If you’ve ever spent long hours on a bus or in a car, or consumed foods that aren’t good for your bowel movements during a long flight, you may have experienced temporary constipation. Many people have probably experienced how traveling disrupts their usual routine and leads to constipation. Once you return to your normal routine, bowel movements will also return to normal, but a significant number of people suffer from chronic constipation. In fact, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health, constipation is one of the most common digestive problems in the United States, affecting approximately 42 million people.
Are you someone who has returned to a regular routine, eats fiber-rich foods, and stays hydrated, yet still can’t shake chronic constipation? It might be caused by the liver.
The liver is the center of detoxification and controls many other physiological processes, including metabolism and circulation. The liver is also responsible for maintaining the health of the digestive system, playing a particularly important role in bile production.
- Bile is essential for breaking down and absorbing fats, functioning as the body’s chemical processing plant and regulating blood circulation.
- The liver produces bile acids (e.g., chenodeoxycholic acid, deoxycholic acid) and secretes them into the intestines to aid in fat digestion.
- Bile acids stimulate peristalsis (the movement of the intestines that propels food forward) and soften stool.
- Bile aids in the digestion and absorption of fats and vitamins in food.
This means that when the liver fails to function properly, it can no longer produce and release bile into the intestines. The resulting bile deficiency causes stool to harden, leading to constipation.
The liver processes substances absorbed from the intestines, and its health significantly influences the composition and function of the gut microbiota. Therefore, people with liver disease may experience changes in their gut microbiota (dysbiosis). Liver dysfunction also weakens the intestinal barrier, causing increased intestinal permeability that allows unwanted intruders (harmful substances) to enter the body. The gut is often called the second brain, so mental issues like mood swings, anxiety, depression, and decreased concentration can also arise.
Since the liver’s function is so closely connected to the intestines, please pay attention to your own physical condition. If you experience symptoms such as persistent fatigue, frequent headaches, mood swings, difficulty remembering things, or trouble concentrating at work―in addition to constipation―your liver may be fatigued. Please be sure to perform regular liver cleanse.
Reference
- https://www.gutmicrobiotaforhealth.com/diving-into-how-the-gut-and-the-liver-talk-to-each-other/
- https://dmr.amegroups.org/article/view/8088/html
- https://www.journal-of-hepatology.eu/article/S0168-8278(21)02081-X/fulltext
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10597755/
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6448735/
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