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It is the bane of many a woman’s life – but something men often believe is a figment of the imagination.Now, one U.S. doctor has declared that woman really do suffer more – largely because they have longer intestines.
Dr Robynne Chutkan, a gastroenterologist and founder of the Digestive Centre for Women in Washington D.C., explained to The Atlantic that there are major differences between the male and female digestive tracts.
Dr Robynne Chutkan says there are major differences between the male and female digestive tracts, with women's colons on average 10cm more than men - which means they are more likely to suffer from bloating
Firstly, women have a longer colon than men – on average around 10cm longer – perhaps to allow them to absorb more water or fluid during childbearing.
‘Because you have to keep the amniotic fluid replete, and the circulation and blood volume increases during pregnancy,’ she explained in an interview to promote her new book, Gutbliss.
‘And what that extra length in the colon does is create this redundancy, these sort of extra twists and turns, and that’s why women are so much more bloated and constipated than their male counterparts.
‘So there’s that difference in length as well as redundancy. Think of the male colon as kind of a gentle horseshoe, and the female colon as being a tangled-up Slinky.’
In the interview, she goes on to explain that men and woman have different shaped pelvises.
Because women's are round and men's are narrow, more of a woman’s colon drops down into the pelvis because the uterus, ovaries and fallopian tubes are taking up space above it – whereas men simply have to make room for the prostate.
Dr Chutkan, a gastroenterologist, says weaker abdominal walls due to hormone differences are also to blame for women suffering more bloating
Hormones are also to blame, she says. Men’s higher levels of testosterone mean they have a strong abdominal wall – so their bowel is better held in place.
Women, however, have a weaker abdominal wall due to their hormones, so the bowels aren’t so contained, causing bloating. Pregnancy only makes this worse.
Add in the fluctuating levels of the female hormones oestrogen and progesterone, which also affect the digestive tract, and bloating is definitely more of an issue for women, she says.
Furthermore, constipation can be caused by a weak pelvic floor – most often a result of childbirth or ageing.
‘If you just do the basic things like give them a fibre supplement to help them get stuff out, and the problem is a pelvic floor issue, they’re actually going to feel worse; they’re going to be more bloated,' she said.
Often, bloating is caused by irritable bowel syndrome, a condition that affects a staggering one in seven Britons (caused by an oversensitive gut, it leads to problems with bowel function and can trigger bloating, as well as cramps, constipation or diarrhoea).
While most people’s stomachs may swell just a couple of inches, others’ can actually double in girth in just one day, only to ‘deflate’ overnight until the next attack.
Other bloating triggers include chewing gum, antibiotics and stress.
HOW HORMONES AFFECT BLOATING
Hormonal fluctuations during a woman’s monthly cycle are a common trigger for bloating.
But while many women might put it down to ‘fluid retention’, the cause is actually relaxed muscles, explains Leila Hanna, consultant gynaecologist and obstetrician at BMI The Sloane Hospital, London.
‘Many women find they are bloated before their period, and this is due to an increased level of progesterone,’ she says.
‘During ovulation, the ovaries produce more progesterone and it causes muscles in the abdomen to relax. Everything (i.e. the organs) isn’t packed in as tightly as usual, causing a woman to look bloated. It tends to get worse just before the menopause.’
The muscles in the bowel also relax, meaning they are less efficient at moving food along the gut. This can cause constipation, triggering further bloating. It’s possible to overcome this by eating more fibre, says Ms Hanna.
But while many women might put it down to ‘fluid retention’, the cause is actually relaxed muscles, explains Leila Hanna, consultant gynaecologist and obstetrician at BMI The Sloane Hospital, London.
‘Many women find they are bloated before their period, and this is due to an increased level of progesterone,’ she says.
‘During ovulation, the ovaries produce more progesterone and it causes muscles in the abdomen to relax. Everything (i.e. the organs) isn’t packed in as tightly as usual, causing a woman to look bloated. It tends to get worse just before the menopause.’
The muscles in the bowel also relax, meaning they are less efficient at moving food along the gut. This can cause constipation, triggering further bloating. It’s possible to overcome this by eating more fibre, says Ms Hanna.
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