Do people experience occasional constipation more frequently as they get older?

There are a number of changes that are to be expected as you continue aging. As you get older, you can expect changes to your cardiovascular system, your bones, joints, muscles, bladder and to your digestive system. Age-related structural changes in the large intestine can also contribute to the higher rate of constipation in the elderly. To help prevent constipation, there are a few things you can do:

Your digestive system is a series of muscles that need to contract to process and move food through your stomach and intestines. This process slows down as you age, resulting in more infrequent bowel movements. The reduced ability of nerves to stimulate proper and coordinated bowel muscle contractions causes a longer stool transit time which in turn results in more absorption of water. This makes the stool harder and dryer and the passing of stool more difficult, painful and less frequent.

Medication usage is more common in older people. There are several types of medication that are known to slow down the digestive process and thus could be triggering constipation symptoms. These include some drugs used to treat depression, antacids containing aluminum or calcium, iron supplements, some allergy medicines (antihistamines), certain painkillers (like opioids), some drugs for high blood pressure, including diuretics, and some drugs used to treat Parkinson’s disease. If you’re taking any new medication and start experiencing constipation, consult your doctor or pharmacist.

You should never change or stop prescribed medications without talking it through with a healthcare professional first.

Nutrition has a direct impact on how often you go. Eating a lot of high-fat meats, processed food, dairy products and eggs, or rich desserts and sugary sweets, while not eating enough high-fiber foods like vegetables, fruits, and whole grains may contribute to occasional constipation.

As we get older, we tend to exercise less and our bodies tend to relax more, making muscle stimulation more difficult, including the muscle stimulation of our digestive system. Modest physical activity may help individuals with occasional constipation while prolonged physical inactivity in those who are normally physically active, especially in the elderly, can reduce colonic transit. Prolonged physical inactivity in those who are normally physically active, especially in the elderly, can increase the time it takes for the stool to pass through the colon. Therefore, incorporating modest physical activity into your day may help individuals with occasional constipation.