"Constipation, a common health problem (14% people in the world are affected, particularly women and the elderly, editor's note) but often overlooked, may be an important factor in cardiovascular disease"This is the surprising conclusion of an international study, conducted by researchers from Monash University (Australia) and published in theAmerican Journal of Physiology – Heart and Circulatory Physiology.
When do you get constipated?
The normal frequency of stools varies widely from one individual to another (between three per day and three per week), explains the health insurance website AmeliConstipation is defined as a decrease in the frequency of stools associated with difficulty in evacuating them.
In adults, constipation may be suggested when:
– the usual rhythm of stool emission is disrupted, becoming abnormally prolonged: less than three stools per week
– stools change consistency, becoming harder. It becomes difficult, even painful, to go to the toilet. Stools may also be scanty and their expulsion seems incomplete.
A particularly worrying link between constipation and hypertension
"Traditional cardiovascular risk factors such ashigh blood pressure, obesity and smoking have long been recognized as key factors in heart disease. However, these factors alone do not fully explain the occurrence of major cardiac events. (heart attack, stroke, etc., editor's note)“ , explains in a press release Professor Francine Marques of Monash University, lead author of the study. This is why she and her team decided to explore the potential role of this widespread health problem that is constipation.
Specifically, these scientists analyzed data from 408,354 people from the UK Biobank (a large British database), identifying 23,814 cases of constipation.
Conclusion: People suffering from constipation are twice as likely to suffer a major cardiac event (heart attack, stroke, etc.) than those who do not suffer from constipation.
In addition, the study highlighted a particularly worrying link between constipation and hypertension: people with hypertension who also suffer from constipation have a 34% increased risk of cardiovascular disease compared to people with hypertension alone.
"Our research suggests that constipation may exacerbate the cardiovascular risks associated with high blood pressure, increasing the likelihood of heart attacks and strokes.", summarizes Professor Marques in a press release. "The implications of this study are far-reaching.. These results suggest that a significant portion of the population may be at increased risk of cardiovascular disease due to their gut health.", she adds.
Read alsoWhat Your Bowel Frequency Says About Your Health
Genetic links between constipation and cardiovascular diseases
In addition to these epidemiological results, the researchers also explored the genetic links between constipation and cardiovascular diseases.
"Genetic correlations were identified, indicating that shared genetic factors may underlie both conditions. This discovery opens new avenues of research into the underlying mechanisms that link gut health and heart health.", specifies Dr Leticia Camargo Tavares, from Monash University and co-author of the study.
Read alsoEating early helps reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease
How can we explain a possible cause-and-effect link between constipation and these cardiovascular diseases? Further work will be needed to find out. The authors of this study suggest that one of the mechanisms involved could be intestinal hyperpermeability, also called "leaky gut syndrome." "It's a leaky gut that occurs when there's a break in the intestinal wall and bacteria in that organ can get into the bloodstream. This causes our body to produce low-grade chronic inflammation, which is a hallmark of heart disease.", Francine Marques explains to us. The latter is currently recruiting patients to verify this hypothesis.
While waiting to learn more, the researcher emphasizes the importance of taking intestinal health into account in the prevention and management of heart disease. "As the global burden of cardiovascular disease continues to increase, our work could pave the way for new strategies in personalized medicine, helping to identify those at higher risk and potentially reducing the incidence of life-threatening cardiac events.", she concluded.
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