A doctor who graduated from Harvard university has gone viral after revealing the reason behind unexpected toilet urges while shopping.
Dr Saurabh Sethi, a gastroenterologist, shares his experience and knowledge with his 347,000 followers on TikTok (@doctorsethimd ).
He previously revealed the dangers of using scented candles and incense – claiming that while relaxing, the fumes can put users at high-risk of developing pneumonia.
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In a recent clip posted on TikTok, which has racked up 29,000 views and hundreds of likes, the 42-year-old has explained why people often get the urge to go to the toilet while shopping.
He says that the phenomenon, known as Mariko Aoki, was first described in Japan in 1985.
Dr Sethi adds: “A lot of my patients have shared with me that they have also experienced the same thing.”
The urge often occurs in cases he’s seen within bookstores, with the doctor suggesting that this may be trigged by stimuli, such as the smell of books or coffee.
He also said feeling relaxed – or anxious – by shopping can bring this feeling on.
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Dr Sethi claims: “In fact, some people even visit specific stores daily to make their bowels move.”
Users have flocked to the comments to share their own experiences.
“Happen with me every time I am shopping,” Nora said.
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Someone else commented: “It’s probably just from walking around for some people who aren’t active.”
“Library in college always did it to me. Regular as a clock,” Terry added.
Another user said: “Greeting card shopping. Every single time.”
“Sounds like IBS stress,” Rossana added.
The phenomenon alleges that a woman, named Mariko Aoki, wrote a letter to a magazine confessing that she sometimes urgently felt the need to poo whenever entering a bookstore – and in the following weeks, other people wrote in expressing the same experience.
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