While laxatives can relieve temporary constipation, some may be associated with a higher risk of dementia.
Constipation is a mild health problem. Moreover, it is considered common in adults. To treat it, it is recommended to change your diet oruse laxatives.
These drugs are available without a prescription in pharmacies. But they are divided into several categories according to their actions on the transit. These are generally without negative effects on our health. However, a study has just brought to light an unknown effect of this treatment. Indeed, researchers from the Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology have studied the links between taking laxatives and the risk of dementia.
However, it appears that a type of products against constipation may be associated with a higher risk of cognitive decline. Their findings were published in February 2023 in the journal Neurology.
Only the so-called osmotic laxatives singled out by this study
In pharmacies, there are 5 main types of laxatives. But the most common and the most used, especially in the first prescription, are osmotic laxatives. These cause a call for water in the intestines to soften the stool more easily. In general, their effects are noticed after about 2 days.
To facilitate our intestinal transit, these treatments include specific active substances such as lactulose, lactitol or sorbitol. Moreover, the latter is also present in fruits known as laxatives such as prunes, grapes or apricots.
However, these substances could be impacted in the development of cognitive decline. However, the researchers want to be reassuring. At present, only an association between regular intake and the onset of dementia is observed. Researchers lack concrete data to know whether taking these products too often causes the onset of the disease.
An association with a limited impact on a panel of more than 500,000 volunteers
As part of this study, the researchers interviewed more than 502,000 volunteers. The average age of the panel was 57 years old but above all they did not suffer from dementia at the start of the research. In particular, the researchers asked them about the frequency of laxative use and the type of treatment used.
It appears that taking too often can “alter the gut microbiome, possibly affecting nerve signaling from the gut to the brain or increasing the production of intestinal toxins that can affect the brain”. However, the researchers also indicate that the risks would be greater when taking osmotic laxatives.
At the end of the study, some volunteers developed dementia. But the figures differ depending on whether the medication is taken regularly or not. If 218 regular users are concerned, the figure increases to 1,969 for people taking this treatment on an occasional basis.