Doctor reveals shocking theory behind why you suddenly need to use the toilet during shopping trips – and why BOOKSTORES act as a powerful ‘natural laxative’
- A gastroenterologist on TikTok shared why shopping makes people poop
- Theories include the smells of coffee and books, as well as bending over to shop
- READ MORE: Five ways to boost your gut health, according to a dietitian
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Dr. Saurabh Sethi, a gastroenterologist in California, took to TikTok to share why shopping makes you pee
A Harvard-educated doctor has revealed why shopping trips are more likely to make you run to the toilet.
Dr. Saurabh Sethi, a gastroenterologist in California, took to TikTok to share that it’s not just your imagination: Going shopping really sets off a signal in your gut.
In the video, which has over 30,000 views, 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 shared with me that they have also 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 had a sudden urge to use the restroom.
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 around a bookstore, she had a sudden urge to use the toilet
Some researchers theorize that the smell of coffee and books in stores like Barnes & Noble can stimulate a bowel movement
According to McGill University, several readers wrote in and said they had experienced the same thing. The magazine published a follow-up piece with the headline ‘shaking up the bookstore business’.
While it’s unclear what exactly about a Barnes & Noble or Target triggers Mariko Aoki, Dr. Sethi that it could be due to certain spells like books or coffee.
The caffeine in coffee, for example, has been shown to stimulate contractions in the colon and speed up digestion – even if you don’t drink it.
In addition, roasted coffee contains compounds such as chlorogenic acid, which trigger higher stomach acid levels, forcing the stomach to dump its contents faster than normal.
This may explain why walking past the coffee shop at Barnes & Noble or the Starbucks pop-up at Target can lead you to the bathroom.
As for books, one theory is that the smell of ink and paper has a natural laxative effect, although this has not been thoroughly studied.
Other research suggests that leaning forward or hunched over, as when buying books, massages the digestive tract and leads to easier passage of a bowel movement.
Dr. Sethi also noted that the feeling of relaxation—or anxiety—about shopping can bring out 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 colonic spasms that trigger bowel movements.
Dr. Sethi said some people “even visit specific stores daily to get their bowels moving.”
TikTok users flocked to the comments to share their own experiences.
‘It happens to me every time I shop, said a user named Nora.
Another commented: ‘It’s probably just from walking around for some people who aren’t active.’
‘The library in college always did that to me. Plain as clockwork,” added a user named Terry.
Another user said: ‘Greeting card shopping. Every time.’