Written by Christine Giordano, MD | Reviewed by Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH
Published on April 15, 2024
Key takeaways:
What you eat and drink affects the size, shape, and consistency of your stool. Certain drinks can make it easier to poop when you’re constipated.
Water helps keep stool soft so that it can easily pass through the gut. Coffee, tea, and probiotic drinks can also help ease constipation.
Avoid alcohol and milk if you’re constipated. These drinks can make constipation worse.
Kemal Yildirim/E+ via Getty Images
If you’ve ever struggled with constipation, you may have heard about home remedies like adding fiber to your diet and increasing your physical activity. These changes can make it easier to have regular bowel movements. But did you know that what you drink can also affect the size and consistency of your stool, too? Here are the five best drinks to help ease your constipation, and two that you should avoid.
Water
In order for stool to be solid but soft enough to move through the gut, it has to contain the right amount of water. When there’s less water in the stool, poop gets harder and more difficult to pass. Drinking enough water keeps your entire body — including your stool — hydrated. When you’re fully hydrated, you’re less likely to experience constipation.
Water also makes other constipation remedies work better. For example, more fiber in the diet helps with constipation. But there needs to be enough water to “plump up” the fiber in the stool.
Everyone’s water needs are a bit different. Eight glasses of water a day is a general rule of thumb, but you may need more or less depending on your weight, how active you are, and other medical conditions. Getting enough water throughout the day can help you get rid of constipation for good.
Coffee
It’s no secret that coffee can make you poop. There are a number of ways that a morning cup of coffee may encourage a bowel movement. One way is by activating the gastrocolic reflex, which is when the filling of the stomach with food or drink leads to more movement in the colon. This effect is strongest first thing in the morning.
In addition, the caffeine in coffee can increase the chances of having a bowel movement. A large study found that people who had a high caffeine intake were less likely to have constipation. But caffeine may not be the whole story: Studies have shown that even decaf coffee stimulates movement in the colon, although to a lesser extent than regular coffee.
You can try adding a morning cup of coffee to your daily routine.
Warm drinks
If you’re not a coffee drinker, don’t worry — drinking other warm beverages may also help relieve constipation.
A small study looked at whether drinking warm water helped people recover bowel function faster after surgery. It found that the people who drank warm water started passing gas sooner than those who did not. Warm drinks like tea, broth, and water with lemon can all do the trick. And some warm drinks, like green or black tea, also offer the benefit of a small dose of caffeine to help move things along.
Fruit juice
The process of making juice removes most of the fiber found in whole fruits. But often pectin, a type of soluble fiber, is added to juice to help improve juice texture. Soluble fibers like pectin soften hard stool. In addition, apple juice, pear juice, and prune juice are high in sorbitol, a type of sugar alcohol. Sorbitol causes water to move into the colon, which can help relieve constipation.
You can try adding a glass of apple, pear, or prune jice to your daily routine. Make sure to check the nutrition label for total and added sugars if you’re trying to limit how much sugar you have.
Probiotic drinks
The gut needs a variety of “healthy” bacteria in order to work properly. Probiotics are living microorganisms, like bacteria, that we can eat and drink. Probiotic drinks can help support gut health and may also help with constipation.
There’s evidence that probiotics can relieve constipation by stimulating movement in the gut and decreasing the time it takes for stool to pass. Fermented drinks like kombucha and kefir are natural sources of probiotics. Or try a smoothie made with fiber-rich fruits or vegetables plus a probiotic yogurt.
What drinks can make constipation worse?
While some drinks can help relieve constipation, others can make your constipation worse. If you have constipation, here are two drinks to avoid:
Milk
Lactose is a type of sugar found in milk, and it can cause constipation. People with lactose intolerance are more likely to develop constipation from drinking milk. Take a break from milk and other lactose products if you’ve been diagnosed with lactose intolerance and you’ve been experiencing constipation.
Alcohol
Alcohol can cause a number of problems in the digestive tract. Alcohol use can irritate the lining of the stomach, which can lead to gastritis. Alcohol can also trigger heartburn because it allows acid and food from the stomach to back up into the esophagus.
Alcohol can also affect how quickly food moves through the gut. Often, alcohol makes things move more quickly, and causes diarrhea. However, there’s evidence that drinks with high alcohol concentrations can have the opposite effect. These drinks can slow down bowel movements and lead to constipation.
Try cutting back on how much alcohol you have if you experience constipation.
When should I talk to a doctor about constipation?
If you’re dealing with constipation, it’s a good idea to check in with your primary care provider for advice. Most cases of constipation can be treated with diet changes and over-the-counter (OTC) medications. But sometimes, constipation can be a sign of a more serious condition. Be sure to contact your healthcare team if you have constipation plus other concerning symptoms, such as:
Abdominal pain
Weight loss
Nausea and vomiting
Fever
Blood in the stool or dark black stools
The bottom line
Constipation can often be relieved by making changes to your diet. What you drink affects the size, shape, and consistency of our stool, and can help stimulate movement in the gut. The best drinks for constipation are water, coffee, or other warm drinks, and prune or pear fruit juice. Milk and alcohol can make constipation worse.
Written by:
Christine Giordano, MD
Christine Giordano, MD, is board-certified in general internal medicine. She received her medical degree from Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and completed residency at Thomas Jefferson University.
Edited by:
Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH
Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH, is a medical editor at GoodRx. She is a licensed, board-certified pediatrician with more than a decade of experience in academic medicine.
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References
Arce, D. A., et al. (2002). Evaluation of constipation. American Family Physician.
Arnaud, M. J.(2003). Mild dehydration: A risk factor of constipation? European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Mild dehydration: a risk factor of constipation?
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