Chronic Constipation & Stress - Part 2

”Chronic constipation and Stress Part 1” explained how stress can be caused both by external events (trauma, car accidents, chronic stress from work deadlines, etc…) and by internal events within the gut (antibiotics, microbial invaders, etc…) – all causing constipation. Chronic stress doesn’t have to make you constipated though - in this article we’ll examine how important probiotics are in dealing with this issue.

Probiotics to treat stress related chronic constipation

Study #1

Two important studies point to the link between stress and constipation. The first is a 2006 Canadian study in which rats were exposed to stress and then given probiotics to see what the effect would be. The rats were divided into four groups – two were exposed to chronic stress and two were not. One of the chronic stress groups received probiotics in their water while the other did not.

The study found that the rats who were put under stress while receiving no probiotics had multiple instances of harmful bacteria having penetrated the mucus lining of the intestines and attaching themselves to the gut itself – the beginnings of an early infection. The rats also had bacteria in their lymph nodes – a primary regulator of the immune system. In other words, stress related chronic constipation may not only affect your intestines, but also your very ability to fight disease. The probiotic treated rats, despite being exposed to the same stressors, didn’t show any of bacterial penetration of the intestinal walls and had no bacteria in their lymph nodes – the probiotics had successfully defended their intestines. With the probiotics intact, they would be free to produce the fuel that the intestines needs for healthy bowel movements.

Study #2

The second study, appearing in the journal Nutrition Research in 2007, looked at about 80 people who had symptoms of chronic stress (nervousness, irritability, sleeping problems, gastrointestinal disturbances, chronic constipation). One group of participants took a supplement containing 3 billion CFUs of Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium longum for 3 weeks while the other group took a placebo. At the end of the 3 weeks, the probiotic group reported significant improvement in abdominal pain, nausea, & gas. Relief of constipation improved, but not quite enough to be statistically significant – probably due to the fact that probiotic supplementation was only 3 weeks and not strong enough. It takes time to not only rebuild the mucosal barrier, but then also to allow probiotics to produce the short-chain fatty acids that are essential for proper bowel movements.

Solutions to Chronic Constipation & Stress

If you struggle with constipation and stress and have not had long-term success with a traditional or herbal laxative, consider a probiotic supplement to find relief and strengthen your immune system. StayRegular is a probiotic based colon support system that provides constipation relief in several different ways. In addition to containing 12 billion CFUs of custom selected probiotic species (4x more powerful than used in the study above), StayRegular also provides the vitamins and minerals your colon needs and the dynamic fiber that can help get you going again. Don’t let stress control your life – give yourself the gift of regularity!