Constipation

In most cases, constipation is "only" a functional disorder - meaning that the bowel is essentially healthy, but simply not working in an optimal manner - and not the sign of a serious organic illness. At the same time, however, a sluggish intestine will still have a considerably negative effect on our sense of physical well-being. It's a good thing that help is available which is gentle but nevertheless effective.

What exactly is constipation?

Approximately one out of four adults in our society suffers from constipation. But what is constipation?

Different people have widely different ideas about this, because everybody’s judgment is based on his or her own bowel habits. Individual differences are great: some people have a bowel movement only once every three days while others think it is normal to make trips to the toilet twice a day; digestion is completely normal in both cases.

Constipation is only to be found among those who "need to use the facilities" less often than once every three days. These people have stools which are generally hard and low in volume. Often evacuation can only be achieved by hard pressing, which is then often painful. Those experiencing this frequently have a sensation of incomplete evacuation.

A person suffers when digestion doesn't function properly, because having a belly which feels heavy, full and bloated will lead to a general feeling of not being well. On top of that, constipation can also promote the development of hemorrhoids - enlarged blood vessels resembling varicose veins in the area of the anus - which can under certain circumstances result in considerable physical problems.

Temporary constipation can arise as a result of certain situations - e.g. travel or particularly hectic or stressful times - and last for hours, a few days or even weeks. Such cases are considered acute constipation. If the constipation lasts longer than three months, doctors refer to it as chronic obstipation.

How does the digestive system function?

Our body requires all kinds of nutrients which are obtained from food through the assistance of enzymes. Digestion begins in the mouth while we are chewing our food: an enzyme contained in saliva splits carbohydrates (starch, sugar) into their constituent elements. The resulting mixture then travels though the esophagus to the stomach, where protein digestion begins. Fats, proteins and carbohydrates are then ultimately broken down into their basic constituents in the small intestine and transported through the circulatory system to individual body organs.

The parts which are not used by the body find their way into the colon (large intestine). Here, individual undigested nutritional components can still be absorbed by the body after being broken down by the bacteria which normally inhabit the bowels and which can be described as natural intestinal flora. Salt and water are removed, and then the actual stool is formed out of what is left and eventually excreted.

Types of food play an important role in the digestive process. Those whose diets include lots of foods which are rich in fiber and roughage will have fewer problems with intestinal activity. Roughage comes from vegetable foodstuffs. They are indigestible to humans and increase the volume of the stools, retain water and stimulate intestinal activity. The stool remains soft and pliable, allowing problem-free evacuation.

We should ingest a minimum of 30 g of roughage every day. That means eating plenty of whole-grain products, fruit, vegetables and legumes (bean products). It is also important that we drink two liters or more of fluids each day so that the roughage can carry out its useful function in the intestine.

For more on risks and side effects read the package insert and consult your doctor or pharmacist.

Is constipation a disease of modern civilization?

Luckily, serious illnesses, such as intestinal diseases or thyroid malfunctions, are only rarely the causes of constipation. It is of course imperative that one seeks examination and treatment from a physician in such cases. You should also consult your doctor if you think your digestive problems could be caused by taking a particular medication, because a number of drugs can lead to constipation. These drugs include:

Nevertheless, in most cases it is our modern way of life itself which is the cause of constipation: the roughage which is so important for regular bowel movements is often missing from our diet, because we much prefer white bread, meat and puddings to whole-grain bread, raw vegetables and fruit. And we do not drink enough fluids - far less than the recommended two to three liters per day. Our bowels respond to these nutritional deficiencies with stools which are both too small in volume and too hard.

Another weak point of our modern lifestyles is insufficient physical activity: we spend practically the whole day sitting - at our desks, in our cars and in front of the television. Instead of climbing stairs, we take the lift. Only rarely do we actually act on resolutions to get more exercise. Given all this, it is no wonder that our bowels become increasingly sluggish.

An additional factor must also be taken into account: time pressure. In the morning we either rush through breakfast or skip it altogether; given the situation, it is no surprise that we allow ourselves no time to visit the toilet. Our body tells us that it's time to go, but we simply suppress the urge and put it off till later. The result: constipation.

What should one do when the digestive system doesn't function properly?

To purge...

Many people reach for drastic laxatives as a convenient solution when fast relief from constipation is desired. But beware! It is precisely vegetable laxatives which are referred to as "natural" which often harm more than they help. Their effect is so radical that they often lead to cramping and watery bowel evacuations. Furthermore, these preparations can also damage the intestinal mucosa. Although the drastic laxatives offer short-term relief, they do not restore normal, regulated digestive processes.

This means that one has to keep taking these remedies - often in ever-increasing dosages - often resulting in laxative dependencies and disorders in the water and electrolyte balance.

Therefore do not rely on drastic laxatives as your primary remedy!

...or to activate the digestion?

Duphalac® helps restore normal digestion in a safe and gentle way.

Duphalac® contains lactulose as its active substance, a special sugar which is obtained from milk, but which should nevertheless not to be confused with the milk sugar lactose!

Lactulose cannot be utilized by the human body, which makes it also suitable for diabetics. In contrast to milk sugar (lactose), lactulose triggers no hunger pangs and doesn't lead to weight gains.

Duphalac® is available in syrup form. After it is ingested, Duphalac® travels undigested through the stomach and the small intestine, eventually arriving at the large intestine - precisely the place where its effect is to be felt. Here it is split up into fragments by the intestinal bacteria which naturally occur there. These fragments hold back the water in the colon like roughage does, making the stool soft and voluminous. The bowel is well-filled, which accelerates the transport of its contentbs, thus triggering normal defecation. The purgative effect of Duphalac® takes place around two to ten hours after ingestion.

Duphalac® - optimal for the digestive system

Our large intestine contains a wide variety of bacteria populations which are referred to as natural intestinal flora. These germs are of great importance for both digestion and overall health.

When we have a non-balanced diet or when the stool is retained for a very long period in the colon during times of constipation, disease agents (pathogens) - e.g. undesirable bacteria or fungi - can spread in the large intestine, reducing the amount of natural and useful intestinal flora.

A high-roughage mixed diet alone is not sufficient for quickly restoring the natural equilibrium. Here is where Duphalac® can also help, because this preparation is an ideal nutrient for the useful intestinal bacteria. Thanks to Duphalac, they multiply quickly and can thus once again aid digestion. The bacteria population gradually normalizes itself until the intestinal flora responsible for maintaining health has been restored. Duphalac® is thus more than just a laxative.

When the "good" intestinal bacteria increase in numbers and normal digestion is restored, patients will sometimes experience increased amounts of flatulence. One must expect more flatulence in cases where the intestinal flora had been severely damaged. This will in any event be only temporary in nature and is a good sign that Duphalac® is effective and that the natural equilibrium is being re-established.

Properly functioning intestinal flora not only activates the digestive system, it also enhances the immune system and has a positive effect on one's sense of physical well-being and overall general health.

Duphalac® is both non-addictive and non-irritating to the bowel. Its effect is so mild that even pregnant women, nursing mothers and children may take Duphalac®. As a rule, the purgative effect of Duphalac® takes place after two to ten hours.

In isolated cases it can also take up to three days before the first bowel movement occurs. The success of Duphalac® can sometimes be delayed in situations where laxatives which are not suitable for long-term use have already been used and continue to be taken. It is recommended in such cases that the habitual laxative be reduced in stages while simultaneously increasing the Duphalac® dosage. It may take the body several weeks to complete the adjustment process.

What else helps?

Even small changes in your nutritional and lifestyle habits can contribute significantly to the activation of your digestion:

Eat a variety of foods, including ones high in roughage

Whole-grain products, legumes, fresh fruit, salad and vegetables are good providers of roughage and also contain large amounts of valuable vitamins and minerals. Instead of having white bread for breakfast, eat whole-grain bread or a hearty bowl of muesli. How about an appetizer of raw vegetables before your main meal? You are doing yourself a favour when you eat whole-grain noodles and brown rice, and a fresh fruit salad for dessert tastes at least as good as the usual pudding. Foodstuffs with high roughage contentb can be an improvement to your meals. You will find that high-roughage nutrition is not only "healthy" but also tasty, creative and smart.

Drink plenty of fluids

This means at least two liters per day. Treat yourself to a glass of freshly-squeezed fruit juice before breakfast and drink two large glasses of mineral water with each meal. In addition to the usual coffee or black tea, you should also have herbal teas, diluted fruit and vegetable juices and mineral water on hand. The question of whether or not you are drinking enough fluids can be answered by looking at the colour of your urine: it should be no darker than white wine.

Put some exercise in your daily routine

Sport and physical activity help to bring a sluggish intestine back into shape. This doesn't mean you need to become a high-performance athlete. Think about how you can incorporate regular physical activity into your daily routine: maybe you could ride the bicycle to the office or the shops? Or you could take care of minor errands on foot. Climb the stairs instead of taking the lift and put away all those remote control units at home! Even such simple everyday activities promote movement in the intestine (peristalsis).

Heed your bowel signals

Take your time - particularly in the morning after breakfast. Do not suppress the bowel movement when you feel the signal from your intestines. Follow the urge and go to the toilet without delay. If you ignore this signal, your bowels will respond namely with immobility and non-evacuation.

Allow yourself periods of relaxation

It would be very good if you could learn a relaxation method such as autogenous training or yoga or if you observe at a minimum brief regular relaxation breaks during hectic daily routines. This allows you to give your bowel a moment of quiet as well: it can relax and be that much more effective later when it goes back to work.