How often should you have a bowel movement?
There is no daily number to hit. In his office, many women who checked off constipation had no pain or bloating. They just went less often than they thought they should.
His definition:
Dr. Martin, from The Doctor Is In, episode 843Constipation is not the amount of times you go to the bathroom. It is when everything is stuck.
Asked about going two or three days without a bowel movement, he said:
Dr. Martin, from The Doctor Is In, episode 1821I'm not saying you shouldn't go to the bathroom. You don't have to go every day.
Everybody is different, he says, so do not compare yourself to your neighbor. Go by how you feel. Real constipation means you are bloated, uncomfortable and cannot go.
What helps chronic constipation first?
Water. Dr. Martin puts it at the top of his list, and he says most people are drier than they think.
On what keeps you regular:
Dr. Martin, from The Doctor Is In, episode 765The key to bowel movements is water. It really is. A lot of people don't realize how dehydrated they really are.
How much? A listener asked when to drink it:
Dr. Martin, from The Doctor Is In, episode 649Look, any time is a good time to drink water. You need two liters a day.
Two liters is about eight cups of plain water. If thirst never seems to warn you, read why dehydration sneaks up on women over 60.
Is coffee good for constipation?
Yes, in his view. Coffee is one of the first things he names.
A listener named Iris asked about chronic constipation. His first answer:
Dr. Martin, from The Doctor Is In, episode 1701The best fiber in the world is coffee.
He says there is a reason coffee works where fiber does not:
Dr. Martin, from The Doctor Is In, episode 944I read another study yesterday, another one on why coffee is better than fiber for constipation. It has to do with the 10th cranial nerve.
The 10th cranial nerve is the vagus nerve, which links your gut and your brain.
Hear it on the episode: YouTube, episode 1701 at 9:47
Do probiotics help with constipation?
He says yes, and he puts them right after water. He has used probiotics for over 40 years.
His advice to Iris:
Dr. Martin, from The Doctor Is In, episode 1701Get on probiotics, especially a broad spectrum probiotic. Very, very helpful.
Asked whether natural laxatives harm your gut bacteria, he said:
Dr. Martin, from The Doctor Is In, episode 649When you have trouble going to the bathroom you already have a disrupted microbiome. I promise you that.
The microbiome is the mix of bacteria in your gut. He names bifidus strains as some of the best for moving stool along. More in the best probiotic for a woman over 60.
Should you eat more fiber for constipation?
Usually not. This is where Dr. Martin parts ways with most advice.
To a listener with a very sluggish bowel:
Dr. Martin, from The Doctor Is In, episode 1677People that have chronic constipation, usually this is me again, I find they eat way too much fiber.
Fiber bulks up the stool, he says, and a bigger stool is mostly waste.
A listener asked if Metamucil is the same as eating fiber. Part of his answer:
Dr. Martin, from The Doctor Is In, episode 834When you're eating the wrong diet and you have a sluggish thyroid and you are constipated, you need to fix the root problems. The root problem isn't a lack of fiber. It really isn't.
Can a slow thyroid cause constipation?
Yes. When constipation is chronic, the thyroid is the first place Dr. Martin looks.
A listener asked if the vagus nerve could be to blame. He said it could play a part, then:
Dr. Martin, from The Doctor Is In, episode 1054Usually when I see chronic constipation, it's usually the thyroid. Okay? It's not a lack of fiber, it's a thyroid.
What a sluggish thyroid does to your gut:
Dr. Martin, from The Doctor Is In, episode 1074You know, your peristalsis in your gut has slowed down. That's the little hairs that move your feces along and that can slow to a crawl.
He goes by symptoms more than blood work. Thinning hair and eyebrows, dry skin, weight gain and constipation together point him to the thyroid. More in thyroid symptoms in women over 60.
Is magnesium citrate good for constipation?
He likes it. Of the forms of magnesium, citrate is the one he points to for the bowel, because he says it relaxes it.
On citrate and loose stools:
Dr. Martin, from The Doctor Is In, episode 1334Some people have trouble with citrate because it makes them have a loose stool. Most people tolerate it very, very well. And if you got any problem with constipation, I think you should take the citrate.
If citrate gives you loose stools, he says to switch to magnesium bisglycinate, which usually sits better in the gut. More in magnesium for women over 60.
Is it normal to go less on a low-carb diet?
Yes, he says. On his Reset, a month of eggs, meat and cheese, many people go less often, and he expects it.
When people on the Reset worry that going less must be bad, he says:
Dr. Martin, from The Doctor Is In, episode 1488No, it's not bad at all. It's just telling you that your body is taking in those nutrients rather than sending them into the toilet.
Carbohydrates make big stools because so much of them is waste. He also says the gut needs time to adjust, and most people settle down. Truly uncomfortable? He still starts with water, magnesium and coffee.
Are laxatives safe for chronic constipation?
He has never been a fan. A natural laxative once in a while is fine, he says, if it helps. Needing one to go is not.
To a listener with a sluggish bowel who was using a laxative product:
Dr. Martin, from The Doctor Is In, episode 1677It's not normal for anyone to have to take a supplement to go to the bathroom. It's a hundred percent far from normal.
If you are in a lot of discomfort, he says, that is different. Talk to your doctor.
Asked about castor oil for a short time, he said very short, and he prefers it on the skin:
Dr. Martin, from The Doctor Is In, episode 1629It can be a laxative I guess, but be careful with it. I wouldn't use it much.
Can your medications cause constipation?
Yes. He sees it most in seniors, and especially in nursing homes.
Answering the nursing home question:
Dr. Martin, from The Doctor Is In, episode 1821One of the biggest reasons they're constipated other than they eat way too much fiber is the medications they're on.
He says many seniors take a long list of pills, and the gut slows to a crawl. Never stop a prescription on your own. Ask your doctor or pharmacist whether one of yours could be slowing you down.
When should you call your doctor about constipation?
He was never big on studying what is in the toilet.
But he made one exception:
Dr. Martin, from The Doctor Is In, episode 558Now look, you don't want to have blood in your stool.
If you see blood, call your doctor. Do the same if constipation is new for you or comes with real pain.
Common questions
Is bone broth good for constipation?
He likes it better than loading up on fiber. Bone broth is rich in L-glutamine, which he says helps regenerate the lining of the gut. Episode 1701.
Does cheese cause constipation?
For some people, he says. But if cheese plugs you up, he says the problem was there first: usually not enough friendly bacteria in the gut. Episode 944.
Is flaxseed good for constipation?
He allows flaxseed on his Reset and says its fiber can help get the bowel moving. If you have diverticulosis, grind the seeds first. Episodes 549 and 830.
Can stress make you constipated?
He says long-term stress raises cortisol, which inflames the gut and over time slows the thyroid down. That is why lowering stress is on his list. Episode 830.
Does omega-3 help with constipation?
If you really are constipated, he likes omega-3 DHA, because he says it lubricates the bowel. Episode 1677.
Read next: What Is Really Behind Bloating After 60 and Gut Health For Women Over 60: Where Dr. Martin Starts.
Pick the right probiotic
Martin Clinic's Probiotic Complex is the blend he built in clinic: 50 billion live probiotics and 11 strains in a capsule that does not live in your fridge.
60-day money-back guarantee. Nothing here is a reason to start or stop anything a doctor has prescribed. Talk to your doctor first.
