More than 4 million adults living in the United States suffer from constipation, the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse states. Constipation is defined by three or fewer bowel movements per week. Although not life-threatening, constipation can lead to severe pain and discomfort. Probiotics may help regulate your bowel movements and relieve your constipation.
Background
Probiotics are healthy, beneficial bacteria that live in your gut. Probiotics are commonly found in fermented foods such as yogurt and kefir. According to the National Institutes of Health, probiotics are commonly used to treat a wide variety of gastrointestinal disorders, including diarrhea and irritable bowel disease. Including probiotics to your diet may alleviate constipation.
Evidence
Probiotic therapy was found to be effective at reducing constipation and bloating in a group of chronically constipated volunteers in a research study published in the November 2003 "Canadian Journal of Gastroenterology." In this study, a group of 70 constipated patients were given a probiotic drink containing the bacteria strain Lactobacillus casei or a placebo. At the end of the one-month study nearly 90 percent of the subjects receiving the probiotics reported a significant improvement in symptoms. However, a review of five research studies published in the January 2010 edition of the "World Journal of Gastroenterology" investigating probiotic therapy for constipation concluded that the research supporting probiotic therapy for constipation was inconclusive.
How Probiotics Work
Constipation is often the result of dysbiosis -- or an abnormally high level of bad bacteria in the gut -- the aforementioned "World Journal of Gastroenterology" states. Probiotics can help restore your gut's balance of good and bad bacteria. They note that probiotics may also work by speeding up the transit time of food through your intestinal tract.
Sources and Considerations
Probiotics alone may not help your constipation. In addition to introducing probiotics, opt to remain physically active and consume adequate amounts of dietary fiber and fluids. As with any dietary supplement, ask your doctor if probiotics are appropriate for you. Also, the National Institutes of Health warns that the safety of probiotics have yet to be firmly established.
References
- National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse: Constipation
- National Institutes of Health: An Introduction to Probiotics
- "Canadian Journal of Gastroenterology"; ProbCiotic Beverage Containing Lactobacillus Casei Shirota Improves Gastrointestinal Symptoms in Patients With Chronic Constipation; C. Koebnick, et al.; November 2003
- "World Journal of Gastroenterology"; Systematic Review of Randomised Controlled Trials: Probiotics for functional constipation; A. Chmielewska, et al.; January 2010
