Does constipation cause weight gain? 3 Key causes
3 Key causes for weight gain caused by constipation.
Yes, constipation can cause weight gain, and in our clinic, we frequently see clients complaining that they’ve put on 5 pounds almost over night, or that they simply can’t loose weight not matter how hard they try.
how does constipation cause weight gain?
Research is steaming ahead when it comes to Functional Gut Health, and at Advanced Nutrition Clinic, we follow the science closely, to help treat our clients for weight gain, slow metabolism and inflammation.
Why is weight loss so hard?
When it comes to loosing weight, what you eat is in fact only a small part of what helps you loose weight! Hormones, blood sugar - and gut health, play a huge role in how many calories we absorb, how hungry we are, and what we crave.
three COMMON WAYS constipation causeS weight gain
1.Thyroid & Weight Gain
Thyroid hormones play a part in regulating our metabolism, or metabolic rate. If you experience thyroid issues, you’ll often have constipation too. If your blood test have indicated that your thyroid hormones may be a little low, there are some simple things you can check off with your diet.
Are you getting enough protein in the diet? Are you a vegetarian but not checking your protein levels?
Do you get enough iron? Do you avoid dark meat or have heavy periods? Do you feel tired, a little weak or have poor exercise stamina?
Selenium and iodine are crucial nutrients for the thyroid. Seaweed (watch amounts - not too much) and brazil nuts (again not too many, two a day) can help.
Unless your GP says you need medication, try adjusting your lifestyle. Some nutrients are crucial in supporting thyroid function.
2. SIBO Weight Gain
Can SIBO affect metabolism? That’s a question we get from many of our clients.
And here’s the thing;
The internet is full of comments on this topic from people simply looking at the research. The truth is, some things never make it to the scientific literature, and as experienced practitioners. we’ve learned from decades of experience and close observation or real patients.
SIBO, tend to cause weight gain because it can disrupt two things:
Your appetite and blood sugar, via a Nutrient sensing and tastebuds in the gut (chemosensors)! You can Read more HERE.
SIBO and constipation has a bidirectional relationship. SIBO can cause constipation, but very severe constipation can also cause SIBO by impacting the ‘door’ that retains bacteria between large and small intestine. Bacteria from the colon do not belong in our small intestine, but this can malfunction if you’re very very constipated or your chronic constipation.
So how does SIBO cause weight gain?
The feeling is that, when we have SIBO and eat food, this food then ‘reacts’ with the bacteria, causing inflammation, water retention and a feeling of puffiness. In terms of real weight gain (i.e increased fat stores), some think that SIBO can alter the calories you absorb from the food that you eat. This has been hard to prove in the science, and I personally, as a Senior Nutritionist, feel there’s something a little more complex going on here. Nevertheless, from clinical observations, both SIBO and gut dysbiosis can trigger substantial, sudden and challenging weight gain.
3.Gut molecules - serotonin and short-chain fatty acids (SCFA)
Our gut bacteria are responsible for producing a number of molecules that are responsible for gut motility (movement), namely SCFAs and serotonin. It's quite common to discover that people have very low, or even undetected levels of particular bacteria responsible for producing some very beneficial SCFAs, which can stem from not eating enough fibre, or possibly past antibiotic courses (interestingly, serotonin is involved in appetite regulation, and SCFAs are key players in our metabolism and how we use our stored energy!).
These bacteria are restored by using probiotics and fibre, however, if you have SIBO, be careful with what you introduce as you may not tolerate these well.
Establishing whether you have troublesome gut bacteria is the first thing to do. Simply guessing will lead you around the houses and lead to a loss of valuable time and life quality.
👉 “Struggling with constipation and unexplained weight gain? Complete our free 2 minute Weight & Metabolism Assessment for quick answers to get you unstuck with your weight loss today.
