Defecation After Eating, Normal Or A Sign Of Implementation Problems?

Illustration of people going to the toilet (Photo: Freepik/jcomp)

JAKARTA - Have you ever felt like defecating as soon as you eat? This situation can be very disturbing, especially when you are still enjoying food outside the home. However, in fact, the digestive process and defamation in the body are indeed interrelated. When you chew food, it is possible that the body is also preparing to dispose of the rest of the food that has been digested previously.

This phenomenon is known as a gastrocolic reflex, which fills the stomach automatically stimulates movement in the large intestine, which then triggers the urge to defecate. This process can occur in about 15 minutes after eating. Dr. David Kunkel, a gastroenterological from UC San Diego Health, explains that this is a natural reaction of the body that has been embedded since birth, similar to a knee reflex that moves when knocked.

"This is the normal way our bodies work," said Dr. Kunkel, MD, quoted by VOI from the Self page.

However, this response can be different for everyone. Some just felt a defecation push moments after eating. But there are also those who immediately feel like going to the toilet while still at the dining table. If this happens often and is annoying, it could be that your gastrocolic reflex is too active.

"Which can be very disturbing and disruptive to the quality of life," said Dr. Kunkel.

Even though it looks as if food has just come in and out. In fact, the digestive process takes longer. According to Dr. Kyle Steller, director of GI Motility Laboratory at Massachusetts General Hospital, the food you eat takes more than 24 hours to actually bypass the digestive system.

"In fact, it will take longer for these substances to move through your digestive tract," said Staller.

When you eat, your stomach will grow to make room for new foods. At some point, receptors stretch on the stomach walls sending signals to the autonomous nervous system. Then, signal the colon to start contracting. This contraction encourages the rest of the old food in the intestine to the rectum, so you feel like defecating.

In babies, this reflex is stronger because they eat more often and cannot control defecation habits. As you get older, you tend to press this urge so as not to interfere with your activities, but the reflex still exists.

In some people, gastrocholic reflexs can become too active, so the desire to defecate after eating feels very urgent or even accompanied by stomach pain. This often happens to people with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), especially in types of IBS-D (with diarrhea dominance) and IBS-M (diral combination and constipation).

According to Dr. Staller, IBS is related to communication that is disrupted between the brain and the intestines. Facilities in the digestive tract become more sensitive, so that small triggers, such as just a few food bribes. This can make the large intestine contract excessively, causing an urgent urge to defecate.

Apart from IBS, other factors that can trigger gastrocolic reflexs that are too active include:

- Stress and anxiety: When you are anxious, the brain can strengthen the sensation that comes from the intestines, so the urge to defecate feels stronger.

- Food tolerance: Sensitivity to certain foods, such as gluten or dairy products, can cause a rapid digestive reaction that resembles a gastrocolic reflex.

- Food poisoning: If the body detects something harmful in food, the digestive system will work faster to remove it, often in the form of diarrhea.

How To Reduce Defecation Desire After Eating

If the urge to defecate after eating doesn't bother you, then there's nothing to worry about. However, if this condition affects comfort or activity, there are several ways it can be done to reduce it:

1. Reduce Coffee Consumption

Coffee is known as a defecation trigger because it can stimulate colon contraction in less than five minutes after drinking. Both caffeinated and caffeineless coffee can increase the production of the hormone cholecystokinin, which strengthens the gastrocolic reflex.

2. Eat In Small Portion But Often

The more food comes in at once, the greater the chance of a gastrocolic reflex being triggered. Dr. Kunkel recommends eating food in small portions but more often to reduce the stretching effect on the stomach.

3. Avoid High Fat Food

High-fat foods take longer to digest, so the stomach remains full longer and more likely to trigger a gastrocolic reflex. While fat is important for health, consuming it in excess can exacerbate this problem.

4. Consumption of Antispassodic Drugs

If changing diet does not help, doctors may recommend antispassomodic drugs such as dipyclomine (Bentyl) or hyposcyamine (Levsin) to reduce colon contraction. This drug can be used before a situation where urgent defecation will be very disturbing, for example when traveling or attending important events.

5. Handle IBS Completely

If a gastrocolic reflex that is too active is part of IBS, long-term treatment can help. This can include:

- Low diet FODMAP to reduce fermentation in the intestines.

- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to manage stress that contributes to symptoms.

- The use of neuromodulator drugs, such as low-dose antidepressants, to stabilize communication between the brain and the intestines.