On GLP-1 medications a common symptom can be constipation. A lot of things can trigger constipation including being out of your usual routine, not drinking enough fluids, inactivity and/or having a lower fibre diet.
Constipation is the passing of hard, dry bowel movements that can be difficult to pass/straining and/or less frequent than usual (less than three bowel motions per week).
Other ways to know if you are constipated include feeling that your bowels haven’t emptied completely and/or manipulating your body position to try and pass a bowel motion. It can cause:
- Pain, bloating, discomfort
- Poor appetite
- Nausea
- Bowel obstruction or blockages – this can also be with the passing of loose watery stools
- Flatulence
How do I know if my bowels are regular enough?
Everyone’s bowel motions are different. Even if you are eating less food, you should still have regular bowel movements. It is good to aim for a soft bowel movement every 1-2 days.
If you have not had a bowel movement for more than 3 days, please contact your Mosh medical team.
Tips to Manage Constipation
1. Fluids
Drink plenty of fluids. Aim for 2 litres each day (6-8 glasses of water). Not drinking enough water is the strongest predictor of constipation. When the body is dehydrated, there is less water for the fibre to be absorbed in the colon. This means your bowel motions become dehydrated and harder to pass.
2. Movement
This can include light exercises e.g. walking. Exercise is an incredibly effective tool for helping alleviate constipation symptoms.
3. Fibre
Increase fibre intake slowly. Fibre rich foods include insoluble and soluble fibre. Insoluble fibre is best for constipation.
Add a fibre supplement, if finding increasing your fibre intake challenging. This can include psyllium, which is also the main ingredient in the Metamucil supplement.
4. Drink pear or prune juice
Prunes and pears contain large amounts of sorbitol, which helps produce gas and water, triggering an increase in bowel motions. You can also eat prunes, which can be more effective than psyllium.
Other foods with sorbitol include apples, cherries, apricots, plums and sugar free lollies.
5. Kiwi fruits
Kiwi fruits can absorb approximately 3 times its weight in water, which means it can help make stools soft along with increasing the volume of water retained in bowel motions.
Research has found adding 2-3 kiwi fruit per day for 3 weeks resulted in improved bowel motions.
Kiwi fruits are also rich in inulin which is a type of fructan. Fructans are a prebiotic fibre, meaning they assist in the growth of healthy bacteria in the colon. Fructan rich fruits and vegetables also include beetroot, brussel sprouts, white peaches, watermelon, mandarins, and rockmelon.
6. Pharmaceuticals
Take a laxative medication as prescribed (e.g. Movicol or coloxyl and senna). Check with your Mosh medical team before starting a laxative.