The gut doctor has shared why you might immediately need the toilet after eating – and what to do to avoid it
A doctor has shared why some people feel the need to go to the toilet immediately after eating. Dr Saurabh Sethi, a gastroenterologist, shares his experience and knowledge with his 475,000 followers on TikTok (@doctorsethimd).
The doctor, who graduated from Harvard University, has gone viral after revealing the bizarre body reflex that causes an urgency for the toilet right after eating. With festive celebrations well underway, it’s been a week filled with food galore – and as result, people have likely been stuffing themselves to the brim.
If you’ve noticed needing the toilet more frequently – and urgently – Dr Sethi has the explanation behind this, reports What’s The Jam. In a clip racking 1.3m views and over 12,000 likes, he’s revealed the bizarre body reflex that is likely the cause.
In the clip, the doctor asked: “Why do you feel you need to poop right after eating?” According to Dr Sethi, it is very common.
He continued: “This happens because of a thing called the gastrocolic reflex. When food hits your stomach, it signals your colon to get moving, which can make you feel like you need to go fast.”
For those suffering with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), this reflex is usually more intense. Dr Sethi has four tips, though, if you find that this is happening quite often.
He added: “Eat smaller, more frequent meals. Add more soluble fibre to your meals, like oats or bananas.
“Slightly green bananas rather than yellow ones [are best]. Avoid foods that might trigger your symptoms, such as high fats, spicy or caffeinated foods.
“Consider a low FODMAP diet – an elimination diet that helps to identify specific food triggers – which can help people with IBS.”
What is gastrocolic reflex?
Gastrocolic reflex is one of your body’s natural reflexes – it signals your colon to empty food once it gets to your stomach to make room for more. But, if the reflex goes into overdrive, you may have symptoms that require treatment.
When your gastrocolic reflex goes into overdrive, it may feel as if “food is going right through you.” You might head straight to the toilet after eating, or feel a number of symptoms such as pain, cramping, diarrhoea, or constipation.
Gastrocolic reflex symptoms
According to VeryWellHealth, the gastrocolic reflex stimulates the colon (part of the large intestine) to move digested food along and out of the GI tract. Because of this, it makes sense that the symptoms associated with an overactive gastrocolic reflex correspond with the GI tract. These include:
- Abdominal pain or cramping
- Abdominal bloating
- A sudden urge to have a bowel movement
- Diarrhoea
- Flatulence (gas)
Additional factors that might heighten the response of the gastrocolic reflex include:
- Eating a large meal, especially if it’s high in fat
- Drinking large amounts of cold liquid at once
- Consuming foods or beverages containing lactose (a milk sugar), if you are lactose intolerant
- Consuming foods or beverages containing fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols (FODMAPs), if you are sensitive to FODMAPs (these are certain short-chain carbohydrates that can be poorly absorbed)
