It’s no secret that aging comes with a lot of downsides. Memory problems, joint pain, and decreased mobility are all very commonly cited problems people reference the older they get, but certain issues aren’t nearly as apparent.
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Changes in gut health are largely unseen, but play a crucial role in how the human body operates. The older people become, the less efficiently their digestive systems begin to function, leading to issues ranging from mild to severe, including constipation, lactose intolerance, and even cancer in some cases.
While the situation isn’t ideal, there are some things you can do to stay healthy.
How Does Age Affect the Digestive System?
One major change that occurs in older individuals is that they begin to experience a decrease in muscle strength. This affects not only muscles that people actively use, but also ones that operate automatically. Many of these muscles, which exist in the esophagus and intestinal tract, are an important part of moving food throughout the body.
However, when these digestive muscles become less efficient, it can cause certain esophageal conditions to arise that can be unpleasant or painful. Although it’s much more common for constipation to become an issue as the slowed movement of food allows for more time for water absorption.
Other issues include an increase in pancreatic scar tissue, an increased prevalence of peptic ulcers, GERD, and the development of diverticular disease.
A common problem that affects a lot of older people is the overgrowth of certain digestive bacteria that can prevent the absorption of important vitamins, especially vitamin B12, which plays a crucial role in maintaining a healthy metabolism
What Can Be Done to Preserve Digestive Health?
Fortunately, despite the many issues that older people may face, there are several viable ways to manage any digestive problems that arise.
To begin with, a multitude of medications exist which cause significant digestive imbalances. Older individuals tend to take medications more often, which can interfere with proper bodily functioning. If there are any medications that you take that aren’t strictly necessary, then they might be causing more problems than they’re worth.
There are also a lot of general health-conscious activities you can stick to that can improve gut health, such as increased physical activity, drinking more water, maintaining a healthy weight, and incorporating more fiber into your diet.
As for imbalances in gut bacteria, a possible solution is to take a colon support probiotic from a trustworthy place like Probulin. A plethora of supplements exist which are excellent at encouraging the growth and maintenance of bacteria which are beneficial to physical health while reducing the prevalence of harmful bacteria.
Keeping Healthy
Getting older might come with its inconveniences, but the reality is there are plenty of ways you can stay happy and healthy.
Gut health is important and whether your digestive system is working or not can determine a lot about your quality of life and while it may not be obvious from the start, taking steps to remedy problems that may arise will improve your state of mind immensely.
