Why Do Probiotics Make Me Poop So Much? Are They Good for Constipation?

Probiotics are the good yeast and bacteria that naturally occur in your body. Probiotics can help improve your digestive health and they may help relieve constipation.

You've probably heard about many of the benefits of probiotics — from improving your immune function to protecting against infection. But do probiotics make you poop? Probiotics can help improve your digestive health. Depending on the cause of your constipation, they may help relieve it. 

Probiotics are the good yeast and bacteria that naturally occur in your body. These good bacteria are balanced with the infection-causing bad bacteria that also live in your body. When you have an overgrowth of bad bacteria, you can develop an infection. Probiotics kill off extra bad bacteria, which helps your body prevent infections. 

The probiotics and the bad bacteria that live in your body are part of your microbiome. Your microbiome consists of the trillions of microorganisms that live in your body, both good and bad. Your microbiome is made of the following types of microbes: 

• Bacteria
• Fungi
• Parasites
• Viruses

Your microbiome plays an important role in your health by performing the following functions: 

• Stimulating your immune system
• Breaking down potentially toxic substances in food
• Synthesizing (pulling together compounds to form other compounds) some amino acids and vitamins, including B vitamins and vitamin K
• Helping break down complex carbohydrates and starches
• Producing short-chain fatty acids that may help prevent chronic diseases such as bowel disorders and some types of cancers 
• Protecting against pathogens 

Although probiotics aren't effective against every type of constipation, there are some types they help treat, including: 

Irritable bowel syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) can cause symptoms such as: 

• Abdominal pain
• Diarrhea
• Constipation

The exact cause of IBS isn't known yet, but it may be caused by an imbalance in your microbiome and a defective intestinal barrier. Normally, your intestinal barrier will keep out harmful substances, but if it's not working correctly, it may let them in. Probiotics may help treat the symptoms of IBS, including constipation, by restoring balance to your microbiome. 

Pregnancy-related constipation

Constipation is a frequent complaint during pregnancy, along with nausea and vomiting. During pregnancy, you experience natural hormone fluctuations that can change your gut microbiome. This may be a significant cause of pregnancy-related gastrointestinal symptoms. UC Davis Health researchers found that women who took probiotics during pregnancy had fewer symptoms of nausea, vomiting, and constipation. Probiotics also helped with other pregnancy symptoms, such as: 

• Tiredness
• Lack of appetite
• Difficulty keeping up with normal social activities

The probiotic used in the study contained mainly Lactobacillus. It was available over the counter and contained 10 billion live cultures. 

Constipation in older people 

Many issues can cause constipation in older people. However, sometimes there's no apparent cause found despite a comprehensive workup by a health care provider. This type of constipation is called functional constipation. One study found that probiotics help relieve functional constipation in older people, although the results were most apparent after 71 days of treatment. 

The type of probiotics used in the study included: 

• Bifidobacterium animalis 
• Lactobacillus acidophilus
• Lactobacillus casei 

Although you can buy probiotic supplements, you're better off getting them from the foods you eat. The FDA does not regulate supplements such as probiotics, so you can't be sure about the quality of what you're buying. There are no nutritional guidelines for a recommended daily dose of probiotics. Probiotics are mainly found in fermented and cultured foods, so you can add as many fermented foods to your regular diet as possible.

Some of the most common dietary sources of probiotics include: 

• Yogurt
• Miso paste
• Tempeh
• Fermented milk
• Buttermilk
• Soy beverages 

Not all probiotics have been studied well. Supplements such as probiotics aren't regulated by the FDA, so you may not be getting high-quality probiotics. You may not even be getting the probiotics that are listed on the label. Another possible risk of probiotics is that someone with a weakened immune system might get sick from taking them.

Even if you don't like cultured or fermented foods, you can increase the probiotics in your microbiome by eating prebiotics. Prebiotics are food sources for probiotics. Probiotics need prebiotics to survive and grow. To be effective, prebiotics have to survive the journey through your intestines and make it into your colon. When they reach your colon, they're broken down by the microorganisms that feed on them. 

Prebiotic foods are high in a certain type of fiber called fermentable soluble fiber. Fermentable soluble fiber includes resistant starches, pectin, and inulin.  You can find resistant starches in foods such as: 

• Legumes
• Rice
• Beans
• Green bananas
• Boiled potatoes that have been chilled
• Oats
• Barley

Pectin is in foods such as: 

• Carrots
• Green beans
• Apples
• Apricots
• Potatoes
• Tomatoes
• Raspberries
• Peaches

Inulin is found in the following foods: 

• Dandelion greens
• Chicory root
• Burdock root
• Garlic
• Onions
• Leeks
• Jerusalem artichokes
• Wild yams
• Soybeans