What causes ConstipationOne of Two Things Causes Constipation

What causes constipation in one individual may not be the cause of another individual’s constipation. Sometimes constipation is caused by a medical condition a person has or certain medications an individual takes. Other times constipation occurs because a person is not getting enough fiber and fluids in their diet. However, there are some common causes of constipation that contribute to occasional bouts.


Generally constipation is caused by one of two things: either there isn’t enough bulk and fluid in the foods a person has eaten for the digestive process to work correctly or their colon muscles have slowed down and aren’t pushing stool through the intestine. After food is eaten, it is processed by different parts of the digestive tract in various ways. For example, enzymes in the stomach and intestines break down foods. During the digestive process certain nutrients are absorbed, refined and then utilized by various parts of the body; other parts of the foods are further broken down and excreted as waste (stool). As food passes through the intestines on its final journey to the commode, water is absorbed by the colon and fiber helps form the stool. When the stool doesn’t have enough moisture content it becomes hard and difficult for the muscle contractions of the colon to push through. This is why a person normally becomes constipated: the stool has become hard and dry, making it difficult for the colon muscles to move it.

How Constipation can be caused by Medication and Diabetes

However, some people experience constipation because of other medical conditions they have that affect the contractions of the muscles of the colon. For instance people with diabetes are prone to constipation due to the fact that the disease is known to slow down the digestive process in diabetics that have had the disease for a long time. Additionally people on certain medications may experience side-affects that include constipation. In that case it may be due to the slowing or even relaxing of the colon muscles or a direct reaction to an ingredient that changes the constitution of their stools.


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