Health: How many bowel movements a day?

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Extract from the article: Selon certains chercheurs, la fréquence des selles est un indicateur précis de l’état de santé global et il existe effectivement un nombre optimal de selles par jour.

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According to some researchers, the frequency of bowel movements is a precise indicator of overall health, and there is indeed an optimal number of bowel movements per day.

Science has spoken out on a subject that affects all individuals without exception. It seems that the frequency of bowel movements has an impact on a person's overall health, and there is indeed an optimal number of bowel movements required: once or twice a day. These are the findings of research published in the journal Cell Reports Medicine.

The impact of stool frequency on the intestinal ecosystem

Researchers at the Institute for Systems Biology (ISB) in Seattle, USA, studied the clinical and lifestyle data of over 1,400 healthy adults: blood tests, genetic data, gut microbiome in order to reach such a number. Their self-reported average stool frequency was divided into four groups: constipation (once or twice a week); low normal (three to six times a week); high normal (one to three times a day); diarrhea. The aim is to identify any links between the number of bowel movements and health status.

Stool frequency can have a significant impact on the function of the intestinal ecosystem, as previous research has shown. When stools remain in the intestine for too long, in fact, microbes absorb all available dietary fiber and ferment proteins, generating toxins that can spread into the bloodstream. According to them, chronic constipation is linked to high blood levels of toxins that can cause organ damage, prior to any diagnosis of neurodegenerative or kidney disease.

Once or twice a day, the ideal rhythm for big commissions

The composition of the participants' gut microbiomes was also identified by the researchers as an indicator of stool frequency. In this way, the useful intestinal bacteria known as anaerobes, those that ferment fibre, seemed to thrive when required once or twice daily. Undoubtedly, volunteers who had mentioned “a high-fiber diet, improved hydration and regular exercise” tended to adopt this ideal rate of ramping up.

While irregular bowel movements are all too often perceived as a mere « nuisance » by healthcare professionals, the team of scientists hopes that this study will shed more light on « the dangers of poor frequency management », which can be at the root of many chronic diseases, even in healthy populations.

Jean ELI