Is there a link between laxative use and dementia? It turns out yes. Scientists from the US, China and the UK came to unexpected conclusions. They found that people who regularly took laxatives were 50 percent more likely to experience cognitive decline.
Scientists note that laxatives, which are usually sold without a prescription, cause the formation of toxins in the human intestine. They enter the nervous system and damage the brain, causing dementia. The results of the study can be found in the online edition of the Daily Mail.
Commonly used laxatives
The study was carried out on a large scale, as it used data from more than half a million people collected at the British Biobank over a 10-year period. It covered 502 thousand people. 229 people. The average age of the participants was 57 years. None of the people were initially diagnosed with dementia. It turned out that as much as 3.6 percent. of these (18,235) used over-the-counter laxatives most days of the week.
Laxative use causes dementia
Analyzes showed that after 10 years of use, people who regularly took laxatives were 51 percent more likely to lose weight. more at risk of developing dementia than those who did not use any measures. For vascular dementia, the risk was 65 percent higher. The researchers found no association with a higher risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
Which laxatives are the most harmful?
The risk of dementia was higher the more different laxatives the subjects used. Those who took one type had a 28% higher risk, and those who took two or more types had a 90% higher risk. scientists pointed out. In the group of people who used one type of drug, the highest risk of developing dementia was found in people who use osmotic agents, i.e. those that attract water into the intestinal lumen, causing stimulation of intestinal motility. They had a 64% higher risk of developing dementia from various causes and a 97% higher risk of vascular dementia.
The study was observational and does not provide conclusive evidence that laxatives cause dementia. However, this indicates that changes in the gut microbiome can have a big impact on the human body. Finding a way to reduce the risk of dementia by identifying risk factors that can be changed is critical, according to Dr. Feng Sha, study co-author and a Chinese Academy of Sciences scientist in Guangdong.
Source: Wprost
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