Probiotics and Constipation

Probiotics have been shown to be effective relief for constipation in numerous studies, and have even shown to be effective treatment for chronic constipation.
 
Constipation has many different forms, and affects people in different ways. Common symptoms of constipation include having difficult to pass bowel movements, stools that are hard and dry, less than 3 or 4 bowel movements in a week, or a combination of these. This can result in low energy levels and a full or bloated feeling.
 
Constipation is something that nearly everyone experiences at one time or another, and for some people, it has become a chronic condition. People that have taken probiotics for constipation report more frequent bowel movements that range from slight to considerable improvement.
 
Research indicates that high stress levels, low amounts of exercise and poor diet choices are often the primary causes of constipation, and that by modifying your daily habits, you can have a strong positive effect on your digestive and immune systems.  
 
There are other causes of constipation such as not drinking enough water, taking calcium and iron supplements, taking painkillers, pregnancy, irritable bowel syndrome, diabetes, and hyperthyroidism – and in most cases, probiotics have been demonstrated to have a positive effect.
 

How To Treat Constipation

 There is growing evidence in both the natural and conventional health care communities that probiotics assists the digestive and immune systems in working more effectively. Probiotics works by increasing healthy bacteria in the digestive system and by stimulating the immune system at the same time.
 
People that are suffering from constipation typically have conditions in their digestive systems that do not permit easy or frequent bowel movements. The levels of healthy bacteria and yeast strains in the digestive system are usually low and/or out of balance with each other.

Having lower levels of healthy bacteria and yeast to assist it, the body has a more difficult time digesting the food, causing it to remain in the body longer. This can result in other digestive system problems like diverticulitis, which can make the problem even worse and possibly cause an infection.

Constipation sufferers may be able to change these conditions in the digestive system by consuming probiotic foods and supplements that increase the levels of yeast and healthy bacteria.

Probiotics is not a quick fix. It is a systematic change to your daily dietary habits that brings about these changes. If someone is suffering from more severe or chronic constipation, they will most likely find the most benefit from a combination of probiotic supplements and probiotic foods that will multiply the healthy bacteria. For less frequent bouts of constipation, simply eating probiotic foods more frequently may provide relief from constipation episodes.
 

Probiotics for Constipation

There is a growing body of evidence that probiotics is effective in promoting healthy digestive and immune function.

Probiotics have been shown to improve constipation in children with chronic constipation. In another study, women that were given a combination of probiotics reported improved bowel function after consuming them for a couple of weeks. Several studies conducted with irritable bowel syndrome showed significant improvement in constipation, diarrhea, and painful gas.

Although the scientific community has yet to determine which specific probiotics are the best treatment for constipation, a combination of probiotics have clearly been shown to provide relief for constipation. The reason why more studies are needed is because there are a lot of different reasons why people get constipation.
 

The Best Probiotics for Constipation

If you are new to probiotics, it is probably a good idea to start by taking in probiotic foods that will improve the effectiveness of your digestive and immune systems. In situations where the constipation is chronic or severe, it may be a good idea to consider taking probiotic supplements to help speed up the process.
 
Yogurt that has live bacterial cultures will provide the most benefit for improving digestive function. It is more expensive than yogurt without live bacterial strains, but it also has been shown to have much higher levels of usable healthy bacteria.
 
Often, consuming yogurt with live bacteria will show improvement within a couple of days. Most yogurts have lactobacilli and acidophilus bacteria in them, and each has a strong track record of effectively improving digestive function.
 
Sourdough bread is another source of healthy bacteria and yeast strains, and is a great source of carbohydrates. It works very well in the treatment of many digestive problems, and has become popular for the probiotic effects that it provides.
 
Sauerkraut is another probiotic food that has high levels of beneficial bacteria. It can be found in the lunch meat aisle of the grocery store, but be careful to only get sauerkraut that is unpasteurized. If you consume sauerkraut that is pasteurized, it will have little benefit, since it has been heated to the point where the healthy bacteria have been destroyed. 

Kimchi is a Korean food that is a good replacement for sauerkraut, and can be found in a variety of different flavors.
 

Other Tips to Help Relieve Constipation

  1. Drink more water
  2. Eat more foods with fiber
  3. Limit junk foods
  4. Exercise more
  5. Only take laxatives under doctor supervision
  6. Check the side effects of the medicines you are taking