(Dementia) Are there any medications that increase the risk if taken for a long time?

When you suffer from constipation, it is indescribably frustrating and unpleasant.

 

Gas buildup and even abdominal pain can occur. In such cases, taking laxatives can provide a quick and satisfying resolution. Consequently, some people habitually take laxatives immediately whenever they experience constipation. It is not a good habit. This is because research has shown that people who consistently take laxatives have a higher chance of developing dementia than those who do not.

 

A joint research team from Harvard University (USA), the University of Cambridge (UK), and the Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, tracked and analyzed 502,229 people for 10 years to investigate the impact of laxative use on the development of dementia. As a result, people who consistently took laxatives for four weeks between 2006 and 2010 were approximately 50% more likely to experience cognitive decline than those who did not. The habit of regularly taking laxatives was associated with an increased risk of developing all types of dementia, including vascular dementia.

 

People who mixed various types of laxatives or took osmotic laxatives had a higher risk of dementia. Osmotic laxatives are medications that aid bowel movements by increasing intestinal pressure. The research team stated, "We suspect that laxatives increased the production of intestinal toxins that can have a negative impact on the brain."

So, what should you do when you get constipation? Of course, you shouldn't leave constipation untreated.

This is because accumulated stool can lead to severe conditions such as intestinal obstruction, where it blocks the large intestine, or intestinal perforation, where a hole forms in the large intestine.

 

First of all, you should try to improve your lifestyle habits rather than taking laxatives.

 

Constipation can be relieved simply by correcting dietary habits. First, eat foods rich in dietary fiber and water.

Foods rich in dietary fiber and water include vegetables such as cucumbers, cabbage, broccoli, lettuce, burdock, carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes, taro, and lotus roots; seaweed such as kelp, kombu, laver, agar, and hijiki; grains such as barley, brown rice, and job's tears; legumes such as soybeans, red beans, peas, cheonggukjang, and soybean pulp; and most fruits. It is best to avoid foods high in animal fat and sugary foods, as they can worsen constipation. Also

 

Moderate exercise, such as a 15 to 30-minute walk a day, promotes bowel movements.

 

If constipation persists despite these efforts, stimulate the intestines by elevating your head and legs while lying down or doing sit-ups, and improve blood circulation in the lower abdomen through half-body baths and sitz baths. If the constipation still does not resolve, you should visit a doctor.

 

However, it is strictly forbidden to consume beverages known to promote bowel movements, such as coffee or alcohol, to resolve constipation. In fact, coffee contains chlorogenic acid, which stimulates bowel activity, and alcohol promotes defecation by blocking the intestines' water absorption. However, both foods reduce the body's water content, which actually causes constipation in the long run.

Meanwhile, you should suspect constipation if you have not had a bowel movement three or more times a week or if you feel a sensation of incomplete evacuation after a bowel movement.

 

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This is information I've never heard before,

Among the diseases I really don't want to get, dementia is one of them.

It's just one..

 

Do you take laxatives?

 

There is a risk of dementia, so long-term use

That wouldn't be good.