Constipation, Osteopaenia and Calcium - Bone Health and O...

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Constipation, Osteopaenia and Calcium

Exbury1905 profile image
16 Replies

Hi, I have had osteopaenia for years, currently taking Calcium, magnesuim bisglycinate, D3, Vit K2 (natto), Boron. I also suffer from chronic constipation and wonder if the calcium I am taking as well as that in my diet (cheeses) is aggravating the problem. Some days my back is so painful from straining that I could weep...

I had one injection of Prolia about 3 years ago and stopped because of the side effects.

Any advice will be welcomed.

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Exbury1905
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16 Replies
Met00 profile image
Met00

Calcium carbonate (the standard calcium supplement) is known to cause constipation. If you're getting plenty in your diet, you shouldn't need to any extra, but if you do want to supplement, you might find calcium citrate is better. You could also try drinking a lot more water, and if all that fails, add in psyllium husks.

Exbury1905 profile image
Exbury1905 in reply to Met00

Thank you Met00. I have been taking calcium citrate 2 - 3 x 350mg/day. I try to drink a lot of water but there are other issues, such as IBS/intestinal methanogen overgrowth. I have started using slippery elm bark - 1 tsp steeped in 1 cup boiling water in the morning on an empty stomach and I skip breakfast. This seems to help.

Holdingbacktheyears profile image
Holdingbacktheyears

I have IBS (constipation) and have being having linseed on my fruit in the morning . I have had golden linseeds but am now having cold milled organic flaxseed (another name for linseed). I would suggest you try just half a dessert spoon then try a full dessert spoon - NHS say up to a tablespoon but I found this too much. You can sprinkle them on porridge, yogurt, salads etc. It seems to be easing things a bit for me ! Hope you find something that suits you it’s horrible isn’t it x

Exbury1905 profile image
Exbury1905 in reply to Holdingbacktheyears

Thank you! I will try the flax seed

711debbie profile image
711debbie

See if you can find Bone Up - it's rated as having the best mix for osteoporosis and the calcium goes to the bones and not the arteries. You're supposed to take 2 a day with each meal but I'm just taking 1 with a meal, hoping that I can get enough other calcium from my diet.

Exbury1905 profile image
Exbury1905 in reply to 711debbie

will check it out, thank you

MWZ3 profile image
MWZ3

If you only had osteopenia why were you given Prolia? My sister had one injection too and that was enough for her as well. She couldn’t wait for the time to be up.

Have you ever broken any bones?

You sound like you’re doing enough for your bones anyway.

As for the straining, a bidet would help with that as it has a feature to make that easier using water. It’s the best thing we ever bought.

Exbury1905 profile image
Exbury1905 in reply to MWZ3

Exactly! I really don't know why I was given Prolia and the next day my doctor went on vacation for a month!

I had a fractured pelvis in 1984 and a broken wrist around 2003.

My physiotherapist recommended a 'squatty potty' and that helps.

hjskev profile image
hjskev

I suffer from constipation I blame Gaviscon because I take it for reflux. But you've made me think because I take calcium too.

I've dealt with it by eating a high fibre diet. Years ago I did the Fibre Plan diet for weight loss and I've adopted some of the advice from there. So wholemeal bread, pasta, rice, cereal lots of fruits dried fruits and veg lots of liquids. It's the natural solution and it works for me. Many people aren't getting enough fibre. Hope you find a solution so you can get comfortable.

Exbury1905 profile image
Exbury1905 in reply to hjskev

I can't eat a high fibre diet and many fruits as I have IBS/intestinal methanogen overgrowth. I have started using slippery elm bark - 1 tsp steeped in 1 cup boiling water in the morning on an empty stomach and I skip breakfast. This seems to help.

Guds profile image
Guds

Taking a teaspoon of A2 pure ghee in lukewarm water helps me .sip it slowly n over that also take I glass of warm water additional.. this has helped me for constipation

Exbury1905 profile image
Exbury1905 in reply to Guds

Thank you Guds.

usr2022 profile image
usr2022

Prunes are also very helpful for both constipation AND bones.

academic.oup.com/ajcn/artic...

Magnesium is also a very good laxative, but NOT the bisglycinate.

You could try to take two forms of magnesium, take for instance citrate in the morning and during the day, and bisglycinate in the evening. Up the dosage until the problem is gone.

Lactulose is a medication that could be used occasionally , it is a synthetic non-absorbable sugar that pulls water into the colon.

Psyllium is also helpful, but with all these remedies, it is very very important to drink plenty of water/fluids.

Exbury1905 profile image
Exbury1905 in reply to usr2022

Hi usr2022, thank you for the reply. I am trying to follow Monash University's low FODMAP diet. Until recently prunes were high FODMAP, i.e. I should not eat them, but recent research has shown that prunes, kiwifruit and psyllium can be very helpful. I always took prunes until a year or so ago but stopped...now I shall resume and see how that goes.

ChristineK profile image
ChristineK

Are you taking any pain killers? The reason I ask is that codeine causes constipation. I was taking cocodamol for hip pain and it gave me constipation. Now that I have had my hips replaced I am off it and no more constipation! Hope this helps.

Exbury1905 profile image
Exbury1905

Hi ChristineK, thank you for your reply. No pain killers other than ibuprofen when needed for chronic low back pain.

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