Review of Constipation Treatment Methods with Emphasis on Laxative Foods

Abstract

Constipation is a common public health concern experienced by all individuals during their life affecting the quality of life. In this paper, we aimed to provide an overview of the existing evidence regarding the role of food ingredients, including bran, prune, fig, kiwifruit, and flax-seed in constipation treatment. We searched Scopus, Pub Med, and Science Direct by using the keywords, “laxative foods” and “constipation”, for searching studies assessing laxative food ingredients and their beneficial effects on constipation treatment and/or control. Lifestyle modifications such as increasing dietary fiber and fluid intake and daily exercise are the proposed first line treatments for constipation. Optimizing ‘diet’ as an efficient lifestyle factor may contribute to the well-being of patients. The use of laxative food ingredients including bran, prune, fig, kiwifruit, flax-seed, probiotics, and prebiotics is a convenient alternative to cope with constipation. According to previous findings, laxative food ingredients could be considered as effective treatments for subjects suffering from constipation. Many studies have assessed the pharmacological and non-pharmacological roles of these ingredients in treating constipation, however, their importance has not been thoroughly investigated.

Kiwifruit (Actinidia spp.) Dietary Consumption for Constipation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

“…The PRISMA flow diagram summarising the article selection process is displayed in Figure 1. Three studies that initially appeared to fulfil the PICOS criteria were then excluded because they described laboratory experiments rather than clinical trials [19][20][21]. The essential characteristics and results of included studies are summarised in Table 2.…”

“…Clinical studies with kiwifruit-derived dietary supplements have recently suggested their role as complementary remedies against occasional or moderate constipation in otherwise healthy adults [15][16][17][18]. Laboratory experiments with mice or pig models and literature reviews about foods with laxative properties have included kiwifruit as a potential candidate for this therapeutic purpose [19][20][21]. According to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) Panel on Nutrition, Novel Foods, and Food Allergens, 'green kiwifruit (var.…”