Vitamin B1 Boosts Gut Motility: 2026 Genetic Breakthrough

 

A 2026 genetic study of 270K+ people reveals vitamin B1 (thiamine) unexpectedly tunes gut motility & bowel frequency. Genes SLC35F3/XPR1 play a key role—could this help your IBS or constipation? Read the breakthrough.

**Unexpected Vitamin B1 Connection Emerges in Genetic Study of Gut Motility**

**London, 20 January 2026** — A massive genetic sweep of nearly 270,000 people has unearthed a surprising culprit in the daily rhythm of the gut: vitamin B1, better known as thiamine.

**The Genetic Hunt**  

Researchers sifted through DNA and questionnaire data from 268,606 individuals of European and East Asian ancestry. Their goal: pinpoint what drives how often people have bowel movements—a direct window into gut motility, the invisible engine that keeps digestion moving.  

The haul: 21 genomic regions tied to stool frequency. Ten of them were brand new discoveries. Several lined up with expected suspects—bile acids that lubricate fat digestion and signal the gut wall, plus acetylcholine pathways that relay nerve orders to intestinal muscles for contraction.

**Thiamine Steps into the Spotlight**  

Then came the twist. Two genes stood out: SLC35F3 and XPR1, both players in transporting and activating thiamine inside cells. The overlap was unmistakable. Thiamine biology had quietly emerged as a key pathway for gut motility.

To test the clue, the team turned to dietary records from 98,449 UK Biobank participants. Higher thiamine intake from food correlated with more frequent bowel movements. Crucially, the strength of that link depended on a person’s genetic profile at SLC35F3 and XPR1. Inherited variants in thiamine handling appeared to dial the effect up or down.

**A New Lens on Common Complaints**  

The findings suggest a biological bridge between stool frequency and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a disorder that affects up to 15 percent of adults worldwide with erratic motility—constipation, diarrhea, or both. Thiamine metabolism now joins bile-acid and nerve-signaling routes as a promising research target.

**Editor’s Reflection**  

This discovery reminds us how much remains hidden in plain sight. Vitamin B1, a nutrient we usually associate with energy production and nerve health, now appears to quietly tune the gut’s daily tempo. For millions living with sluggish bowels or IBS, the study offers a fresh angle: perhaps simple dietary tweaks or targeted thiamine support could one day ease symptoms, especially for those whose genes make them more responsive. Science rarely moves in straight lines—sometimes the most unexpected path is the one that finally makes sense.