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Article: Nutritional influences on constipation.(Nutritional Influences on Illness)
- Article from:
- Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients
- Article date:
- January 1, 2006
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2006 The Townsend Letter Group. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Dietary Factors
In the absence of organic disease, inadequacy of dietary fiber in the modern Western diet is believed to be the primary cause for constipation. (1) Undigested fiber absorbs water which increases the weight and bulk of the stool and makes it softer. The increased bulk reduces intraluminal pressure and activates propulsive motility, reducing intestinal transit time. (2)
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Furthermore, fiber acts as a substrate for the growth of colonic microflora, increasing the production of gases such as hydrogen and methane which also augment the bulking effect. Corn bran appears to be significantly more effective than ...