Our series The Expert View brings you specialist health advice from professionals. In this article, we hear from Dr Emily Leeming, a gut microbiome scientist and dietitian at King’s College London, and author of Fibre Power.
Of all our organs, the gut deserves more credit than it gets. Unlike our hearts and lungs, where regeneration is limited, the gut can withstand a battering over time. Cell turnover is speedy and, even if you remove parts of the bowel through surgery, it can continue to function – and age – rather well.
Its remarkable resilience doesn’t make it immune to wear and tear over time, but many of the unwelcome digestive symptoms we may try to blame on ageing are collateral damage from other things that tend to happen as we get older: we move less, eat less varied diets, develop illnesses and may take ongoing medications to deal with long-term health issues.
We now know what an important hub this organ is, and how it influences far more than just digestion – including the brain, energy levels, mood, concentration, immunity and metabolism – so it makes sense to look after it. The gut and brain communicate through complex, bidirectional pathways, while the gut microbiome also plays a role in immune and metabolic function.
Here are the most common symptoms affecting people after 50, and the practical steps that can help.
Constipation and bloating may become more common
People get fixated on how often you should poo, but it’s individual: anywhere between three times a day and three times a week is normal. Know what is typical for you and pay attention to changes. You should always see your GP if you experience a sustained change in bowel habits, as it could signal something more serious.
Constipation is probably the most common complaint, with the risk increasing through the years. By the age of 65, 26 per cent of women and 16 per cent of men report symptoms, rising to 34 per cent for women and 26 per cent for men by the age of 84. As gas can become trapped behind stool, bloating often accompanies constipation, which can be uncomfortable and leave people feeling sluggish.
While bowel transit can be affected by ageing, our habits are often more important than the number of candles you have on your cake.
There are a few reasons why: we tend to move less as we get older, and physical movement helps the muscles of the gut propel food forward. Poor diet, irregular mealtimes and some medicines can all slow things down further.
The fix
Our usual seated position on the loo means the final section of the bowel is not in its most open position, meaning you may have to strain more when doing a poo. Using a footstool to raise your knees can improve the anorectal angle and make emptying your bowels easier. This is the first thing I always recommend.
Gently massaging your abdomen in a clockwise direction while sitting on the loo can help encourage stool through the bowel, as this broadly follows the direction of the colon.
Taking a walk within 30 minutes of eating supports digestion and has the added benefit of helping to moderate blood sugar.
