Digestive complaints like constipation and bloating get routinely written off as an inevitable part of getting older. Gut scientist Dr Emily Leeming, of King's College London, argues that's usually a mistake — and that simple habit changes can fix most of it.
The gut itself is remarkably hardy. It regenerates quickly and can keep working well even after parts are surgically removed. What actually trips people up after 50 is everything around it: less movement, less varied food, irregular mealtimes and long-term medications all slow digestion down. And since the gut communicates with the brain and influences mood, immunity, energy and metabolism, letting it slide affects far more than the bathroom.
Constipation is the big one — by 65, 26% of women and 16% of men report symptoms, rising to 34% and 26% by 84, often with bloating as trapped gas builds up behind stool. Leeming's first-line fixes are refreshingly low-tech: a footstool under the knees on the loo to open up the anorectal angle, a clockwise abdominal massage while seated, and a walk within 30 minutes of eating (which also steadies blood sugar). For fibre, she suggests two kiwifruit a day or eight to 10 prunes; psyllium husk works too, but only with plenty of water. Watch out for processed 'high fibre' products loaded with isolated fibres like inulin, which can trigger bloating, especially with IBS.
On the microbiome, the much-quoted decline with age may be overstated — much of the research drew on care-home residents taking multiple medications and eating repetitive food. The '30 plants a week' rule also gets short shrift: the specific number lacks solid science. What matters is variety across colours and food groups, and closing the fibre gap. In the UK, 96% of people miss the recommended intake, averaging around 16g a day against a 30g target. Her shortcut: the BGBGs — beans, greens, berries, whole grains and nuts and seeds.
Another over-50 myth is that stomach acid inevitably declines. It's more often tied to illness, frailty or H. pylori infection, but lower acid can impair absorption of iron and B12 — with fatigue as a possible warning sign. Leeming advises blood tests rather than guesswork supplements, especially for those on drugs like metformin, which is linked to lower B12. Untreated B12 deficiency can cause permanent nerve damage, and age 50 is a sensible point to establish baselines.
As for wind: no, older adults don't inherently produce more gas. Eat slower, cut fizzy drinks, check labels for sugar alcohols, ramp fibre up gradually and keep moving.
Why should travellers care? Anyone who's been floored by constipation and bloating halfway through a trip knows how much it ruins a holiday — long flights, disrupted routines and restaurant food are classic triggers. These fixes (footstool tricks aside) travel well, and one rule is universal: a sustained change in bowel habits, bleeding, weight loss or persistent pain is never 'just ageing'. See a doctor.