Repeated constipation is a problem faced by some 15-30% of the general population in the U.S. More than half experience a particular form known as idiopathic constipation. Despite the technical sound of the name, it actually means “that without known cause”. Therefore, most people have constipation which cannot be traced to cause, due largely to our lack of understanding of complex physiology of the gastrointestinal tract.
Our ignorance is one reason why there are so many constipation treatments. Some of these are pharmacological (e.g. bulk and osmotic laxatives), some are “natural”, and others are not reputable at all. Associated with these treatments are a host of myths associated with constipation. These myths usually try to explain constipation in terms of our day-to-day activities and habits.
One myth is that walking, running along with general movement exercises helps massage the muscles of the intestinal lining. The massaging movement is supposed to push food matter along, relieving constipation. The sad fact is that a careful study by scientists at a University of California campus showed that when compared to a group that did not exercise, there was no difference in relief of constipation for sufferers. Of course, these results are not definitive because the study only looked at the effect of one hour of exercise, but most people do not exercise more than that in any case.
Some people claim that eating more fiber can help relieve constipation. This fact about diet and constipation is true to a certain extent, but a review on constipation remedies by Fox-Orenstein et al indicated that this was effective only for about 1/3 of those with idiopathic constipation. Therefore, fiber is only the culprit in a subset of patients. The other 70% derive little benefit even when exceeding the FDA recommended dose for daily fiber intake.
The third myth we consider here is that having more water can help bulk up food to make it move quicker in the colon. However, studies reviewed by Muller-Lissner and co-workers demonstrated that there was no connection between water intake and constipation. The authors go on to theorize that perhaps in extreme cases of water deprivation there may be a constipation effect, the more common patient already has enough water and does not benefit by drinking more.
Finally, there are many advertisements that advocate colon cleansing as a way to holistically and naturally remove toxins from the body that can cause constipation. There is virtually no evidence for this claim. In fact, the American Cancer Society as well as several other medical associations have spoken out explicitly against claims made by many manufacturers of the efficacy of colon cleansing.
For the most part the myths are not harmful (except for the last). The activities of exercising, eating more fiber and drinking water in moderation have benign or better effects on health.
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