Is it normal to want to go to the toilet soon after eating?

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The urge to have a bowel movement shortly or immediately after eating occurs due to the gastrociliary reflex.

According to the Mayo Clinic, the time it takes to digest food varies from person to person and can depend on height, weight, gender and health. It usually takes about three days for food to pass through the digestive tract and leave the body as stool. Why do you sometimes want to go to the toilet shortly after eating?

Experts at the Mayo Clinic note that this can happen when the gastrocolic reflex occurs, a physiological reaction in which the simple act of eating stimulates active movements in the gastrointestinal tract. A similar reactivity is caused by the action of the hormones cholecystokinin and motilin (at their increased level), which are responsible for regulating the motility of the digestive system.

“When food enters the stomach, the body releases a hormone that causes the colon to contract. These contractions push previously eaten food further down the tract, which can cause the urge to void. In some people, the gastrocolic reflex is intense, contributing to the desire to go to the toilet almost immediately after eating," the experts explained.

According to doctors, this feature is often observed in people suffering from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Some digestive disorders can affect the emergence of the "reflex of emptying too quickly." Among them are celiac disease, Crohn's disease, food intolerance, gastroenteritis. In addition, excessive stimulation of digestion can be caused by some products (for example, dairy) or stress, anxiety disorders.

People who feel the need to go to the toilet shortly after eating should see a doctor.