One of the first line treatments advised by physicians for constipation may have no pharmaceuticals at all. Rather, he or she will suggest that a patient go on a fiber-intensive diet, supplementing regular foods with psyllium or other sources of fiber. Some natural sources may also be suitable depending on whether they contain enough fiber.

A good number of people will also have come across manufactured products such as Metamucil. Metamucil is made by Procter and Gamble, and has high psyllium fiber in crushed form that can be taken with water. One question one might ask is whether there are natural high sources of fiber? The answer is yes. A prime example is the prune. But more interestingly, the prune contains another ingredient that has excellent laxative properties.

A prune is actually a dried plum and has been part of human diets for thousands of years. The earliest evidence for drying plums comes from California and France. Then as now, plums were plucked and then dehydrated in hot air at 200 degrees Fahrenheit for a little less than a day. After dehydration treatment, dried plums can be turned into juice, puree or other products.

The chemical composition of a prune is actually quite complicated which is what makes it an ideal food that acts as a natural laxative. Even though we can analyze its chemical composition, our understanding of how each chemical acts in relieving constipation is somewhat unclear.

What we do know is that prunes contain high dietary fiber, around 6% by weight. The processed juices tend to have little or no fiber because of filtering, but juices still have a natural laxative effect. This is possible due to its high sorbitol content. Sorbitol is a long polymeric sugar. The weight content of sorbitol is almost 15% on average.

Moreover, people who eat prunes find that it’s a source of high energy because it has both simple and complex sugars such as glucose, fructose, sorbitol and fibers. These sugars don’t act directly as natural laxatives, but ensure that the natural laxative action is accompanied by nutrition.

There are many other compounds in prunes that we don’t fully understand but believe to be of benefit to health. For example, phenolic compounds might synergize with the natural laxative action. Potassium in prunes and prune juice are hypothesized to be good for heart health. Prunes seem certainly like a wonder food.

Although there’s no need to prepare the prunes in a special way before eating, a commercial food preparer in the United Kingdom stumbled upon a home recipe for treating constipation that involves blending prunes with other fruits and vegetables. The recipe, known by the name Beverley-Travis, has become famous and even studied for its efficacy in improving digestive health.

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In late 2002, the U.S. Federal Drug Administration decided to restrict the sale of aloe and cascara products which were being marketed for laxative purposes. After this, senna became the sole surviving class of herbal laxatives being sold on large scale in the U.S. The plant has its origins in the East African region and Middle East, but can also be found in more temperate locations.

The name senna has an interesting background, stemming from the Semitic languages such as Arabic and Hebrew, which is suggested by the geographical origins of the plant. The active agent is a compound that is known as an anthraquinone. In broader terms, anthraquinones are found in other substances that have purgative or laxative effects which stimulate the gastrointestinal tract.

As one might guess, the application of the senna herb as a constipation treatment goes back hundreds or even thousands of years. Senna was used in its raw, unprocessed form, without the benefit of modern methods in purification of the active compounds. Today it can be found in semi-processed form like tea leaves, or in more processed forms like capsules.

Though it’s thought of as an herbal treatment, a prospective consumer should be aware of the history and quality of the producing company. Natural laxatives can be dangerous even if they are natural. Prospective consumers should consult with organizations who monitor the quality of such companies to ensure that they have not had serious breaches of business ethics or been embroiled in disputes of quality. Allergic reactions are rare but should be kept in mind.

For additional safety, all buyers of senna should be well-informed of the warnings related to taking the senna herb. Medical and scientific studies have indicated that those who have a history of problems with heart disease, and those with hypertensive tendencies may react poorly to senna. The bottom line is that anyone who wants to try a new kind of laxative treatment, whether its natural or not, should ask for information from his personal physician.

In times of antiquity, senna was likely to be ingested while in herbal or leaf form. Some people will find this to be the most pleasing way of taking senna. In response to such demand, manufacturers have made a tea form of the senna laxative. However, sophisticated formulations such as capsules and tablets can be more nutritious if they are fortified with minerals like calcium.

Still have questions ? It might be worth it to check out our research about the laxatives natural industry. Come to our site on constipation prune juice to discover the most up-to-date ideas.

(Foreword/Disclaimer: All writing here is supplied on an informational basis, with no endorsement of any of the particular products that may be mentioned. In addition, any interested party should seek the knowledge of a board-certified physician. The writer here is not and does not represent himself as a physician. All research provided here has been gathered from other written sources.)

Various surveys report the incidence of constipation to range from 2 to 30%, with one large international survey pegging the number at 12% worldwide. The numbers encompass a wide range and probably reflect fundamental problems in the survey method itself. However, the bottom line is that constipation is a common condition that afflicts a substantial fraction of the population.

One of the problems associated with statistical surveying of constipation is that it’s a poorly defined condition. This translates into an impact on diagnosis and treatment. For example, one physician might believe that having a bowel movement every three days is ok, but another physician would be alarmed at the low frequency. The source of the inconsistent opinions is that bowel movement frequency is itself highly variable from person to person. This difficulty in definition is compounded by differences in patient-reported symptoms such as difficulty or pain in passing stool, or excessive time spend on the toilet.

The causes of constipation are also numerous. Certain poorly understood but well-defined chronic conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome can lead to constipation. As there is no treatment for the underlying condition, alleviation of symptoms is the only therapeutic route. Physiological and anatomical defects can also give rise to constipation. These include muscle or nerve damage from or sports-related injuries. Finally, a very broad class of patients have no identifiable cause: these patients have what is termed idiopathic constipation.

With idiopathic and chronic constipation, one of the first things a physician will do with his or her patient is inquire about dietary and personal bowel habits. The physician wishes to rule out the simplest causes. Dietary shortage of insolube fiber can be fixed by increasing uptake of fiber, either through food intake modification or addition of supplements. This type of natural treatment has the advantage of both provide diagnosis and treatment, if successful.

There are several other natural remedies which are not fiber-related, examples of which are anthraquinone herbs such as senna. However, one should never succumb to the idea that a natural treatment is a safe one automatically. The Federal Drug Agency (FDA) recently forced some natural remedies off the market for safety reasons. As a result, manufacturers can no longer market aloe vera and cascara medications as constipation remedies. Nevertheless, other remedies are available.

There are also a number of prescription-only constipation medications available. Some of these act as laxatives, whereas others are special compounds that modulate the functional properties of the gastrointestinal tract. In recent times, exciting therapies such as biofeedback have also risen to prominence. Expect treatments for constipation to advanced greatly in the next few years.

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