In This ArticleView AllIn This Article1. You May Be Dehydrated2. You’re Stressed and Feeling Anxious3. You’re Not Eating Enough Fiber4. You’ve Had a Recent Change in Diet5. You Need to Up Your Exercise Routine6. You’re on a New Medication or Supplement
In This ArticleView All
View All
In This Article
You May Be Dehydrated
You’re Stressed and Feeling Anxious
You’re Not Eating Enough Fiber
You’ve Had a Recent Change in Diet
You Need to Up Your Exercise Routine
You’re on a New Medication or Supplement
Being constipated is hard—to put it quite literally. And having to deal with the associated symptoms of bloating, abdominal pain and hard stools that are often painful to pass is even worse. But take comfort in knowing that you’re not alone. According to theNational Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, constipation—which is partially defined as pooping fewer than three times a week—affects 16% of American adults and doubles as we age. Approximately 33% of adults 60 and older deal with chronic constipation. While constipation can be a nuisance, it may also be associated with diabetes, stroke and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), according to theNational Institute on Aging.
It’s important to know that constipation is not considered a disease but a symptom of an underlying problem. Changes to your lifestyle, mental health and diet are just some of the reasons you may feel backed up. Here are six possible reasons you can’t poop, including tips from registered dietitian nutritionists on what you need to do to help keep things regular.
What Happens in Your Body When You’re Constipated
From plump, elastic skin to increased energy levels, staying hydrated offers numerous benefits to our body’s various organs, including the digestive tract. In fact, according to theU.S. National Library of Medicine’s resource, MedlinePlus, inadequate fluid intake every day is one of the key reasons people experience constipation.
“At least a liter of water usually enters our colon during digestion, but only a small portion of that is excreted as part of our stool,” says Nashville-based registered dietitianGrace Goodwin Dwyer, M.S., M.A., RD, LDN.“Poop that has had too much water removed from it, either because you’re dehydrated or because you’re pooping infrequently, is going to be pretty hard.”
8 Hydrating Foods to Help You Meet Your Water Goals
Everybody experiences stress and anxiety differently. According to theCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), for some, stress can cause anxiety, fearfulness or feelings of helplessness.Others develop more physical responses, ranging from rapid heartbeat and dizziness to sleeplessness and, you guessed it, constipation.
“Stress can drastically influence our hunger, leading some people to emotionally eat and others to avoid eating,” saysKristen Carli, RDN, owner of Camelback Nutrition & Wellness, a private nutrition practice in Scottsdale, Arizona. “It can also greatly influence our gastrointestinal function.”
According to 2018 research published in the journalFrontiers in Microbiology, there’s a direct link between mental health and gut health. Chronic stress not only affects the gut microbiota but can also lead to the onset of digestive issues such as irregular bowel movements and IBS. Stress can also result in the digestive process of peristalsis (wave-like movements that move food through your gut ) abruptly stopping as the body moves from a relaxed state into a fight-or-flight sympathetic nervous response, ultimately being a sneaky reason you can’t poop.
Learning what stress management techniques work for you can really help. “It can be as simple as relaxing in a bath with a glass of tea and a good book or more high intensity, like [an indoor cycling] class,” explains Carli. “I just guide patients on identifying what self-care activities appeal to them and suggest seeking these behaviors out instead of turning to food to cope with stress.”
Integral for balancing blood glucose levels, gut health and preventing the onset of chronic diseases, fiber is an essential macronutrient that we often overlook. In fact, if you’ve been struggling with constipation, Dwyer recommends assessing your daily dietary fiber intake levels. “It’s helpful to know what’s going on in our bodies, and sometimes boosting a specific type of fiber may help sort out a bowel movement issue.”
Suggested fiber intakes are based on calories consumed for a healthy weight. For healthy adults, the2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americansrecommend a dietary fiber intake of 28 grams on a 2,000-calorie diet and typically more for people who require additional calories. More than 90% of American females and 97% of males fall short of the recommended amount, despite thebenefits of incorporating more fiber-rich foods into your diet, averaging just 14 g of dietary fiber a day.
“Sometimes people think they need to add a supplement like a powder or drink to increase their fiber intake,” explains Carli. “But I recommend starting with fiber from whole food sources because, in addition to tasting better, whole food sources also provide additional nutritional benefits like vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.”
Although upping your daily fiber intake will most likely be beneficial in the long run, a drastic increase can often result in short-term side effects—like constipation—as your gastrointestinal tract takes time to adapt. “If you do not eat much fiber and you suddenly consume lots of fiber, you will likely have some uncomfortable gastrointestinal symptoms, like bloating and gas,” explains Carli. “Start with 1/4 cup of legumes per day, for example, for a few weeks before increasing to 1/2 cup per day for a few weeks. Very slow increases will prevent these uncomfortable symptoms.”
Processed foods that are high in sodium, as well as high-fat, low-carb diets like the ketogenic diet, are also the culprits for irregular bowel movements. According to 2022 research published in the journalNutrients, eating too much salt can decrease the amount of water in your poop, making it harder and more difficult to pass.
“If you’re specifically struggling with constipation, I’d incorporate foods that have laxative effects, such as flaxseeds, chia seeds, berries and stone fruits—peaches, plums, apricots,” adds Dwyer. “Start with 2 tablespoons for the seeds and 1 cup for the fruit per day. And don’t forget that you’ll need to also increase your water intake to help your body move this fiber along.”
8 Foods to Help You Poop
Your level of physical activity may be another reason you can’t poop on the regular. In addition to losing muscle strength, decreasing bone density and contributing to poor circulation, a sedentary lifestyle also increases the occurrence of irregular bowel movements, according to theNational Library of Medicine’s resource MedlinePlus.Results from a 2019 review of the literature published in theScandinavian Journal of Gastroenterologysuggest that exercise may be a practical, effective treatment for constipation.
Exercise might also improve your gut’s microbiome. For example, the results of a 2019 study published inNutrientssuggest a correlation between an increase in physical activity and the improvement of gut health. For healthy females above the age of 65, daily brisk walks were responsible for increasing intestinalBacteroides, a beneficial type of microbiome bacteria.
What the Appearance of Your Poop Can Tell You About Your Health
This is why health care providers and dietitians recommend increasing not just your dietary fiber levels but your daily water intake as well. “I strongly urge people to remember that water is a part of this equation, too,” says Dwyer. “Many people who struggle with constipation are dehydrated and find that upping their fluid intake, especially in the morning, can make a world of difference.”
If you suddenly become more constipated, or these lifestyle tips don’t improve your constipation, talk with your doctor. Constipation can be a sign of certain health problems or a result of them.
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!Tell us why!OtherSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Tell us why!OtherSubmit
Tell us why!
