How exercise may help your bowels

The gut has finally been given its due after centuries of neglecting its influence on overall health. Much of this is thanks to recent research on the gut microbiome and its connection to the brain. "From obesity and diabetes to depression and autism, we're learning how changes in the gut microbiome can be linked to the most common and hard-to-treat diseases and disorders," explains Chicago gastroenterologist Andrew Moore. That's why scientists haven't given up trying to find ways to improve a person's overall well-being with the help of the bacteria in their gut. Bacteria often have a bad reputation, but there are "good" kinds of them as well as "bad." A balance of bacteria is critical to maintaining overall gut health.

Our gut also plays a vital role in maintaining our immune system, adds Benjamin Hyatt, a gastroenterologist at Digestive Health & Endoscopy Center (USA). "The gut is filled with trillions of beneficial microorganisms, the gut microbiota, which helps both digestion and supports the immune system," the expert notes. "The poor diversity of the gut microbiome is thought to be associated with chronic autoimmune, gastrointestinal, cardiovascular and even mental illnesses. Thus, maintaining a healthy microbiome is likely to provide relief for these diagnoses."

Fortunately, exercise can benefit the gut. And that may come as a surprise, because we often assume that activity has a positive effect on cardiovascular function and overall stamina. But we forget that exercise also plays a key role in other areas of our bodies, such as the gut. "We already know that physically active people are less likely to have constipation, diverticulosis and colon cancer," Moore explains. "We still have a long way to go to establish the cause of this relationship, but we've known about it ourselves for years."

Firstly, exercise significantly reduces stress and anxiety.

It has long been known that exercise can be an excellent stress reducer, but little was known until recently about how harmful chronic stress is to the gut. "Chronic stress 'tortures' the gut because it affects the connection between the gut and the brain, known as the gut-brain axis," Hyatt says. "When signal transmission is disrupted, conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome or gastroesophageal reflux disease can develop and worsen." Studies, one of which was published in the journal Gut Microbes, have shown that aerobic exercise can help fine-tune communication along the gut-brain axis and reduce the risk of gastrointestinal disorders.

Secondly is that exercise helps get rid of excess weight.

The number of people in the world diagnosed with obesity is constantly increasing. It brings many health problems, including heart disease, stroke and even cancer. Obesity is associated with many gastrointestinal diseases: gastroesophageal reflux disease, fatty hepatosis (causes cirrhosis of the liver), gallbladder disease, diverticular disease, esophageal cancer, colon polyps and colon cancer," explains Hiatt. "Regular exercise is good for the gut, helping to maintain a healthy weight and reducing the risk of these conditions," he says.

Thirdly, exercise prevents constipation.

According to the American Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases, constipation is one of the most common gastrointestinal disorders. It affects 16% of patients between the ages of 35 and 60 and 33% of patients over the age of 60. "Exercise actually shortens the time it takes for digested food to pass through the colon and thus helps with constipation," Moore states. "Moderate exercise, such as brisk walking or jogging for 35-40 minutes several times a week, is enough to treat minor stool disorders."

Fourth, exercise reduces the risk of colon cancer.

Studies have shown that physical activity can reduce the risk of various types of cancer, including one that occurs in the colon - colorectal cancer. According to the American Society of Clinical Oncology, regular exercise can reduce the risk of developing this type of cancer by 40 to 50 percent. "The mechanism for this is not completely clear, but perhaps exercise causes changes in the microbiome that have an anti-inflammatory effect" Moore says. "Although there is no consensus on how much exercise you need to do to reduce your risk of colorectal cancer. But most of my colleagues think 30 to 60 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise a day would be reasonable."