How Gut Bacteria Affect Constipation Through Chemical Signals
- Authors
- Fan Zheng, Yong Yang, Guanting Lu, Joo Shun Tan, Uma Mageswary, Yu Zhan, Mina Ehab Ayad, Yeong-Yeh Lee, Daoyuan Xie
- Journal
- Metabolites
- Year
- 2025
- DOI
- 10.3390/metabo15040269
- Study Type
- clinical
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- China
- Health Condition
- Chronic Constipation
- Body System
- Digestive
TL;DR
Scientists found that people with chronic constipation have an imbalance in their gut bacteria that produces fewer helpful chemicals—like short-chain fatty acids—that normally help move things through your digestive system. By understanding exactly which chemical messengers are missing, doctors might be able to design personalized treatments like transferring healthy bacteria or other therapies to get your gut working properly again.
Key Finding
Constipated patients show reduced production of short-chain fatty acids and altered bile acid metabolism by their gut bacteria, which impairs intestinal movement and promotes inflammation.
Summary
This review examined how bacteria in the gut produce different chemicals that affect bowel function and constipation. Researchers looked at studies using advanced testing methods to compare the chemical profiles of constipated patients with healthy people. They found that constipated patients often have lower levels of short-chain fatty acids (beneficial chemicals made by gut bacteria), changes in bile acid metabolism (which affects how the gut moves), and imbalances in neurotransmitter production (chemicals that control nerve and muscle function).
Practical Takeaway
This is a review article summarizing existing research rather than a new study, so it doesn't provide direct evidence about hydrogen water. While the review discusses how gut bacteria and their metabolites affect constipation, it does not specifically examine hydrogen water or hydrogen gas as a treatment. The findings suggest that targeting gut bacteria composition may help with constipation, but more direct research would be needed to determine if hydrogen water plays a role.
Abstract
Background: The composition and metabolic activity of the gut microbiota play a crucial role in various health conditions, including the occurrence and development of chronic constipation. Recent metabolomic advances reveal that gut microbiota-derived metabolites-such as SCFAs, bile acids, neurotransmitters, and microbial gases-play critical roles in regulating intestinal function. Methods: We systematically analyzed the current literature on microbial metabolomics in chronic constipation. This review consolidates findings from high-throughput metabolomic techniques (GC-MS, LC-MS, NMR) comparing metabolic profiles of constipated patients with healthy individuals. It also examines diagnostic improvements and personalized treatments, including fecal microbiota transplantation and neuromodulation, guided by these metabolomic insights. Results: This review shows that reduced SCFA levels impair intestinal motility and promote inflammation. An altered bile acid metabolism-with decreased secondary bile acids like deoxycholic acid-disrupts receptor-mediated signaling, further affecting motility. Additionally, imbalances in amino acid metabolism and neurotransmitter production contribute to neuromuscular dysfunction, while variations in microbial gas production (e.g., methane vs. hydrogen) further modulate gut transit. Conclusions: Integrating metabolomics with gut microbiota research clarifies how specific microbial metabolites regulate gut function. These insights offer promising directions for precision diagnostics and targeted therapies to restore microbial balance and improve intestinal motility.