The Best Probiotics for Constipation

What causes chronic (ongoing) constipation?

Contrary to popular opinion, you can still suffer from constipation even if you eat fibre-rich foods, drink plenty of liquids and exercise, especially as you get older.

The most common link is to a form of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), where constipation may confusingly alternate between incidents of diarrhoea.

Unfortunately, medical treatments themselves for other conditions can result in constipation – including those used for depression, high blood pressure, pain relief (opioids, codeine, ibuprofen, aspirin), as well as diuretics, antacids and even some oral contraceptives.

How do probiotics help in constipation?

According to studies at the Harvard Medical School, citing work at Kings College, University of London, on a total of 1,182 patients, probiotics (especially multi-strain probiotics that included prebiotics) helped in constipation.

Probiotics:

• Reduced transit time through the gut
• Increased the number of bowel movements
• Softened stools

Taking this UK study, together with a study in the Journal of Gastroenterology, and a further study from Queen Mary College University of London, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the best strains in order of importance are:

1. Bifidobacterium lactis
2. Lactobacillus acidophilus
3. Lactobacillus plantarum
4. Lactobacillus rhamnosus
5. Streptococcus thermophilus

MicroBiotic Plus probiotic supplement

You can find all these strains in the probiotic supplement Microbiotic Plus.

We created this supplement drawing on research referenced below and development work by the University of Nebraska, which has been a leading centre of probiotic research for over 40 years.

What else helps with constipation?

Alongside these most effective strains of probiotic to take for constipation, traditional advice will also help. This includes:

✅ Ensuring you drink more water. There is some evidence that sparkling water works even better than plain water.

✅ Increasing your intake of especially soluble fibre foods like beans, oats, citrus fruits, apples, strawberries, and peas. Recent research indicates that insoluble fibre foods like bran, nuts and seeds may actually make the problem worse – especially in cases of IBS.

✅ Exercise – which has been shown to reduce the symptoms of constipation

✅ Caffeinated coffee stimulates the gut and research at the University of Iowa shows can be 60% more effective than just drinking water.

✅ Eating prebiotic foods – the foods that feed probiotics (the good bacteria) in the gut. These include garlic, onions, leeks, chicory, artichokes, asparagus, dandelion leaves (great in a salad) and bananas.

✅ Yes, and prunes really are a natural laxative!

But for many people the usual advice really is not enough to solve their constipation problem.

Hence probiotics, to help keep things move regularly through your digestive system.