Dementia is among the most common diseases of old age. Dementia, also known as senile disease, can also be seen in young people because it usually appears in the elderly. There are many factors that increase the risk of dementia. Studies have shown that drugs used to solve a common health problem in society can increase the risk of dementia.
THE RESEARCH WAS FOLLOWED FOR 10 YEARS
A research team from Harvard University, China and the United Kingdom found that people who regularly use laxatives are 50 percent more likely to experience cognitive decline. The large study used data from more than half a million people over a 10-year period. Researchers believe the drugs can affect gut bacteria in such a way that they form toxins in the nervous system that travel to and damage the brain.
MORE RESEARCH IS NEEDED
“Finding ways to reduce a person’s risk of dementia by identifying risk factors that can be modified is very important,” said Dr Feng Sha, co-author of the study and a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Guangdong, China. said. “More research is needed to further explore the link our research found between laxatives and dementia.”
For the study, published Wednesday in the journal Neurology, the researchers gathered data from the UK Biobank, a biomedical database of Britons used to measure long-term health trends. They analyzed data from 502,229 people aged 40 to 59 over an average of 10 years. Of this group, 18,235, or 3.6 percent, regularly used an over-the-counter laxative.
Laxatives increased the risk of dementia by 51 percent
During the study period, 218 members of this group — or 1.3 percent — developed dementia.
Only 1,969, or 0.4 percent, of non-laxative users suffered from this condition. After adjusting for other risk factors, such as age, diet, fitness, and genetic risk, the researchers determined that people who took laxatives had a 51 percent increased risk of dementia.
People using osmotic laxatives were determined to be at an even greater risk. These medications work by drawing water from the rest of the body into the stool to soften the stool. Other types of medication help stool retain fluid rather than add fluid, which aids the process of pushing it out of the body. The researchers found that people taking these drugs had a 64 percent increased risk of dementia. The risk of vascular dementia, which occurs when not enough blood is supplied to the brain, increased by 97 percent in these people.
WHAT CAUSES CONSILENCE?
It can often be the result of not getting enough fiber-rich fruits and vegetables into a person’s diet. Constipation is also a side effect of many medications that older people may need to manage their daily lives.
Although constipation itself rarely causes long-term health problems, pain and discomfort can reduce patients’ quality of life. To solve the problem, many people turn to over-the-counter laxatives. These drugs loosen stool and make it easier to pass through the body.
FOODS THAT ARE GOOD FOR CONSILENCE
OAT
Oats are an easy and healthy way to get more fiber into your diet. When you eat oats regularly, you may experience less constipation and have more regular bowel movements. Therefore, do not forget to consume a bowl of oatmeal in the morning.
YOGURT
Both fiber and magnesium can support constipation relief, but there is another source that can help: probiotics or live bacteria. Research suggests that probiotics can contribute to balance in the stomach, and the good bacteria in probiotics can help improve conditions in your digestive tract so it can function and empty effectively at a more regular frequency.
GREEN LEAF VEGETABLES
An easy way to add more fiber to your meals is to cook plenty of leafy greens. In addition to fiber, leafy greens contain plenty of magnesium, an essential mineral that can help with constipation.
AVOCADO
Avocado toast can do more than feed your taste buds with a delicious breakfast for your morning. This fruit contains significant amounts of fiber, magnesium and sorbitol. Avocados also contain soluble and insoluble fiber, which can prevent constipation by promoting a faster digestive system.
DRIED PLUM
Studies have found that prunes can relieve symptoms of constipation, improve stool output, and speed up the duration of the final evacuation process in a healthy way. Considering that there are 12 grams of soluble fiber in one cup of prunes, this isn’t too surprising. Prunes are also considered a natural laxative due to the compound sorbitol.