Constipation: It's not just uncomfortable, it's key health indicator

Constipation is a very common complaint and one worth paying attention to if you want to optimize your health!

I talk a lot about bowel habits with my patients.  It’s the best was to get a feel for the health of their digestive tract.  Once we get over the reluctance to go there, many people are surprised to learn that what they thought was normal in terms of the amount of bowel movements per week is actually common, but truly a sign of imbalance in the gut.

Things to check in on:

1. The first habits I check in on is the water and fiber intake. For many people it really is that simple. More fruits and veggies and drinking half their weight in ounces per day. Once this is clear, we move on to the other common issue, medications.

2. We take a peak to see if they are taking any medications that will either create dry stool or decrease motility. A good list of those are below but include medications for pain, overactive bladder, prostate, and high blood pressure. If this is part of the problem, a conversation with the prescribing doctor for alternatives is in order. Also, some supplements like iron and calcium can cause constipation.

• Narcotic pain medications such as codeine (for example, Tylenol #3), oxycodone (for example, Percocet), and hydromorphone (Dilaudid)

• Antidepressants such as amitriptyline (Elavil, Endep) and imipramine (Tofranil)

• Anticonvulsants such as phenytoin (Dilantin) and carbamazepine (Tegretol)

• Iron supplements

• Calcium channel blocking drugs (CCBs) such as diltiazem (Cardizem) and nifedipine (Procardia)

• Aluminum-containing antacids such as aluminum hydroxide suspension (Amphojel) and aluminum carbonate (Basaljel)

3. Next on the checklist is a condition called Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth. This is a case of the bacteria that should be in your large intestine or colon, migrating into the small intestine and creating symptoms commonly labeled as Irritable Bowel Syndrome. l can order a breath test to confirm as this requires specific treatment and diet recommendations.

4. An interim approach for relief while we sort through the underlying issue is magnesium citrate. This is a fool-proof, non-habit forming supplement that will get all but the most stubborn bowel moving again.

Bottom line, pay attention to what your body is telling you!  A normal bowel movement frequency is 1-2 times per day.  The consistency should look like a smooth, long brown snake (sorry to get graphic, but we just need to be super clear on this!).  If your bowel habits aren’t like this, it’s time to pay attention, adjust your diet and lifestyle, and possible seek treatment to normalize this critical aspect of your health.  

Constipation is associated with these serious conditions: Parksinson’s, Alzheimer’s Disease, hypothyroidism, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and more.