When bowel habits change, many people first notice how often they go—or don’t. Coffee, fatty foods, and large meals can all influence bowel movement frequency through well-known digestive pathways. However, emerging research suggests that our genes—and possibly our vitamin B1 status—may also play a role.
A large international genetic study published in Gut analyzed data from 268,606 people. Researchers identified 21 regions of the human genome associated with stool frequency, including 10 that had not previously been reported.
