Reflex retention

How much damage are you actually doing to your body by holding it in?

Kyle Nelson2 said:How much damage are you actually doing to your body by holding it in?

Based on my understanding of the matter, the physiological consequences involve the deformation of the intestines. Specifically, the anal sphincter tends to constrict because it loses its natural functionality, while the intestinal tract itself begins to dilate.

Furthermore, one must consider that these are waste products and toxins that the body is actively attempting to expel; by delaying this process, these substances accumulate within the bowels, which are already prone to bacterial fermentation.

I recall reading somewhere that if humans simply didn't have digestive tracts, we might live for nearly three hundred years.