Treatment of Chronic Constipation and Dysbiosis in Elderly Patients

The Japanese population is aging at an accelerated rate, with people aged 65 and over encompassing nearly 25% of the total population [1]. One of the gastrointestinal symptoms characteristic of the elderly is abnormal bowel movements such as constipation, and there is no organic disease in the lower gastrointestinal tract. According to the statistics released by the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare, the number of patients complaining about constipation increases rapidly after the age of 70 [2]. Abnormal bowel movements are always accompanied by abdominal discomfort and lead to a decreased Quality of Life (QOL) [3] as well as deterioration of nutritional status, especially in elderly people, due to decreased appetite and motivation.