Most constipation resolves with a few targeted changes to what you eat, drink, and how you move. The key is working with your body’s natural digestive mechanics rather than reaching for a quick fix. Adults need 25 to 38 grams of fiber daily, and most people fall well short of that, which is the single biggest dietary driver of sluggish bowels.
Eat the Right Kind of Fiber
Not all fiber works the same way. Insoluble fiber, the kind that doesn’t dissolve in water, is the type that directly fights constipation. It adds bulk to your stool and pushes material through your digestive tract. Good sources include whole-wheat bread, wheat bran, nuts, cauliflower, green beans, and potatoes.
Soluble fiber dissolves in water and forms a gel-like material that slows digestion. It’s better known for lowering cholesterol and blood sugar, but it still plays a supporting role in keeping things moving. You’ll find it in oats, beans, apples, bananas, avocados, citrus fruits, and carrots. The ideal approach is eating a mix of both types. Women under 50 should aim for about 25 grams of total fiber per day, while men under 50 need closer to 38 grams. After 50, the targets drop slightly to 21 grams for women and 30 for men.
If your current fiber intake is low, increase it gradually over a week or two. Jumping from 10 grams a day to 35 overnight will leave you bloated and gassy, which can make you abandon the effort entirely.
Prunes and Kiwis Outperform Supplements
Prunes are one of the most effective natural remedies for constipation, and the evidence backs this up convincingly. In a randomized clinical trial, people who ate about 100 grams of dried plums (roughly 10 to 12 prunes) daily had significantly more complete bowel movements per week and better stool consistency than those taking psyllium fiber supplements, even though both groups consumed the same amount of fiber (6 grams per day). The researchers concluded that prunes should be considered a first-line treatment for mild to moderate constipation.
Green kiwifruit is another strong option. An international trial found that eating two green kiwifruits per day for four weeks produced a clinically meaningful increase of about 1.5 additional complete bowel movements per week in people with constipation. Participants also reported significantly improved abdominal comfort. Kiwis performed comparably to psyllium supplements while being a whole food with additional nutrients.
Both fruits contain a combination of fiber, natural sugars, and other compounds that draw water into the intestine. If you don’t enjoy either fruit, other options with mild laxative effects include figs, pears, and flaxseed.
What Hydration Actually Does (and Doesn’t Do)
You’ve probably heard that drinking more water cures constipation. The reality is more nuanced. A study testing whether extra fluid intake increased stool output in healthy volunteers found that adding one or even two extra liters of water per day made no significant difference. If you’re already reasonably hydrated, drinking more water on its own won’t get things moving.
That said, dehydration genuinely makes constipation worse. When your body is short on water, the colon absorbs more fluid from stool, leaving it hard and difficult to pass. The practical takeaway: drink enough that your urine is pale yellow throughout the day, but don’t expect that forcing eight extra glasses will solve the problem by itself. Water works best alongside adequate fiber, which needs fluid to do its job.
Change Your Position on the Toilet
The modern sitting toilet puts your body at a mechanical disadvantage. When you sit at a standard 90-degree angle, a muscle called the puborectalis creates a kink in the rectum that partially blocks the exit path. Research measuring rectal angles found that squatting straightens this channel significantly, widening the angle from about 100 degrees in a normal sitting position to 126 degrees in a squat. That straighter path means less straining and lower abdominal pressure during a bowel movement.
You don’t need to install a squat toilet. A small footstool (about 7 to 9 inches tall) placed in front of your toilet lets you raise your knees above your hips, mimicking a squatting position. Many people notice an immediate difference in how easily they can pass stool. Leaning slightly forward with your elbows on your knees enhances the effect.
Move Your Body to Move Your Bowels
Physical activity stimulates the muscles that line your colon, helping push stool along. A study measuring colon transit time across different activity levels found that more active women had significantly faster transit through the entire colon compared to sedentary women. The differences were statistically significant between low, moderate, and high activity groups.
You don’t need intense exercise. A daily 20- to 30-minute walk is often enough to see a difference. Timing can help too. Moving your body in the morning takes advantage of the natural wave of contractions your colon produces after waking and after eating, known as the gastrocolic reflex.
Probiotics: Promising but Not Proven
Certain beneficial bacteria may help speed up digestion. The most-studied strain for constipation is Bifidobacterium lactis, which has been evaluated in at least seven human trials. Meta-analyses suggest it can increase how often you go and improve stool consistency. However, researchers note high variation between studies, so results aren’t guaranteed. Combinations of probiotics with prebiotic fiber (called synbiotics) also show potential for reducing transit time and improving regularity.
If you want to try probiotics, look for products containing Bifidobacterium lactis and give them at least three to four weeks before judging whether they help. Fermented foods like yogurt, kefir, and sauerkraut provide some of these bacteria naturally, though in less concentrated amounts than supplements.
Over-the-Counter Laxatives: How They Compare
When dietary changes aren’t enough, several types of laxatives are available, and they work very differently from one another.
- Osmotic laxatives pull water into your intestine to soften stool. Polyethylene glycol (sold as MiraLAX and similar brands) is the most recommended option in joint guidelines from the American Gastroenterological Association and the American College of Gastroenterology. It’s generally safe for regular use, though people with kidney problems should be cautious with magnesium-based versions.
- Bulk-forming laxatives like psyllium work similarly to dietary fiber, absorbing water and adding bulk to stool. They need to be taken with plenty of water, or they can actually cause bloating or blockages.
- Stimulant laxatives (senna, bisacodyl) trigger the muscles in your intestinal wall to contract. They’re effective for short-term relief, but long-term use has been linked to structural changes in the colon that may indicate nerve or muscle damage.
- Stool softeners like docusate are widely recommended, but multiple reviews have found them no more effective than a placebo. If you’ve been relying on stool softeners without results, this is likely why.
For ongoing constipation, the current medical consensus favors starting with fiber supplementation, then adding an osmotic laxative like polyethylene glycol if fiber alone isn’t enough. Stimulant laxatives are best reserved for occasional use rather than daily reliance.
Symptoms That Need Medical Attention
Most constipation is uncomfortable but harmless. Certain symptoms alongside constipation, however, signal something more serious. Seek prompt medical care if you notice blood in your stool or rectal bleeding, constant abdominal pain, inability to pass gas, vomiting, fever, lower back pain, or unexplained weight loss. These can point to conditions ranging from bowel obstruction to colorectal disease that require evaluation beyond home remedies.