A recent study suggests that vitamin B1, found in common foods, may influence bowel movement frequency, highlighting its role in gut motility among over 268,000 participants.
New research indicates that a vitamin commonly found in everyday foods may play a significant role in regulating how often individuals go to the bathroom. This conclusion stems from a comprehensive study involving more than 268,000 participants.
The study, led by Mauro D’Amato, a professor of medical genetics at LUM University and a research professor at CIC bioGUNE, explored the connection between vitamin B1, also known as thiamine, and gut motility—the process responsible for moving food through the digestive system. The international research team analyzed genetic and health data from individuals of European and East Asian ancestry, as detailed in a press release.
Participants reported their bathroom frequency, which the researchers used as a practical measure of gut motility. “We used genetics to build a roadmap of biological pathways that set the gut’s pace. What stood out was how strongly the data pointed to vitamin B1 metabolism, alongside established mechanisms,” stated Dr. Cristian Diaz-Muñoz, the study’s first author and a postdoctoral researcher in the Gastrointestinal Genetics Lab at CIC bioGUNE, located in the Bizkaia Science and Technology Park in Spain.
The analysis revealed 21 genetic regions associated with bowel movement frequency, including several that had not been previously linked to digestive function. Many of these genetic signals pointed to pathways known to be crucial for digestion, such as bile acid metabolism and nerve signaling, which control the rhythmic contractions of intestinal muscles.
Interestingly, the most unexpected findings involved genes associated with thiamine metabolism. Two specific genes, which are responsible for transporting and regulating vitamin B1 in the body, demonstrated strong correlations with stool frequency.
To further investigate whether these genetic associations translated into everyday behavior, the researchers examined dietary data from nearly 100,000 participants in the UK Biobank. Their findings indicated that individuals who consumed higher amounts of vitamin B1 tended to experience more frequent bowel movements. However, this relationship was not universal; the effect varied based on a person’s genetic makeup, suggesting that genetics play a role in how the body processes this vitamin.
Vitamin B1 is essential for energy metabolism and nerve function, including the nerves and muscles that coordinate movement in the gut, according to the National Institutes of Health. Despite the promising findings, the study, published in the scientific journal Gut, does have its limitations. The frequency of bowel movements serves as an indirect measure of gut motility and does not account for stool consistency, discomfort, or other symptoms relevant to digestive disorders, the researchers acknowledged.
Additionally, the study relied on self-reported dietary data, which can often be imprecise. The researchers also noted that genetic associations do not establish cause and effect. Therefore, the results do not conclusively demonstrate that taking vitamin B1 supplements will alter bowel habits, nor do they clarify the biological pathways through which thiamine might affect digestion.
Individuals experiencing digestive issues are encouraged to consult a healthcare professional for guidance.
According to Fox News, the implications of this research could lead to a better understanding of how dietary choices and genetic factors interact to influence gut health.