According to experts, this is a silent process, not causing obvious abdominal pain or diarrhea, but it can affect metabolism, immunity and increase the risk of chronic diseases if not detected early.
According to Dr. Duong Thieu Ky, Head of the Department of Gastroenterology, Ninh Ha University Medical Center General Hospital, most cases of bowel aging do not have typical symptoms but are mainly related to lifestyle habits.
Regular consumption of processed foods, high in sugar and fat, can reduce the activity of beneficial bacteria, creating conditions for harmful bacteria to develop. In addition, sitting for a long time and exercising less causes intestinal peristaltism to slow down, while staying up late and prolonged stress disrupts the intestinal microbiome.
Experts also note that arbitrarily using probiotics or laxative products for a long time can imbalance the natural gut microbiota instead of bringing benefits as many people mistakenly believe.
Signs that are easily ignored
Unlike common digestive diseases, bowel aging often manifests as systemic symptoms such as prolonged bad breath, poor sleep, bloating, weight gain, rough skin or recurrent acne.
Patients may become more emotionally sensitive, easily anxious, have reduced resistance and often feel tired even if they do not overwork. These are all signals that the gut microbiome may be imbalanced.
Doctor Ho Thanh Quyen, Head of the Department of Gastroenterology, Ninh Ha Autonomous Area People's Hospital, said that the important thing in bowel care is to maintain a healthy local microbiome, instead of relying on supplementing probiotics.
According to experts, the body inherently has a mechanism to self-regulate the gut bacterial system. If you abuse a type of probiotic for a long time, this balance can be broken, even reducing the gut's ability to self-regulate.
To protect digestive health, experts recommend maintaining a diverse, fiber-rich diet, getting enough sleep, exercising regularly and controlling stress.
Doctors said that if uncomfortable symptoms in the digestive tract last for more than two weeks or signs such as constipation, diarrhea, recurrent bloating appear; bloody stools, black stools or mucus; sudden changes in dialysis habits; unexplained weight loss; severe abdominal pain or palpable hardness in the abdomen, patients need to go to a medical facility for examination and early screening of intestinal diseases.
