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One of the worst digestive issues – constipation could now also be an early warning sign of heart disease; a new study has revealed. Researchers from the Monash University in Melbourne say they found being bunged up was linked to an increased risk of heart attacks, strokes, and heart failure.
"Our study suggests that constipation, a common yet often overlooked health issue, may be a significant contributor to cardiovascular disease. Traditional cardiovascular risk factors such as high blood pressure, obesity, and smoking have long been recognized as key drivers of heart disease,” said Professor Francine Marques, from the School of Biological Sciences at Monash University. "However, these factors alone do not fully explain the occurrence of major cardiac events. This study explored the potential role of constipation as an additional risk factor, revealing concerning results," he added.
Participants for the study - published in the American Journal of Psychology-Heart and Circulatory Physiology – suffering from constipation were more than twice as likely to suffer a major cardiac event than those without it, the researchers noted.
Related News |How is constipation linked to heart attack and stroke?
Experts say your overall body health and gut health are highly linked to a whole variety of different health outcomes – including your heart health. If you do not exercise or eat balanced meals or consume highly processed foods, you likely will not be pooping often – making it a high risk for heart attacks and stroke.Doctors say it may not be the lack of bowel movements that is the issue; instead, it could be the lifestyle habits that cause those problems.
Related News |When you strain in the toilet, it raises your blood pressure, which could be enough to do damage, researchers noted in the study. "Our research suggests that constipation may exacerbate the cardiovascular risks associated with high blood pressure, further increasing the likelihood of heart attacks and strokes," Prof Marques said.
Prof Marques also said there was a genetic link between constipation and heart diseases. "Positive genetic correlations were identified between constipation and various forms of major adverse cardiac events, indicating that shared genetic factors may underlie both conditions," Dr. Leticia Camargo Tavares, co-first author of the study, told The Sun.
