Quick Answer
The most reliable natural remedies for constipation are, in order: eating more of both soluble and insoluble fiber, drinking enough mineral-rich water, adding a gentle stool bulker like soaked chia seeds or psyllium, and moving and managing stress so your gut can work in rest-and-digest mode. Fiber works best at more than 10 grams a day for at least four weeks. If that isn't enough, magnesium oxide has clinical evidence, and constipation that lasts weeks or comes with warning signs needs a doctor.
A Nutritionist's Take
"Learn your fibers first, then hydrate, then add a stool bulker. Only if you really need it do I add extra support, and I'd rather skip stimulant laxatives."
— Jordan Dorn, Certified Nutritionist
Constipation is one of the most common digestive complaints there is, and one of the most under-discussed. People put up with going every few days for years, or they reach for a laxative every time things stall, without ever asking why their gut slowed down in the first place.
When someone asks me about chronic constipation, I don't start with a supplement. I start with an order of operations: learn your fibers, hydrate, add a stool bulker, and only then, if you really need it, add more support. Most people never get past step one, because most Americans aren't eating enough of either kind of fiber.
In this article, I'll walk through what counts as constipation, what usually causes it, the natural remedies in the order I'd try them, why I'd rather skip stimulant laxatives, and when constipation is a sign to see a doctor. I'll label the evidence for each step honestly.
In this article 9 sections
What Counts as Constipation?
There's no single "normal" number of bowel movements. Somewhere between three times a day and three times a week is common. Doctors generally use the term constipation when you have some combination of:
Fewer than three bowel movements a week
Hard, dry or lumpy stools
Straining to go
Feeling like you didn't fully empty
Feeling blocked, or needing to go but nothing comes
When these symptoms stick around for three months or more, it's called chronic constipation. It's common: a meta-analysis of studies from around the world found that roughly 1 in 10 adults meets the formal criteria for functional constipation [1]. For more on what's normal, see our guide to bowel movements.
What Causes Constipation?
Not enough fiber
This is the big one. Only about 5% of Americans meet the recommended fiber intake [2]. Most people are short on both soluble and insoluble fiber, and each plays a different role in how stool forms and moves.
Not enough water and minerals
Your colon's job is to pull water out of what's left after digestion. If you're running low on fluids, it pulls harder, and stool gets hard and slow.
Stress and eating on the go
Your gut works best in rest-and-digest mode. When you're stressed, rushing or eating in the car while on the phone, your body is in fight or flight, and digestion moves to the bottom of the list. Stress is one of the most direct drivers of poor gut health I know of.
Routine, travel and holding it
Changes in schedule, travel and ignoring the urge to go all throw off your gut's natural rhythm. So does sitting most of the day.
Medications and health conditions
Opioids, iron supplements, some antacids, antidepressants and blood pressure medications can all slow things down. So can an underactive thyroid, diabetes, pregnancy and IBS. If constipation started after a new medication, talk to your doctor before changing anything.
Methane-producing gut microbes
Some microbes in the gut produce methane gas, and methane appears to slow intestinal transit. A 2024 meta-analysis of 19 studies found people with methane overgrowth were about twice as likely to have constipation as people without it [7]. This is often called methane-dominant SIBO or intestinal methanogen overgrowth (IMO), and it can be checked with a breath test. In my experience, it's rarely the only thing going on. Our guide to a natural approach for SIBO covers testing and next steps.
Natural Remedies for Constipation, in the Order I'd Try Them
Step 1: Learn your fibers
There are two main kinds of fiber, and you need both:
Soluble fiber dissolves in water and forms a gel that softens stool. Think oats, chia and flax seeds, psyllium, apples, citrus, carrots and beans.
Insoluble fiber doesn't dissolve. It adds bulk and helps move things along. Think leafy greens, the skins of vegetables and fruit, nuts, seeds and whole grains.
The simplest way to get both is to eat a lot of vegetables. My wife and I make half our plate vegetables at lunch and dinner, and we grow a lot of our own, like zucchini, squash and other low-FODMAP vegetables that are easier on sensitive guts. Our list of the best foods for constipation has more ideas.
The research backs this up, with a catch about dose and patience. In a 2022 meta-analysis of 16 trials, fiber supplements helped 66% of people with chronic constipation compared with 41% on placebo, but the benefit showed up at doses above 10 grams a day, and stool frequency improved only after at least four weeks [3]. Psyllium had the strongest evidence. Fiber also increased gas, which is why I suggest going slow: add a little more each week rather than doubling your fiber overnight.
U.S. guidelines suggest roughly 25 grams of fiber a day for adult women and 38 for men under 50. Most people are getting around half that.
Step 2: Hydrate, with minerals
Fiber needs water to do its job. In a trial of adults with functional constipation who all followed a high-fiber diet, the group that also drank extra water had more frequent bowel movements and needed fewer laxatives [4]. To be fair to the research, extra water alone doesn't seem to help much unless you're actually dehydrated [8]. It's the combination that counts.
I recommend good spring or mineral-rich water, and getting electrolytes from whole foods like quality greens and fruit. Many people also add trace minerals to their water; our Fulvic Acid & Trace Ocean Minerals provides 70+ ionic minerals in a liquid you add to water.†
Step 3: Add a stool bulker
If more vegetables and water aren't enough, a stool bulker is the next step. Chia seeds are my favorite. An ounce has close to 10 grams of fiber, and when you soak them they form a gel that softens and bulks stool. Stir a tablespoon or two into water, yogurt or a smoothie and let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes first. Don't eat them dry by the spoonful.
Psyllium husk and ground flaxseed work in a similar way, and psyllium has the most research behind it [3]. Whole foods count too. In a four-week trial, two green kiwifruit a day worked about as well as prunes or psyllium for chronic constipation, with the fewest side effects and the most satisfied participants [5].
Step 4: If you really need it, add magnesium support
If you've built the fiber, water and bulker habits and things are still slow, this is where I'd consider extra support. My preference is ozonated magnesium oxides rather than plain magnesium oxide. In my experience, they're much gentler and easier on the system. They're designed to work by releasing oxygen in the colon, and instead of flushing you out fast or leaving you dehydrated, they tend to bring a more gradual movement of the bowel that builds over time. They're also non-habit forming. Our Colon Cleanse uses ozonated magnesium oxides, and I want to be clear about how I use it: alongside fiber, never instead of it. If you're chronically constipated, dialing in your diet still comes first.†
On the evidence: plain magnesium oxide has been studied. In a small, placebo-controlled trial, 70.6% of people taking magnesium oxide for 28 days reported overall improvement compared with 25% on placebo, along with better stool frequency, consistency and transit time [6]. Ozonated forms specifically haven't been studied in clinical trials, and the oxygen mechanism hasn't been confirmed in people, so what I've described above comes from my experience rather than research. Magnesium isn't right for everyone, especially people with kidney problems, so check with your doctor first. For more, see does magnesium make you poop?
Why I'd Rather Skip Stimulant Laxatives
Stimulant laxatives work by forcing the colon to contract. They can be useful for short-term relief, and research hasn't shown that they damage the colon at recommended doses [8]. My concern is different: they don't address why your gut slowed down. If the real issue is low fiber, low water, stress or an overgrowth, a stimulant just pushes past the problem while it keeps going. That's why I'd rather build up from the basics, and why stimulant laxatives aren't part of my approach. If you're relying on them regularly, that's worth a conversation with your doctor about the underlying cause.
Build a Gut That Keeps Things Moving
Support your microbiome
Your gut bacteria ferment fiber into short-chain fatty acids like butyrate, the main fuel for the cells lining your colon. When there are overgrowths or several gut issues at once, that process often isn't smooth. Fiber can aggravate things, people start fearing fiber, and they get stuck in a loop of avoiding the very foods that make butyrate. Taking butyrate directly can help break that loop while you rebuild. Our Butyric Acid is a calcium-magnesium butyrate, and our butyric acid guide covers the foods that support it.† It's not meant to be forever. The long-term goal is a gut that makes its own.
A quality probiotic can help too. I look for specific strains that colonize the gut, in an enteric-coated, shelf-stable capsule. Our Multi-Strain Probiotic Complex has eight strains in that format.† Our article on probiotics and colon health goes deeper.
What Customers Report
As of October 2026, our Multi-Strain Probiotic Complex has 272 customer reviews averaging 4.92 out of 5: 256 five-star, 12 four-star, 3 three-star and 1 two-star. Eighteen reviewers specifically mention regularity or bowel movements. Not everyone had the same experience: one reviewer with SIBO said it seemed to constipate them, and a three-star reviewer noticed no change after 60 days. Results vary.
Eat in rest-and-digest mode
Sit down to eat. Take a few breaths before your first bite. Don't take your digestion for granted: it takes hours for some foods, and it needs your attention. A few minutes of quiet in the morning and a walk without your phone when you feel anxious help more than most people expect.
Move, and don't hold it
Walking and regular exercise help keep things moving. Go when you feel the urge, and try a small footstool under your feet on the toilet. Raising your knees can make it easier to go.
Constipation Is the Biggest Enemy of Any Cleanse
If you're planning a parasite, candida or SIBO cleanse, this section matters most. Constipation is the biggest enemy of any cleanse. When the colon is sluggish, what you're trying to clear out sits around longer, and in my experience that's when people get the worst die-off reactions: headaches, flu-like symptoms and nausea. A cleanse shouldn't be horribly painful. If it is, something usually isn't clearing properly.
So before any strong program, I open the colon pathway first, using the same steps above. I also pay attention to the lymphatic system, which wraps around the GI tract, mostly through lifestyle: movement, hydration and rest. During a cleanse, more frequent bowel movements are one of the key signs things are working. More in our guides to parasite cleanse die-off, candida die-off and the signs your parasite cleanse is working.
Constipation, Bloating and Gas
Constipation and bloating often show up together. Stool that sits too long keeps fermenting, and trapped gas adds pressure. If bloating is your bigger complaint, start with our guide to why you might always be bloated. And if fiber makes you more bloated rather than less, that's a clue worth testing, not ignoring. Self-diagnosing from a social media video is one of the most common mistakes I see. Test, don't guess.
When to See a Doctor
See a doctor promptly if constipation comes with blood in your stool, black stools, unexplained weight loss, severe or worsening belly pain, vomiting, a fever, or if you can't pass gas. Also get checked if constipation is new and lasts more than a few weeks, if your bowel habits change noticeably after age 45 to 50, or if you have a family history of colon cancer or inflammatory bowel disease.
The Bottom Line
For most people, natural constipation relief comes down to the basics, done in order and given time: both kinds of fiber, mineral-rich water, a stool bulker like soaked chia seeds, movement and less stress at meals. If you still need help after that, there's support that works alongside those habits, not instead of them. And if you're about to start a cleanse, get things moving first.
References
Barberio B, Judge C, Savarino EV, et al. Global prevalence of functional constipation according to the Rome criteria: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2021;6(8):638–648. PMID 34090581
Quagliani D, Felt-Gunderson P. Closing America's fiber intake gap: communication strategies from a Food and Fiber Summit. Am J Lifestyle Med. 2017. PMC6124841
van der Schoot A, Drysdale C, Whelan K, Dimidi E. The effect of fiber supplementation on chronic constipation in adults: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Am J Clin Nutr. 2022;116:953–969. PMID 35816465
Anti M, Pignataro G, Armuzzi A, et al. Water supplementation enhances the effect of high-fiber diet on stool frequency and laxative consumption in adult patients with functional constipation. Hepatogastroenterology. 1998;45:727–732. PMID 9684123
Chey SW, Chey WD, Jackson K, Eswaran S. Exploratory comparative effectiveness trial of green kiwifruit, psyllium, or prunes in US patients with chronic constipation. Am J Gastroenterol. 2021;116(6):1304–1312.
Mori S, et al. A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial on the effect of magnesium oxide in patients with chronic constipation. J Neurogastroenterol Motil. 2019. PMC6786451
Mehravar S, et al. Symptom profile of patients with intestinal methanogen overgrowth: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2024. doi:10.1016/j.cgh.2024.07.020
Müller-Lissner SA, et al. Myths and misconceptions about chronic constipation. Am J Gastroenterol. 2005. PMID 15654804
