From walking to fiber: a gastroenterologist told how to improve the work of the intestine after 60 years

After 60 years with constipation faces every fifth or third person. Although many people see this as an inevitable consequence of age, it is often possible to control the problem. Russian gastroenterologist Pavel Dementiev told how to get rid of constipation after 60 years.

Pavel Dementiev called the key symptoms of constipation: a feeling of incomplete bowel movement, bloating and abdominal pain, the need for straining or additional manipulations for emptying.

Constipation occurs in about 20% of people in the world, and among those over 60 years old, about 40%.

According to him, the main strategy of treatment is not immediately drugs:

- Treatment and prevention are built on stages: first, lifestyle changes. The key is to increase physical activity. WHO recommends at least 40 minutes of continuous walking daily. Movement directly improves bowel function. Second, nutritional adjustment. Nutrition should be balanced: 3-4 times a day in small portions, with the maximum amount of vegetables and fruits. The goal is to give the intestines a “workload” due to fiber. Third, supplement the diet with fiber. Every day, a person needs 35-45 g of fiber - this is about 400 g of vegetables and fruits. In practice, this is often not possible to achieve, so use additives: psyllium (plantberry seed husk), wheat bran, flax seeds, apple pectin.

Age, heredity, symptoms: three main reasons for gastroscopy and colonoscopy

Pavel Dementiev told how to choose the right fiber and dosage:

- Start with a minimum dose: for example, 5 g of psyllium per day. The effect usually occurs after 2-3 weeks of regular intake. If 5 g is not enough, the dose can be increased to 10 g. Fiber is taken for a long time: the need for it is every day, regardless of age. An important difference: bran often cause increased gas formation, which makes them difficult to carry. Psillium is better tolerated.

The doctor warned that laxatives are connected only after trying lifestyle, nutrition and fiber. The order is usually:

First - lactulose (selected individually, often in short courses). If it does not help - stronger drugs, but already strictly according to the doctor's prescription.

The danger of long-term use of strong laxatives: the intestine “gets used to” and becomes “lazy”. If a person takes powerful drugs for years, it is very difficult to restore independent work of the intestine. Therefore, prevention and non-drug measures are more important.