Doctor reveals shocking theory behind why you suddenly need to use the toilet during shopping trips – and why BOOKSTORES act as powerful ‘natural laxative’
- A gastroenterologist on TikTok shared why shopping makes people poop
- Theories include smells of coffee and books, as well as leaning over to shop
- READ MORE: Five ways to improve your gut health, according to a dietitian
Dr. Saurabh Sethi, a gastroenterologist in California, took to TikTok to share why shopping makes you poop
A Harvard-trained doctor has revealed why you’re more likely to need to run to the toilet during a shopping trip.
Dr. Saurabh Sethi, a gastroenterologist in California, said on TikTok that it’s not just imagination: going shopping actually sends a signal in your gut.
In the video, which has been viewed more than 30,000 times, Dr. Sethi: ‘Let me explain. This phenomenon is known as the Mariko Aoki phenomenon, which was first described in Japan in 1985.”
“Many of my patients have told me they have experienced the same thing.”
The term is named after a woman who wrote in a Japanese magazine that every time she wandered into a bookstore, she suddenly felt the urge to go to the toilet.
Dr. Sethi said this sudden urge is called the Mariko Aoki phenomenon. The term is named after a woman who wrote in a Japanese magazine that every time she wandered into a bookstore, she suddenly felt the urge to go to the toilet
Some researchers theorize that the smell of coffee and books at stores like Barnes & Noble may stimulate bowel movements
According to McGill University, several readers wrote that they had experienced the same thing. The magazine published a follow-up piece headlined “shaking up the bookselling industry.”
While it’s unclear what exactly causes Mariko Aoki to hit a Barnes & Noble or Target, Dr. Sethi that this could be due to certain spells such as books or coffee.
For example, the caffeine in coffee has been shown to stimulate contractions in the colon and speed digestion, even if you don’t drink it.
In addition, roasted coffee contains compounds such as chlorogenic acid, which causes higher stomach acid levels, forcing the stomach to empty its contents faster than normal.
This could explain why walking past the coffee bar at Barnes & Noble or the Starbucks pop-up at Target can lead you to the bathroom.
When it comes to books, one theory is that the smell of ink and paper has a natural laxative effect, although this has not yet been thoroughly researched.
Other research shows that leaning forward or sitting hunched over, for example while shopping for books, massages the digestive organs and makes it easier to pass bowel movements.
Dr. Sethi also noted that a feeling of relaxation – or anxiety – while shopping can trigger this feeling.
When you feel anxious, your gut produces higher levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin, which sends messages between nerve cells in the brain and the rest of the body.
This increased serotonin can cause intestinal cramps that trigger a bowel movement.
Dr. Sethi said some people “even visit specific stores every day to get their bowels moving.”
TikTok users flocked to the comments to share their own experiences.
“Happens to me every time I’m shopping,” said a user named Nora.
Someone else commented: ‘It’s probably just walking around for some people who aren’t active.’
‘The library at university always did it for me. Regular as clock,” a user named Terry added.
Another user said: ‘Greeting card shopping. Every time.’