• Scientists finally explain why chronic constipation treatments often fail Scientists have traced stubborn constipation to a mucus-eating bacterial tag team â and stopping them could transform treatment. • Scientists at Nagoya University in Japan have identified two gut bacteria that appear to work together to trigger chronic constipation. • The microbes,Akkermansia muciniphilaandBacteroides thetaiotaomicron, break down the protective mucus layer that lines the colon. • This slippery coating is essential for keeping the colon lubricated and stool soft. • When too much of it is destroyed, stool becomes dry and difficult to pass. • The findings, published inGut Microbes, help explain why common treatments often fail for millions of people living with persistent constipation.
Article Summaries:
- Scientists at Nagoya University have identified a bacterial duo-Akkermansia muciniphila and Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron-that degrades the colon’s protective mucus layer, causing chronic constipation that resists conventional laxatives. The microbes first strip sulfate groups from mucin, then digest the exposed mucus, leading to dry, hard stool. Elevated levels of these bacteria were also found in Parkinson’s patients, who often suffer constipation years before motor symptoms appear. In mouse models, blocking the mucus‑degrading enzyme prevented constipation, suggesting a new therapeutic target that could improve treatment outcomes for millions of sufferers.
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