Intestinal health: Where does the poop that is held back go?

We may wonder where the stool that we suppress the urge to defecate goes. Do they go back into the intestines and even cause intestinal blockage?

After we enjoy our food, the food is broken down into a paste-like chyme by gastric acid and digestive enzymes in the stomach. The chyme then passes through the stomach's exit, the pylorus, and enters the small intestine. In the small intestine, digestive juices and bile further break down and absorb the nutrients in the chyme, while the unabsorbed food residues eventually enter the large intestine, where they further absorb water, minerals, and vitamins to form the final stool.

The ultimate purpose of defecation is to be discharged from the body. Under the peristaltic action of the intestine, the stool is pushed to the end of the rectum to wait for exit. As more and more stools are waiting to exit, our intestines will have a strong urge to defecate, stimulating some sensitive nerves around the anus and transmitting defecation information to the brain. If defecation is suppressed at this time, the brain will instruct the anal sphincter to contract, causing the stool to return and be temporarily stored in the sigmoid colon and upper rectum. These stools will absorb water again, become dry and hardened, and increase the difficulty of defecation. Long-term suppression of defecation may lead to constipation or even anal fissures during defecation.

Therefore, when you feel the urge to defecate, you should go to the toilet immediately to avoid stool being retained in the body.

Regarding the question of whether the suppressed stool will be reabsorbed nutrients, the answer is no. The end of the colon does not have the ability to absorb those nutrients, it will only absorb some water, including some minerals and vitamins at most. Repeated suppression of defecation will cause the stool to become drier and harder, and the defecation reflex will become less sensitive due to repeated suppression.

In short, you should avoid suppressing the urge to defecate to maintain intestinal health. If you are already constipated, you can try the following three tips:

The first is the smart toilet. When people use a smart toilet, warm water flushing can relax the anus, thereby relaxing the sphincter and opening the anus, making it easier to defecate.

The second is a low stool. Because when we sit on the toilet, the anorectal angle is sharp, which makes it difficult for us to defecate. If you put a low stool in front of the toilet, your body will naturally lean forward after you step on it with your feet, and the anorectal angle will open to 180 degrees, making it easier to defecate.

The third trick is to rub the abdomen. We start from the lower right abdomen and rub upwards, then rub horizontally to the left and then downwards, rub to the lower left sigmoid colon, or even the rectum, and then press twice. This abdominal massage is effective in relieving constipation.

Finally, I would like to remind everyone that when you encounter defecation problems, in addition to trying the above methods, you should also pay attention to adjusting your diet, increasing your intake of dietary fiber, maintaining adequate water, and getting the right amount of physical activity. If defecation problems persist or are accompanied by other symptoms, you should seek medical attention and professional medical help in a timely manner.

Author: Dr. Chrysanthemum Lin Guole Team

Reviewer: Wang Qiang, deputy chief physician of the Department of Gastroenterology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital

Produced by: China Association for Science and Technology Department of Science Popularization

Producer: China Science and Technology Press Co., Ltd., Beijing Zhongke Xinghe Culture Media Co., Ltd.