Prolonged inactivity and sedentary lifestyles are among the main causes of constipation, a gastrointestinal disorder that affects a significant percentage of the world’s population. Regular exercise is one of the recommended remedies to promote regularity, but until now, the physiological mechanisms and exact timing with which movement affects the digestive tract had not yet been precisely quantified. A team of researchers from Fujita Health University did this, with research recently published in the journal Scientific Reports.
Listen to the sound of the intestine
To non-invasively evaluate the response of the digestive system to motor activity, Japanese researchers used a technique that exploits the analysis of intestinal sounds. These noises, generated by the contractions of the smooth muscles that move gas and liquids within the intestine, offer an indirect but reliable indicator of peristalsis (intestinal movements) and the transit of feces.
The researchers monitored a sample of healthy young adults in two distinct conditions: initially in a prolonged state of rest, recording baseline intestinal acoustic parameters using an electronic stethoscope, and then following a twenty-minute treadmill walking session at a comfortable pace.
A quick response
The results highlighted a marked and timely increase in peristalsis in response to physical activity. Within one to two minutes of finishing the walk, the overall amplitude of bowel sounds almost doubled compared to baseline values recorded at rest, while the frequency and duration of individual acoustic events increased significantly. The speed of the response – note the researchers – confirms how even a mild physical stress is sufficient to activate the mechanical and nervous reflexes that regulate intestinal function.
There are two possible explanations proposed by the authors of the study for the stimulating effect of motion. The first is that physical activity modulates the activity of the autonomic nervous system, responsible for involuntary muscle movements due to the action of the sympathetic and parasympathetic pathways. The second, mechanical, calls into play the rhythmic oscillations of the pelvis and torso that are experienced while walking, which could favor the transition of fecal matter into the intestine and thus promote peristalsis.
The correct explanation will need to be investigated with new research. But the data collected nevertheless confirm the effectiveness of moderate exercise as a primary non-pharmacological intervention to improve intestinal regularity, suggesting that integrating short walking sessions into the daily routine may represent a useful strategy to prevent and alleviate the symptoms of constipation.