Credits: Social Media
Dietician breaks down the age-old toilet debate and the idea of ‘toxic’ poop
TikTok dietician Abbey Sharp, aka Abbeyskitchen, took to the platform recently to weigh in on a debate around gut health and debunk a theory relating to the idea of toxic poop.
Constipation sucks, she says in her video. But now its toxic, and, like, responsible for your PMS? the creator asks. Shes not so sure. Lets unpack.
Dietician weighs in on toxic poop debate
Her video is a response to fellow TikToker Joyous Health, who claims that if youre not pooping once or twice per day, you are reabsorbing toxins and hormones back into circulation in a way that can exacerbate hormone imbalances and ultimately make PMS worse .
Joyous Health advocates eating prunes and taking two brisk walks per day in order to regulate bowel and gut health. Sharps facial expression says it all. She has IBS� irritable bowel syndrome �and shes not convinced.�
While pooping regularly is super important for overall gastrointestinal health, she says, regular to you may not be regular to me . She dismisses the idea that theres a universally applicable optimum number of poops per day. And she explains that, for some people, regular means three times per day. For others, its three times per week.
Does constipation cause the reabsorption of dangerous toxins into the body?
In a word, Abbey Sharp argues, the claim is a bit of a stretch .
She points to research suggesting chronic constipation �meaning continuing or reoccurring difficulty passing a bowel movement �can lead to dysbiosis. Dysbiosis refers to an imbalance in gut health, when the microorganisms that keep your gut in check are out of whack.�
A humans gastrointestinal tract is home to trillions of microorganisms. They make up your gut biome, and include bacteria, fungi and viruses. A state of imbalance, aka dysbiosis, can lead to conditions including IBS, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), diabetes and other issues.
However, Sharp argues, not pooping regularly does not necessarily lead to the reabsorption of toxins and hormones. Its not as simple as that. Nor does constipation have to result in dysbiosis. Numerous factors affect the regularity and health of your microbiome, and bowel moments are really just one of them .
Watch the video below.
Toxic megacolon is the only serious rare situation to consider, dietician argues
The NIH defines toxic megacolon as a rare complication of colonic inflammation. It can affect all or part of your gastrointestinal tract. Any condition that leads to inflammation of the colon can cause it.�
But Sharp argues that, since it only occurs in very severe cases, its not worth worrying about in cases of mild constipation, or pooping irregularity.�
It only happens, she says, when your colon is so inflamed that the muscles weaken and just literally cannot push anything through . Only then, with super weakened walls , are toxins able to pass easily through them and cause damage. Its a far cry from being a little backed up , she reassures her listeners.
So if you find your movements are a little less regular than normal, its very unlikely youll become chronically sick, she says.
Abbey Sharp is a BS busting registered dietician who goes by Abbeys Kitchen. Shes the founder of Neue Theory Wellness and the creator of Hunger Crushing Combo. She appears regularly on The Marilyn Denis Show and The Morning Show, and is registered with Gab Group, a talent management group based in Canada.
