Constipation

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FUNCTIONING OF THE COLON (LARGE INTESTINE)

6.         To understand as to why constipation occurs, the functioning of the colon needs to be understood. Colon is part of the large intestine extending from the blind pouch (the first part of the large intestine) to the rectum. Colon is about 1.5m long and it moves the intestinal contents. Colon does not secrete digestive enzymes. The major function of the colon is to remove water from the stool and to absorb it back into the body while forming the waste products. Without this major function of the colon, the body will rapidly dehydrate and could lead to death. The colon, through muscle contractions also pushes the waste products (stool) further into the rectum. Hard stool is formed when the colon absorbs too much water or when the stools remain for too long in the colon, causing an increased loss of water from the fecal contents. Infrequent stools occur when contractions of the colon muscles are slow.

Some characteristics of stool

7.       Here are some answers to questions you may have had about stool, but hesitated to ask:

(i)      How long does it take for food to pass through the body? – On a low-fibre Western diet, based on meat and bread, it takes about 24-72 hours for food to pass through the body. For high-fibre vegetarian diets, composed of unrefined wholegrains/cereals, fruits and raw vegetables/salads, transit time for stool is normally 8-12 hours or so. However fruits and raw vegetables/salads taken on their own are digested in just 2-3 hours.

(ii)     How much does stool weigh? – Non-vegetarian people on a typical Western diet produce on average about 150-200 gms of stool a day. Vegetarians produce much more due to their high-fibre food intake because fibre absorbs water and bulks up stool.

(iii)    Why is stool sometimes soft and other times hard? – Average stool is three-quarters water. If there is too much water in it, stool will be soft. Too little water, it will be hard. One of the main functions of the colon is to absorb water. If waste moves quickly through the intestine, less water is absorbed from it, so the stool remains soft. If it moves slowly, then more water is absorbed, and stool will be hard. Fibre in the stool soaks up water like a sponge and makes faeces softer and bulkier. A high fat content, often the result of digestive disorders, can make stool soft, sticky and yellow. A gastrointestinal infection can also cause diarrhoea.