How does intestine age?

We spend a fortune on products to combat wrinkles and gray hair.

Our intestines are aging, too, but we often don't think about it until the symptoms begin to manifest in their most joyless form, Dr. Megan Rossi wrote in an article for the Daily Mail.

According to the specialist, a classic example of the symptoms she mentioned is diverticular disease.

Diverticular disease begins with a weak spot in the intestine, usually in the lower part of the colon called the sigmoid colon. It pushes outward, forming a small pouch with a narrow opening that is usually no larger than a pea. This pouch, or "pocket," is known as a diverticulum.

Most people - about 70% - develop at least one diverticulum by the age of 80 because of a weakened bowel.

Up to 20% of people with diverticulosis experience problems ranging from abdominal bloating, changes in stool patterns and cramping to more serious symptoms, including stabbing pains, nausea and vomiting.

In a small percentage of cases-about 5% of people with diverticulosis-the "pockets" become inflamed.

This causes severe abdominal pain, diarrhea and fever, and in severe cases, abscesses or ruptures of the intestinal wall with symptoms such as rectal bleeding (a sign that one of the "pockets" has burst, rupturing a blood vessel).

The standard treatment for this condition, known as diverticulitis, is a course of antibiotics, since the inflammation is often caused by microbes infesting and irritating the "pockets," the doctor notes.

You may have heard that diverticula is a sign of a lack of fiber in the diet; the idea is that hard stools cause "pockets."

Lack of fiber is just one component of a complex set of factors that cause diverticulosis, including lifestyle, genetics, and intestinal bacteria.

Constipation, inflammation (associated with smoking and being overweight) and type 2 diabetes are also risk factors for developing these "pockets," which may explain why we see more young people with diverticulosis, Dr. Rossi concluded.