Can Antibiotics Cause Constipation?

Baby boomers have good reasons to be highly concerned about constipation because they are most likely to be affected by it and the related problems. Doctors normally suggest antibiotics for various health problems which lead to constipation. Since there is a close relation between antibiotic and constipation, people must be careful about the effects and should actively protect the digestive systems.

Yes, antibiotic treatment is very well known for causing constipation. Antibiotics lead to constipation in two different ways:

• It breaks the gut bacteria.
• It depletes the body of the essential minerals necessary for the proper functioning of the gastrointestinal system.

The human body has a large store of all sorts of bacteria in the gut that helps in digestion and removes wastes. Although, antibiotic are prescribed to cure diseases caused due to bacteria; during the process, it often kills the good bacteria in the gut that disturbs the normal gut flora. The loss of good bacteria can be termed as “collateral damage”. The loss leads to inconsistency in the gut flora eventually resulting in several intestinal problems such as constipation etc. According to studies, antibiotics negatively affect more than 30% of the gut bacteria. Besides affecting the gut bacteria, the antibiotics lessen the ability to absorb minerals like magnesium which is essential for proper gut movement, and contracting and relaxing of the intestine muscles to help food pass through the food pipe. When magnesium absorption becomes less, it leads to constipation.

• Oxygen Colon Cleanse to Treat Constipation Caused by Antibiotic: Treating constipation through a natural process is the best way. Oxygen colon cleanse is used to flush out the built-up stool. The oxygen helps to soften the dry and hard stool so that it becomes a little easy to flush it out through the bowel movement normally. The oxygen colon works in a distinguished but safe way. It helps the body to be not dependent on a laxative and initiates free movement of the bowel without forcing the body. This is a safer method and is recommended by many health experts. The ways to use oxygen colon cleanse is as follows:
• 4 capsules of Oxy-Powder are prescribed with 8oz of sterile water. This needs to be taken in an empty stomach before you go to bed.
• The next morning a series of bowel movement can be expected. A large portion of the built-up waste would be excreted giving a big relief.
• If using for the first time, it is advisable, to begin with, 2 capsules and increase the number slowly.
• Juice of a lemon adds up to the effectivity. Lemon is known to be a natural cleanser.
• Probiotics for Rebuilding Gut Flora: Probiotics is known to restore the good bacteria that are destroyed after taking antibiotics. Many studies have suggested the intake of probiotics to rebuild the probiotics naturally. The digestive disorders, constipation and bloating can be well cured with the help of Bacillus laterosporus Probiotic Strain (Latero-Flora). Several studies have brought out the effectivity of probiotic on constipation among which one study reflected that 90% of the data have reported an ease from constipation. It enhances the gut health leading to the cure of constipation naturally and safely. It is free from toxic and is completely safe for the patient. It helps in the passing of the acids in the stomach and actively works in the body. It can be stored at room temperature and thus can be carried when while traveling.
• Diet for Treating Constipation caused by Antibiotic: Maintaining a healthy diet helps to make the bowel movement regular. Below are some of the eating tips:
• You must avoid eating foods that lead to constipation. For example, junk foods, grains, gluten, dry and hard food, dairy products, legumes, bean, seed, and food that are rich in iron like red meat and calcium-rich food.
• One is advised to take more fiber. It is advised to take 25-30 grams of fiber every day that can be obtained from fresh fruits and vegetables. Too much is not suggested though because it adds up to the size of the stool making it difficult in pass.
• Avoid beverages that contain caffeine, and drink enough water to stay hydrated. Caffeine worsens constipation.
• You can also take digestive enzymes to keep the digestive issues at bay. It helps the digestion process and aids in better absorption of the nutrients from food. Different enzymes are required to digest different food. Hence, it is recommended to consume something that has a mixture of all the enzymes and is used to digest normal food.
• Try to avoid rich, oily and spicy food, because that adds up to digestion issues.

When you are recommended to take antibiotics, you must keep a few facts in mind that may help you to reduce the risk of having constipation caused due to antibiotics:

Need for Antibiotics: Ask yourself whether you really need antibiotics or not. You must never take medicines on your own; rather confirm it with your physician. According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 30% of the antibiotics that are prescribed in the United States, are absolutely unavoidable.

Probiotics and Antibiotics: Taking probiotics with the antibiotics lessens the negative influences of the antibiotic on the gut flora and the immunity of the patient. The application of probiotics, its naturalness, and its positive effects have been studied extensively and have been mentioned in numerous medical journals and literature as to be taken along with antibiotics.

Constipation caused due to antibiotics is somewhat different than the other types of constipation. Since in this type, the gut flora gets imbalanced, it might take several weeks to months’ time to restore the gut flora and recover from the phase.

You must take a few notes on the following:

• When you have digestive problems, additional problems may crop up like bloating and gas. The process of digestion may suffer a lot because it largely depends on the gut flora.
• Laxatives, usually used as constipation medicines might be helpful for the timing but they cannot rebuild the gut system. Therefore when you stop taking the laxatives, constipation might relapse again.
• As part of the treatment, it is important to resolve both the issues like addressing constipation as well as restoring the gut flora. If the gut flora is left unaddressed, the treatment will not give good results. The problem will relapse once the treatment process is stopped.

It is advisable to see doctors in case constipation persists for more than a week and accompanies several other issues. However, there are some natural ways that can be tried out at home to get rid of constipation caused by the antibiotic.

Also Read:

• Can Constipation Cause Back Pain?
• 35 Simple Home Remedies for Frequent Constipation & Tips to Avoid Constipation
• Yoga for Constipation
• What Causes Diarrhea and Constipation at the Same Time?
• How Much Fiber Should I Eat a Day to Treat IBS Constipation?
• Link Between Constipation and Acid Reflux