Does Hiking Make You Poop? (All You Need To Know)
Stress, specific medications, and a lack of fiber are some of the primary reasons that cause constipation. That can lead to infrequent bowel movements that make you poop.
However, several people have given reports and complained that exercises like hiking and regular walks also cause this infrequent bowel movement, causing them to poop.
Hiking can make you poop. While hiking, the muscles in your bowels are more active than ever. Additionally, the jostling of internal organs, liquids, and foods in your intestine can cause you to poop. However, this condition is common among people who exercise regularly, so there is no cause for alarm most times.
There is usually more to this situation, which is why we brought this article to you, so you have adequate knowledge of it, and how best to approach it. Let’s begin, shall we?
Is Hiking a Natural Laxative?
Studies have shown that exercising doesn’t only tone your heart and muscles. Generally, exercising serves as a natural laxative for constipation.
It helps during constipation by reducing the time food takes through your intestine and limiting the water the body takes from your stool.
Hiking is one of the exercise routines that help to accomplish this. When having constipation, you can go on short walks or more extended hikes to help relieve yourself.
Most times, the most effective hikes for constipation are usually at least 30 minutes. Therefore, you should set aside enough time for proper relief.
The reason is that dry, hard stools find it challenging to pass. Exercising helps prevent or alleviate this situation altogether.
Another thing you should note is that aerobic exercises can speed up your heart and breathing rate.
When this happens, it ensures the natural contraction of your intestinal muscles, which ensures that your stools move out effortlessly.
However, several other natural laxatives can help you treat your constipation, and you might like to look at them. They include:
- Fiber-rich foods like avocados, peas, figs, okra, etc.
- Drinking plenty of water also helps to eliminate excess waste and keep things moving.
- Aloe Vera is an effective natural laxative that works for many people.
Why Does Hiking Make You Poop?
There are numerous reasons why hiking can make you poop. It ranges from physiological processes in your body to several other reasons.
The primary reason hiking can cause you to poop is that it causes the jostling of your internal organs with undigested liquids and foods.
Therefore, avoiding hiking after some meal is advisable, especially when you just had a heavy meal. This practice helps avoid the embarrassing urge to poop while hiking.
Another reason why hiking causes you to poop relates to muscular activities. While hiking, blood flow to your intestines reduces, which causes poor absorption and digestion of food.
The reason is that blood flow gets diverted from the intestines to the muscles you use in hiking and general exercise. This reason is most common among regular hikers.
It happens because your muscles need oxygenation while hiking and exercising constantly. Your bowel reacts to this by contracting, pushing things through.
Does Hiking Make You Poop More?
Hiking can make you poop more than expected. However, this is common, and you should not worry too much about it.
One reason why you might want to poop while hiking is that hiking can dehydrate you. When this happens, it leads to constipation.
However, you should ensure not to take antidiarrheals while experiencing constipation due to dehydration from hiking. The reason is that antidiarrheals will harden your stools, aggravating your problem.
Another significant reason why hiking can cause you to poop more is that hiking leads to increased motility of your intestinal muscles.
Hiking constantly stimulates muscle contractions in your gastrointestinal (GI) tract, which can cause you to poop.
Additionally, nerve activities can cause you to poop while hiking or after hiking.
If you are taking a typical hike, running a race, or participating in any training competition, you might feel more excited and nervous than usual.
The reason is increased neural and hormonal activity, which might affect the nerves transmitting to and from the GI tract.
Some other reasons include increased production of cytokines and stress hormones in your body and increased mucosal permeability, which causes the contents of your GI tract to leak out.
Furthermore, some people usually mistake hiking for regular walking. However, there are clear-cut differences between the two.
Below is a table that compares hiking and walking so that you don’t confuse them anymore:
| Hiking | Walking |
|---|---|
| Hiking involves taking to the trails and immersing yourself in nature’s beauty. | Walking is an activity that involves the casual movement of the feet on the road or sidewalk. |
| Hiking usually involves elevation changes. | Most times, walking takes place without elevation changes. |
| Hiking requires relatively more effort and energy. | Walking is usually less challenging and therefore requires less energy. |
Does Hiking Improve Digestion?
Yes, hiking improves digestion. Scientific studies have shown that hiking can improve your digestion.
Exercises generally help improve your digestion due to the various physiological processes they make you undergo.
For instance, while exercising, all your body’s muscles are more active than ever. This situation causes the muscles of your GI tract to perform better than usual.
When these muscles in your GI tract get stimulated, they contract and squeeze better, making all digestion processes seamless.
Furthermore, hiking helps stimulate peristalsis. Peristalsis is the process by which digested food moves through the GI tract.
It helps reduce the time taken for food to move from your stomach into your small intestines, which helps enhance satiety after eating.
Studies have shown that faster digestion leads to lower rates of heartburn and several other reflux symptoms.
However, doing more than necessary after meals is not good. We all agree that taking a hike after a meal can help you improve your digestion.
Nonetheless, some people may want to engage in more rigorous activities, thinking they will have a faster digestion rate than hiking.
However, studies show that the reverse is the case. Rigorous activities delay digestion instead of speeding things up.
Thus, it would be best to resort to anything but rigorous activities after meals. Instead, you can try out advisable activities such as walking and biking.
If you want to experience better results, you should move your body within one hour of eating. The truth is, moving your body sooner is better for you.
FAQs
Is Hiking the Same as Walking?
Sometimes, it’s possible to mistake hiking for walking and vice versa. Some people even think both are the same thing.
What Is the Impact of Hiking on Diabetes Patients?
Taking a hike for 15 minutes after a meal can be very helpful for people with diabetes. Research shows that these 15-minute walks lower blood sugar levels effectively.
Furthermore, these post-meal walks are more effective for controlling blood sugar levels than pre-meal walks.
Are There Other Health Benefits that Hiking Offers?
Yes, there are. Research has shown a conclusive link between physical activity and a lowered risk of colon cancer.
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