The Naturopathic Co.
If you’re experiencing constipation and bloating, the two symptoms may be much more closely connected than you realise.
Constipation is one of the most common digestive problems we see alongside persistent bloating, abdominal distension, excessive gas and IBS.
You might wake up feeling relatively comfortable, only to become increasingly bloated throughout the day. Your stomach may feel tight, heavy or swollen, and even when you do have a bowel movement, you may not feel properly emptied.
One of the most important things to understand is that having a bowel movement every day doesn’t necessarily mean you’re not constipated.
Can Constipation Cause Bloating?
Yes.
Constipation can be an important cause of persistent bloating and abdominal distension.
When bowel contents move slowly through the gastrointestinal tract or bowel movements are incomplete, people may experience increased abdominal fullness, pressure and discomfort.
Fermentation and gas production continue within the gastrointestinal tract at the same time, potentially adding to the sensation of bloating.
If you’re experiencing bloating and constipation together, improving bowel function may therefore be one of the most important places to start.
Can You Be Constipated If You Go Every Day?
Yes.
We don’t assess constipation purely according to the number of bowel movements you have each week.
Signs of constipation may include:
- Hard or dry stools
- Small stools
- Straining
- Difficulty passing stool
- Incomplete evacuation
- Feeling as though you still need to go
- Sitting on the toilet for long periods
- Repeated small bowel movements
- Abdominal heaviness
- Bloating
- Excessive gas
Someone may technically open their bowels every morning but still have incomplete bowel movements and constipation symptoms.
Why Does Constipation Make You So Bloated?
When intestinal contents aren’t moving effectively, the abdomen may become increasingly full and uncomfortable.
At the same time, bacteria within the gut microbiome continue fermenting dietary fibres and carbohydrates.
Fermentation naturally produces gases.
When this occurs alongside slow bowel transit or incomplete evacuation, the combination can contribute to gas, bloating, abdominal distension and pressure.
This is one reason treating bloating without considering bowel function can be unsuccessful.
Sometimes the problem isn’t simply what you’re eating.
The problem is that things aren’t moving effectively.
What Causes Constipation?
Constipation can have many contributing factors, including:
- Inadequate dietary fibre
- Insufficient fluid intake
- Low overall food intake
- Sedentary lifestyle
- Changes in routine
- Ignoring the urge to use the bathroom
- Certain medications
- IBS
- Gut-brain axis changes
- Stress and anxiety
- Hormonal changes
- Pelvic-floor dysfunction
- Some medical conditions
For many people with chronic constipation, several factors are occurring at the same time.
Constipation and the Gut Microbiome
The gut microbiome may also be relevant to bowel function.
Your intestinal microorganisms ferment dietary fibres and produce numerous compounds within the gastrointestinal tract.
Researchers continue to investigate relationships between gut microbiome composition, intestinal transit, constipation and IBS.
Importantly, constipation itself may also influence the gastrointestinal environment because slower intestinal transit changes the amount of time bowel contents spend within the colon.
This means the relationship between the microbiome and constipation can work in both directions.
In selected patients experiencing chronic constipation alongside bloating, excessive gas or other digestive symptoms, gut microbiome testing may sometimes provide useful additional information as part of our broader approach to functional testing.
However, not every case of constipation is caused by gut dysbiosis.
IBS-C: Constipation-Predominant IBS
Some people experiencing constipation, bloating and abdominal discomfort may have constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome, commonly known as IBS-C. Read more about our approach to IBS.
Symptoms may include:
- Constipation
- Hard stools
- Bloating
- Abdominal pain
- Excessive gas
- Incomplete evacuation
- Changes in bowel habits
IBS is considered a disorder of gut-brain interaction, meaning both gastrointestinal and nervous-system factors may be relevant — read more about the gut-brain axis.
SIBO, Constipation and Bloating
Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) may also be considered in some people experiencing significant bloating and altered bowel habits.
Certain patterns of intestinal microbial overgrowth and gas production have been associated with slower intestinal transit and constipation.
However, constipation and bloating alone don’t mean someone has SIBO.
Where clinically appropriate, SIBO breath testing may be considered as part of our functional testing options.
Fibre for Constipation: Is More Always Better?
One of the most common recommendations for constipation is:
“Eat more fibre.”
Sometimes that’s exactly what someone needs.
But more isn’t always better.
If someone is already extremely bloated and constipated, suddenly adding enormous quantities of bran, raw vegetables and fibre supplements can sometimes make symptoms worse.
Different types of fibre behave differently.
Some add bulk.
Some hold water.
Some are readily fermented by gut bacteria.
The type, amount and speed at which fibre is increased can therefore make a significant difference.
Why Does Fibre Make Me Bloated?
Fibre provides substrate for bacterial fermentation.
This is generally an important and beneficial process within the gut.
However, fermentation also produces gas.
If someone suddenly increases their fibre intake substantially — particularly when they already have a sensitive digestive system — bloating may increase. This is closely related to the same food sensitivities and gut inflammation we see driving symptoms more broadly.
This doesn’t necessarily mean fibre is bad for their gut.
It may mean we need to adjust the type, amount and preparation of fibre-containing foods while improving overall digestive function.
What Foods Can Help Constipation?
There isn’t one universal constipation diet.
Dietary foundations generally include adequate:
- Vegetables
- Fruit
- Fibre
- Whole foods
- Fluid
- Protein
- Healthy fats
Kiwi fruit can be a particularly useful food for some people experiencing constipation.
However, recommendations need to account for the rest of the digestive picture.
Someone experiencing severe IBS, bloating and food intolerance may require a different approach from someone whose constipation is largely related to an extremely low-fibre diet.
Does Water Help Constipation?
Adequate hydration is important, particularly when dietary fibre is increased.
However, simply drinking litres and litres of additional water isn’t necessarily going to resolve chronic constipation.
If you’re adequately hydrated but remain persistently constipated, it is worth considering what else may be contributing.
Exercise and Constipation
Movement can support normal gastrointestinal motility.
Modern lifestyles often involve hours of sitting at desks, driving and using devices.
Regular walking and exercise may therefore form part of a broader approach to improving bowel function.
You don’t need extreme exercise.
Simply increasing daily movement can be useful.
Stress, Anxiety and Constipation
The digestive system communicates constantly with the nervous system through the gut-brain axis.
Stress affects different people differently.
Some people develop diarrhea when anxious.
Others become constipated.
Some alternate between both.
This is why chronic stress, anxiety, poor sleep and nervous-system dysregulation may be relevant when someone experiences persistent changes in bowel function. If anxiety and digestive symptoms consistently occur together, read more about IBS and anxiety and the role of the vagus nerve in gut health.
This doesn’t mean constipation is psychological.
It means the gut and nervous system are physiologically interconnected.
Hormones and Constipation
Women may notice bowel habits changing throughout their menstrual cycle.
Hormonal fluctuations can influence gastrointestinal motility, meaning some people experience more constipation at particular points in their cycle and looser bowel movements around menstruation. Read more about stress, the nervous system and hormonal imbalance, and our broader approach to hormonal imbalance.
Perimenopause and menopause can also coincide with changes in digestion, bowel habits, sleep, stress and metabolism.
If constipation follows a clear hormonal or cyclical pattern, that information can be clinically useful.
Why Am I Constipated When I Eat Healthy?
Eating a healthy diet doesn’t automatically guarantee perfect bowel function.
Someone can eat plenty of vegetables and still be constipated because they:
- Eat too little overall
- Have inadequate soluble fibre
- Don’t drink enough
- Sit for most of the day
- Have IBS
- Have a very restrictive diet
- Take medications affecting bowel function
- Experience significant chronic stress
- Have another underlying contributor
Rather than simply labelling someone’s diet healthy or unhealthy, we need to look at the whole digestive picture.
Can Fixing Constipation Get Rid of Bloating?
For some people, improving constipation makes an enormous difference to bloating.
If incomplete evacuation and slow bowel transit are major contributors to abdominal distension, restoring more comfortable and complete bowel movements may significantly reduce symptoms.
However, if bowel function improves and severe bloating remains, we may need to investigate other potential causes such as IBS, food intolerances, SIBO or gut microbiome imbalance.
Should I Get Gut Testing for Constipation and Bloating?
Not everybody needs functional testing.
However, chronic constipation and bloating accompanied by significant gas, food reactions, IBS symptoms or unexplained changes in bowel function may sometimes warrant further investigation.
Depending on the clinical picture, we may consider:
- Gut microbiome testing
- SIBO breath testing
- Conventional pathology
- Medical investigation through your GP
Testing should be selected according to the individual rather than performed routinely. Read more about our approach to functional testing.
When Should Constipation Be Medically Investigated?
New, severe or persistent constipation deserves appropriate medical assessment.
Speak with your GP particularly if constipation occurs alongside blood in the stool, unexplained weight loss, significant abdominal pain, vomiting, anaemia or a substantial unexplained change in bowel habits.
Constipation, Bloating & Gut Health Naturopath Melbourne
At The Naturopathic Co., we work extensively with gut health, constipation, bloating, IBS, gut dysbiosis, food intolerances and digestive symptoms. Read more about our approach as a gut health naturopath Melbourne patients trust.
Our approach may consider nutrition, fibre, dietary patterns, the gut microbiome, nervous-system health and other factors contributing to bowel function.
Where clinically appropriate, we may also discuss gut microbiome testing or SIBO breath testing.
We offer in-person consultations at our South Yarra, Melbourne gut clinic, as well as online naturopath consultations throughout Australia, including Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Tasmania.
If you’re experiencing constipation and bloating, particularly if simply eating more fibre hasn’t helped, looking at the broader digestive picture may help identify what is actually driving your symptoms.
Book a consultation with The Naturopathic Co. to start investigating what may be contributing to your symptoms.
