Does CBD Cause Constipation? Find Out Here!

Any person can experience constipation at any moment of their lives, and their symptoms are rather uncomfortable to all. It can affect your mood and distract you on top of making you feel, dare we say, ‘crappy.’ In short, it can ruin your day. Fortunately, there are many ways to ease and treat constipation symptoms. These range from over-the-counter drugs to all-natural remedies.

One natural option gaining much popularity recently when it comes to constipation is CBD. Here you will learn more about constipation, its symptoms, causes, how to address this condition, and the answer to the question ‘Does CBD cause constipation?’. You might also just find out if CBD can, contrary to what this article’s title states, actually help you with constipation.

What Is Constipation?

In the simplest terms, constipation is a condition where a person has infrequent or uncomfortable bowel movements. It affects millions of people throughout the United States. It is the most common gastrointestinal complaint for which millions of people go see the doctor every year.

A person has constipation when their bowel movements result in the passage of tiny amounts of dry, hard stool less than three times a week. This is a problem. Regular stool elimination consists of having bowel movements three times a day or three times a week, depending on the person.

What Are the Symptoms of Constipation?

Constipation may come in a variety of forms. The condition classifies as chronic if the sufferer experiences less than three bowel movements a week. The symptoms of constipation may include the following:

• Feeling bloated
• Painful bowel movements
• Lumpy or hard stool
• Difficulty passing stool

What Causes Constipation?

Slow or irregular bowel movements can have a variety of causes. Anybody struggling with them should, therefore, first evaluate their lifestyle and risk factors. Eating habits and diet may contribute to constipation. Examining those can help determine an appropriate course of treatment, and let you see if CBD could actually be helpful.

Here are the most common causes of constipation:

• Irregular or poor eating habits
• Lack of exercise
• Stress
• Dehydration
• Side effects of medication
• Lack of fiber in diet
• Lack of vitamins

It is first essential for you to understand the underlying cause of constipation. Once you do, treatment should not be too challenging.

Does CBD Cause Constipation?

To answer the question, ‘does CBD cause constipation?’, it is crucial to understand that constipation is an infrequent side effect of CBD oil. The exact causes why it is so are not clear yet. Still, there isn’t reliable evidence showing that CBD directly causes constipation. However, there is anecdotal evidence from some users reporting digestive problems after consuming some CBD products.

CBD products are not all equal since the industry remains largely unregulated as of the year 2020. Some CBD products contain additives that may cause digestive issues. Users report adverse side effects only after using the product for a while. To avoid experiencing such side effects, purchase your CBD from high-quality manufacturers.

CBD’s Carrier Oil Role In Constipation

Consumer experiences and early studies suggest that some forms of CBD that pass through the digestive tract, such as edibles and oil, may cause constipation. However, that’s probably due to additional ingredients and carrier oils used, not the CBD itself.

Manufacturers often add carrier oils to their mix of CBD to improve the absorption rate. The kind of carrier oil used includes various ingredients from lavender oil to MCT oil and hemp seed oil, etc. They may play a role in constipation due to their presence in most of the CBD products users report gave them constipation. For instance, lavender oil comes from lavender, which is a different plant from cannabis/hemp. The current theory is that there’s a specific interaction happening between these compounds that causes constipation. Still, research is ongoing to pinpoint the actual issue.

To reduce the risks of constipation when using CBD products, it is advisable to use a carrier oil that comes from hemp. Ideally, choose CBD products that use hemp seed oil as the carrier oil in their mix.

What Should You Do If You Have Constipation?

It is quite evident by now that CBD doesn’t cause constipation. In fact, users excessively using CBD often do report experiencing the actual opposite of that problem. Consuming high doses of CBD regularly could actually cause the user to experience diarrhea.

If you do suffer from chronic constipation when using CBD, you can try not taking it for one week every month. So, this means that you should use it for three weeks at a time, pause for one week, and then repeat the cycle.

What Can Help Prevent/Treat Constipation?

You can prevent or even treat constipation by making specific changes to your lifestyle, such as:

Staying Hydrated

Water makes up most of the human body’s composition. So, it only makes sense to keep it properly hydrated if you want it to function properly. Water helps in boosting the metabolism of food and helps reduce the chances of digestive problems.

Taking plenty of water helps to rehydrate the body, which facilitates having proper bowel movements. It also helps prevent constipation to no small extent. Drinking less water or taking none at all makes your stool tight, thus harder to move through the gut.

Consuming Fiber-Rich Foods

Fiber-rich foods such as fruits, vegetables, and whole-grain products help keep constipation at bay. The reason why fiber is incredibly effective at relieving constipation is that the body cannot digest it. Thus, it will use it to ‘clean’ the intestines by moving the bowels.

A fiber-rich diet can relieve constipation and prevent you from it going forward. If you regularly suffer from constipation, adding fiber to your diet can greatly benefit your gut and help put an end to it.

Staying Physically Active

If your job requires sitting at one place for anywhere between 8 to 10 hours a day, you are at a greater risk of constipation. Staying inactive for a greater part of the day is one of the key contributors to the condition.

Thus, it is essential to stay physically active by working out regularly. That way, you can spur the bowels to work and help food move through the digestive system ad. Any form of exercise, such as running, jumping rope, working out at the gym, cycling, etc., will be useful. Yet, the key is that you exercise consistently, so don’t just do it once a month; stay active.

Not Holding Your Stool

It might sound silly, but holding your stool is actually a very serious issue. People often work to contain their stools when in the middle of an important engagement. After all, who would want to interrupt meetings, dates, or parties to take care of this bodily function if they can put it off for a while?

Whatever your reasons might be, avoid resisting the body’s urge to go to the bathroom. Doing that can lead to a hardened stool that’s much more difficult to pass. Always make sure to take your time to answer the call of nature.

Is CBD a Viable Solution for Constipation?

There aren’t many studies that directly link CBD to constipation. The available evidence suggests that CBD products can help with some of its causes. CBD may help reduce inflammation and regulate the endocannabinoid system’s activity.

If you relieve inflammation, it may be easier to maintain regular bowel movements. Also, remember that taking excessive doses of CBD regularly can cause diarrhea. While that’s definitively not a real solution, that fact is enough of a hint that CBD might help loosen the bowels. Simply put, CBD may not only help in relieving constipation, but it might even work as a preventative supplement.

How to Choose the Right CBD Products for Constipation

The demand for CBD products has only increased, and projections forecast it to continue at it for a while. Still, even with so many different products available in the market, it is challenging to find the right one.

When it comes to choosing CBD products for constipation, you need to consider the method of administration. Topical CBD products generally don’t do much to relieve digestive problems since their administration method is external.

CBD oil and CBD edibles, on the other hand, may help ease stomach pain. The products are ingested and work to reduce constipation from the inside. The active ingredients enter the bloodstream, potentially helping to soothe the digestive tract.

The most important thing to remember when buying CBD products for constipation is that you should only buy from high-quality manufacturers. While many sellers claim to be selling all-natural CBD, it is better to check the ingredients beforehand.

Each CBD batch must undergo several tests to make sure that the products are safe to use. The best CBD manufacturers often display the test results of the products on their website. When thinking of buying from one, search their site until you find official certifications. If you can’t find one, better look elsewhere.

Does CBD Cause Constipation? – The Takeaway

So, does CBD cause constipation?

No, it does not. Constipation is rarely an isolated condition and is almost always a symptom of a different, underlying health issue. For this reason, the first step for those suffering from constipation should always be to examine their eating habits and diet.

For those searching for a natural way to help relieve constipation, CBD products may be useful. If used correctly, CBD may even help ease the anxiety associated with constipation without any significant side effects,

CBD products from reputable sellers such as Tanasi could also help deal with constipation’s emotional stress. If you are prone to constipation, you may consider adding it to your routine to avoid the possibility of irregular bowel movements.