If you’ve ever found yourself enjoying a meal, then needing to bolt to the restroom immediately after finishing, it can definitely make you wonder if something is wrong with you. But, in news that will calm your nerves, when this happens it doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with you at all, nor has your body decided to skip the process of digestion and proceed directly to the elimination step of this bodily function. What’s happening is likely the gastrocolic reflex, and you’re not alone.
“When food enters [the] stomach, it sets off a complex series of signals in [the] digestive system,” Chief Medical Officer and Physician at One Oak Medical, Dr. Jason Singh, exclusively told Health Digest. “[The] stomach stretches as it fills with food, which sends signals to the brain through the vagus nerve. The brain then communicates with [the] large intestine, telling it to make room for the incoming meal by moving its current contents along.” In other words, what you’re pooping out isn’t what you’ve just eaten, but what has been in the tract for a day or two and needs to be on its way.
Although normal, the gastrocolic reflex can happen at the most inopportune times. Because of this, if you’re susceptible to it, you might want to take steps to try to avoid things that trigger it.
What can trigger the gastrocolic reflex
Although the gastrocolic reflex happens any time we eat, there are certain things that can make it more likely to occur. For example, what you eat plays a major role. “Foods that seem to trigger a faster response, triggering the gastrocolic reflex, include coffee, high-fiber foods, fatty foods, and spicy foods,” said Singh. This means if you know that you are sensitive to certain foods because it’s happened in the past, then you want to take into consideration what you eat in certain situations. Taco Tuesday may seem like a great idea for a first date, but if that spiciness is going to unleash a bit of terror on your digestive tract right after dinner, it might be best to opt for something else.
Not only can certain foods invite the gastrocolic reflex to show up, but so can some health conditions. Those who have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) can find themselves being more sensitive to the gastrocolic reflex because IBS is already moving things quite quickly through the digestive tract. Crohn’s disease, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), anxiety, and food allergies can also contribute to the gastrocolic reflex, per Medical News Daily.
When you should see a doctor
If you find that the gastrocolic reflex is happening more than you wish it would or that it’s interrupting your life, then you may want to make lifestyle changes. Both avoiding foods that trigger the gastrocolic reflex and making lifestyle changes like getting your anxiety under control can help. But for the most part, it’s really not something you should be worrying about too much.
“From a medical perspective, post-meal bowel movement is completely normal and actually indicates a healthy, responsive digestive system,” said Singh, noting that the timing in which someone might feel the urge to use the bathroom can be different from person to person due to hormones, nerve sensitivity, and the digestive system as a whole.
“While this reflex is normal, significant changes from usual baseline should always be discussed and worked up for underlying GI issue,” added Singh. If you’ve made healthy changes to limit how often the gastrocolic reflex rears its head, but it’s still happening, then, as Singh pointed out, it’s time to see a doctor to figure out the best way to manage it.