When preparing for a big test or athletic event, try to take a load off.
A new, small study found that triathletes performed better on a cognitive test that simulates the experience of rapid decision-making in sports when they pooped beforehand.
The 13 participants took the Stroop test three times a week apart — the first time without pooping beforehand, the second time an hour after going to the bathroom and the third time with the help of a magnesium oxide laxative.
“Stroop test performance was improved in all (100%, 13/13) of the participants after magnesium-induced defecation and most (69%, 9/13) of the participants after non-magnesium-induced defecation,” the international team of researchers wrote in the new issue of the Sports Medicine and Health Science journal.
In the Stroop test, participants were presented with color words printed in different ink colors (like “red” written in green ink) and told to quickly name the color.
The study authors used the results to measure their selective attention and mental judgment.
The researchers previously found that going No. 2 greatly improved cycling performance and increased blood supply to the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain where decisions are made.
They used this study to show that pooping gives your body more energy to spend on cognition and exercise intensity.
They linked better performance on the Stroop test to a significant increase in oxygen consumption in the area below the belly button post-poop. There was less of an effect on the prefrontal brain.
The researchers theorized that the enteric nervous system surrounding the rectum may play a role in immediate cognitive tasks by sending signals to the brain based on conditions in the gut. This describes what’s commonly known as a “gut feeling.”
But “the most striking finding” is the “unequivocal improvement” of the participants who took the magnesium supplement to poop. Magnesium oxide, which is available over the counter in tablets or powder, draws water into the intestines, softening stool and relieving constipation.
“Magnesium by itself might independently influence the interaction between the rectum and the brain,” the study authors wrote. “This observation aligns with a previous study where magnesium consumption over a period of six weeks significantly alleviated depressive symptoms.”
The researchers recommend pooping 60 to 90 minutes before the big event for better, faster and smarter decision-making.
They are calling for larger experiments to confirm their findings and more research into how the composition of our gut bacteria, our hunger level and the timing of our meals affect mental clarity.
The connection between the rectum and brain was highlighted in a 2023 study that linked chronic constipation — defined as having bowel movements every three days or more — to poorer cognitive function.
If you’re having trouble answering the call of nature, experts suggest a diet that’s high in fiber and polyphenol foods such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains, plenty of water every day and regular exercise.
