overlooked risk factor for a deadly disease.

Many people die from stroke because the brain cannot survive without a constant supply of oxygen-rich blood. When blood flow is cut off, brain tissue dies, leading to brain damage and disability before death. The condition has many known risk factors. However, bowel movement frequency may be one of the most underestimated.

The results of the study showed that, compared with a bowel movement frequency of once a day, low bowel movement frequency (defined as less than three times a week) was associated with an increased risk of ischemic stroke. On the other hand, more frequent bowel movements were associated with an increased risk of heart failure and type 2 diabetes.

However, the study did not find an association between bowel movement frequency and the risk of hemorrhagic stroke.

Scientists link the association between stroke and constipation or low bowel movement frequency to changes in the composition of the gut microbiota. It is believed that these changes may contribute to the development and progression of diseases such as atherosclerosis.

“Constipation increases with age and often coexists with cardiovascular risk factors. In addition, straining during bowel movements causes an increase in blood pressure, which can trigger cardiovascular diseases such as congestive heart failure, arrhythmia, acute coronary syndrome, and aortic dissection.”

Despite the presence of substantial evidence supporting this link, medical research prefers to focus heavily on radical intervention, and the risks of cardiovascular complications from constipation remain largely overlooked.