This Change in Bowel Movements Might Be an Early Sign of Dementia

The numbers of dementia patients are higher than you might think. Around 6 million people are diagnosed and live with the disease, and to make matters more worrisome, these numbers are expected to grow 3 times around 2060, so we have a good reason as to why everyone should start worrying about developing dementia as they get older.

Early signs of this diagnosis usually include some sort of subtle changes in communication or memory problems. However, for some others, experts say that this bathroom habit might give you an insight on whether or not dementia is something you need to worry about.

More on this below. 

A study conducted states that constipation might just be an early symptom of dementia. This study was made on the 1st of March and it was published in a medical journal called The Lancet.

The aim of all of this work was to try to get a better understanding of how dementia works and the various ways it could manifest in its early stages. 

The methodology they used was to analyze the data of over 30 thousand people from both the UK and France. They compared the data of those who had developed Alzheimer’s with those who did not. As a result, they could establish a link between the early symptoms of Alzheimer’s and constipation. 

It was also found that constipation affects half of the people who are 65 or older. This study was one of the first to establish that kind of connection between the two and it states that it usually happens within the timeframe of 7 years or so after the patient has been diagnosed with the condition. 

Fear not though, because this does not mean you will develop Alzheimer’s later on in life. Experts also suspect that some of the medication that is usually taken to treat Alzheimer’s can be the reason elderly patients might struggle with constipation. 

However, if you notice anything out of the ordinary, then you should consult a professional as soon as you can and get a follow up regarding your symptoms.

Conditions like dementia require great care and the sooner you can catch them, the better that is for you and everyone around you.