Enterohepatic Recirculation: Why Constipation is Dangerous to Your Health
You've never heard of it until now
You’ve likely never heard of this phenomenon, but I’m about to drop some game on you so that you can never plead ignorance again.
What the hell is enterohepatic recirculation?
I’m not going to get technical here because, frankly, this is something I’m still learning about and the physiological mechanisms don’t matter in the discussion here.
Enterohepatic recirculation refers to the process whereby a drug or metabolite in the liver is secreted into bile, stored in the gallbladder, released into the small intestine where it’s reabsorbed back into circulation, then lastly back into the liver.
This process occurs countless times.
But.. there’s real concern here regarding constipation.
Firstly, I’ve dealt with constipation in the past and it’s a fucking miserable experience.
Secondly, we must first understand the function of taking a shit in the first place.
It’s the body’s way of eliminating toxins and getting rid of waste. Your liver is a key part of this process because it filters toxins out of the body, mainly through poop.
Most people don’t think about taking a crap from this perspective, but the lightbulb starts to flicker once you realize it’s a crucial form of detoxification.
A constipated body is a toxic one
What happens if you’re clogged up and can’t use the restroom?
You literally become full of shit.
It’s not uncommon for me to hear stories from others about how they go WEEKS on end without using the restroom. It’s a struggle for a lot of people.
As I mentioned, going #2 is peak detoxification. There are all these detox strategies floating around (and while some of them work), many people miss this foundational piece of the puzzle.
When you’re chronically constipated, enterohepatic recirculation kicks in and further compounds the toxicity present within your body.
In other words:
You’re recirculating all of the shit your liver detoxified throughout your entire system.
What does that mean for you?
Here’s what it looks like:
More stress added to your body as a whole
More burden your liver needs to experience
An increased risk of every chronic disease known to man
Worsened symptoms of constipation, brain fog, headaches, skin issues, name it
It’s a physiological disaster which bleeds into the mental, emotional and spiritual realm.
What you can do about this
We’ll take a foundational perspective using the 80/20 principle since that’s my jam.
From a nutritional standpoint:
Remove the four white devils from your diet
Refined white flour
Refined white sugar
Ultra pasteurized dairy (with the exception of VAT pasteurization techniques)
White table salt
That’s your foundation because most of the benefit for your digestive system isn’t going to come from some superfood like bone broth or red meat.
It’s going to come from elimination.
Following that, replace those devils with a nutrient dense, easily digestible, whole foods nutrition framework. If it’s not real food, don’t put it into your mouth.
Fix your gut
L-glutamine and other supplements to heal the gut are important to strengthen that gut lining and bring harmony into the system.
Yet, like I said, most of the benefit will come from the elimination of:
Coffee
Nicotine
Vegetables (if you’re particularly sensitive)
Processed junk “food”
Food intolerances
Occasional use of magnesium citrate
This form of magnesium is poorly absorbed by the body, but it’s great for stimulating a bowel movement, assuming you really need to take a crap.
Again, this is only for occasional use since I know many people like to abuse a given recommendation out of urgency or ignorance.
I also want you to use other forms of magnesium regularly:
Chloride
Glycinate
L-theroante
Taurate
Sulfat (Epsom salt)
Religiously use these forms.
They often solve a lot of constipation issues on their own since magnesium is such a key part of the digestive process.
Fix your circadian rhythm
I will continue to sound like a broken rhythm on sleep and circadian biology because it truly is the 80/20 of health.
Your bowel movements are influenced by the circadian rhythm.
If it’s out of whack because you’re going to bed at different times, sleeping too late, so forth.. then so will your digestive system. Your gut doesn’t have the opportunity to receive a reliable elimination signal because it doesn’t know its ass from its mouth due to your poor lifestyle choices.
Stop eating after 7 PM (the earlier, the better).
Be asleep by 10 PM (the earlier, the better).
Get more sunlight in the morning and during the day.
Follow this rule of thumb: “Brighter days, Darker nights.”
More digestive enzymes
These should mainly come from nutrient dense foods in your diet.
Think mangoes, pineapple, papaya, fermented foods, so forth.
But if you need extra support, experiment with a digestive enzyme. There are a lot of good ones on the market (I’ve personally used the Super Enzymes from NOW).
You must break down food efficiently for the digestive process to work at its peak.
Without digestive enzymes, that’s not going to happen.
That’s the game.
Start with that and see if you notice any improvements in constipation.
For the gentlemen in desperate need of help with their health
If you’re a man between 30-55 and looking to get healthy in a relatively quick timeframe, consider joining The 80/20 Health System.
This coaching program is specifically made for men in your position who need a PERSONALIZED plan using the most effective principles for:
Sleep
Hydration
Nutrition
Movement/Training
Supplementation
And beyond.
I even go to the extent of interpreting blood and gene test results while providing specific recommendations based on those results if you have them available or are willing to get them.
Much love,
Zaid