The Connection Between Gut Health, Heart Health and Constipation

Chances are, you don’t give your bowel movements much thought – unless they start becoming painful or otherwise causing problems. If you’re dealing with constipation, you might be thinking about your bowels (and your gut) a lot more than you ever thought possible. The good news is that constipation is treatable. Your issues might be related to your gut health, which can be improved with the right approach.

First, know that you are not alone in dealing with constipation. An estimated 4 million people suffer from chronic constipation, making this condition the number one gastrointestinal complaint in the US. Here’s what you need to know about improving your gut health to get rid of constipation (and get back to the rest of your life).

What Causes Constipation?

Constipation happens when the colon absorbs too much water, causing stools to dry out, harden, and become increasingly difficult to pass. This excess water absorption can be caused by several things, including:

• Dehydration
• Certain medications (e.g., opioids)
• Lack of fiber
• Lack of exercise
• Laxative abuse

Sometimes, constipation can result from a temporary change in behaviors. For example, after surgery, you might take opioids, which can make you constipated. Or, if you are traveling, you might experience dehydration or a change in diet that causes constipation. In these cases, taking over-the-counter medications, increasing your fiber intake, and drinking extra water could offer quick relief.

However, when constipation turns chronic, it’s time to look for other causes and take more permanent steps to relieve your symptoms and return to regular bowel movements.

The Connection Between Gut Health and Constipation

Called “the second brain,” your gut plays an intricate role in your health. Think of the gut microbiome as its own little universe, full of various microbes working well together when in balance. When you have poor gut health, those various microorganisms can create microbe havoc, which impedes your ability to maintain healthy and consistent bowel movements.

While we often think of the stomach as the core of the digestive tract, the microbiome largely presides in the intestines. However, the entire gastrointestinal tract (GI) is connected to the microbiome. The GI runs from your mouth to your anus, passing your esophagus, stomach, and small and large intestines along the way. Every time you eat or drink something, the GI breaks it down into its nutrients on the journey through the GI. That’s when the microorganisms living in your intestines get to work delivering those nutrients throughout the body.

When your gut microbiome is balanced, the whole process runs smoothly, resulting in regular bowel movements as the final stop on the GI tract. However, when your gut microbiome becomes imbalanced, you can start experiencing a range of physical symptoms, including constipation. Certain things that can negatively impact the gut include a poor diet, a sedentary lifestyle, high stress, and dehydration. Eating more fruits and vegetables, drinking more water, and taking steps to ease your stress can all help get rid of constipation and improve your gut health.

How Gut Health Affects Your Heart

While we think about constipation and gut health more in terms of how they affect our comfort in our day-to-day lives, most people take heart health–well–to heart. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, beating out cancer and accidental death. Heart health should be a high priority for anyone who wants to care for their health.

However, while the two systems—circulatory and digestive—don’t seem especially interconnected, everything in your body interacts in one way or another. Strangely enough, your gut health can affect your heart and its ability to do its job circulating nutrient-dense and oxygen-rich blood throughout your body.

The microbiome’s power really can’t be overstated. The bacteria living there directly affect your other systems, causing adverse effects when your gut is out of balance. Specific gut bacteria have been correlated with heart disease and failure, heart attacks, and high blood pressure.

You’ve probably heard of “heart-healthy diets.” While typically used in the context of weight loss, diets that are good for your microbiome can directly affect your heart, alongside all the other ways that diet impacts your vascular health.

A heart-healthy diet is more than just a way to manage your weight; it’s a powerful tool to protect your cardiovascular health and reduce the risk of heart disease. Incorporating nutrient-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats can significantly affect your heart’s well-being.

Unfortunately, consistently eating red meat puts you at a higher risk of heart disease, so try to eat it only in moderation. The best diet to follow to prioritize your heart health is the Mediterranean diet, a high vegetable, fruit, and whole grain diet.

Constipation and Heart Health

In the above section, we explored some more general connections between gut and heart health, but there is also a surprising connection between heart health and constipation. While chronic constipation is often a sign that something is wrong with your gut, it can act as a trigger for cardiovascular events.

The changes that constipation causes in your microbiome can make your blood pressure rise as well as induce atherosclerosis (when blood vessels thicken and stiffen).

How much does constipation affect heart health? One study found that those who experienced chronic constipation were far more likely to die from a cardiovascular-related issue than those who didn’t. This is an especially big issue for older adults, who are, in general, at higher risk of constipation.

It’s not entirely clear why constipation, in particular, is so bad for the heart, but it’s possible it’s partially because of the strain and the stress of constant constipation. In any case, those at higher risk of heart disease should go out of their way to follow a diet and lifestyle that prevents constipation.

Remove the Guesswork with A GI-Map Test

How do you know what is really going on in your gut? While “trusting your gut” may work in some circumstances, when it comes to your heart health, testing always beats guessing. If you’re having severe constipation or other GI issues, consider testing with a GI-map test to find out what’s living in your gut and how it might be impacting your overall health.

You’ll get a comprehensive report with a detailed microbiome description. Use this information to understand which microorganisms are good and which ones you want to get rid of. Testing is discrete with a fast turnaround time. Order your test today.

Health Disclaimer: It is recommended the reader of this site consult with a qualified health care provider of their choice when using any information obtained from this site, affiliate sites and other online websites and blogs. Please consult your health care provider before making any healthcare decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition.