Many elderly people often experience feeling full after eating less, bloating, flatulence or constipation, alternating diarrhea. However, when performing gastroscopy, colonoscopy or tests, doctors do not detect physical damage. According to experts, this may be a manifestation of functional digestive tract disease - a fairly common group of diseases in the elderly.
Dr. Ly Kim, Head of Geriatrics Department, Beijing Hospital (China), said that to diagnose functional digestive diseases, doctors first need to rule out physical diseases such as ulcers, tumors or lesions in the digestive tract. When abnormalities are not detected but patients still have prolonged symptoms, the possibility of functional digestive diseases needs to be considered.
According to doctors, the risk of disease increases with age due to the digestive system gradually decreasing function. The aging process affects the entire digestive system, from the oral cavity, saliva secretion ability, chewing function of teeth, gastrointestinal motility to the excretion activity of digestive glands. These changes make the elderly prone to symptoms such as bloating, belching, abdominal distension, constipation or bowel disorders.
To improve this situation, the elderly need to adjust their lifestyle and diet scientifically. Experts recommend limiting foods that are too cold, spicy, sour or stimulating because they can increase the burden on the digestive tract. Instead, you should increase green vegetables and fiber-rich foods to support bowel movements, helping to prevent constipation.
The gut microbiome also changes with age. Supplementing beneficial bacteria through yogurt or probiotic preparations according to doctor's instructions can help maintain microbiome balance, support digestion and improve gut health.
Besides nutrition, maintaining regular exercise is also very important. When old, the level of physical activity decreases, it will slow down bowel movements, thereby affecting digestive function. Elderly people should choose appropriate forms of exercise such as walking, exercise or light exercises to increase the activity of the digestive system.
Experts also note that prolonged stress, emotional disorders and insomnia can affect the brain-intestinal axis, making digestive symptoms more serious. Therefore, maintaining a regular sleep, keeping the spirit comfortable and emotionally stable are indispensable factors in controlling functional digestive diseases in the elderly.
