Chronic constipation
Adding fibre is the first advice everybody receives, and in some cases it makes things worse.
Chronic constipation does not have a single cause, so it does not have a single solution. There is a transit component, a consistency component and a defecatory mechanics component, and the right intervention depends on which dominates. Increasing insoluble fibre when the problem is slow transit can worsen bloating and discomfort.
What is almost always misconfigured is the relationship between fibre and hydration: fibre without enough fluid hardens stools instead of softening them. And there is frequently a routine factor, not a dietary one, that no diet corrects on its own.
- Distinguishing soluble from insoluble fibre for your case
- Hydration adjusted in parallel, not afterwards
- Review of defecatory routine, schedule and physical activity
- Ordered use of fermentable and non-fermentable fibre sources
- Secondary causes ruled out with your doctor
This page is educational material from a registered dietitian, not a diagnostic tool. Diagnosis and medical treatment are your doctor’s remit; clinical nutrition accompanies that treatment, it does not replace it.
Frequently asked questions
It depends on the type. Bulk-forming and osmotic laxatives have a good long-term safety profile. Stimulants used daily without supervision are another story. Either way, the nutritional strategy aims for them to stop being necessary, not to accompany them indefinitely.
There is no universal figure. It depends on your body mass, activity, climate and fibre intake. In a body composition assessment we measure your total body water and its distribution, which lets us adjust the recommendation instead of repeating “two litres”.
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