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Author: Admin | 2025-04-27
Most of us will experience constipation at some point in our lives. It’s the most common digestive complaint and the reason for millions of doctor visits each year. It happens when you have a bowel movement less than three times a week or when stools are hard and lumpy and uncomfortable or a strain to pass. Magnesium is a mineral your body uses to regulate muscle and nerve function, blood sugar, and blood pressure, among other functions. When you take magnesium for constipation, it helps your small intestine absorb water. That increases the pulsing movement of the intestines (peristalsis) that enables bowel movements. Here’s how to take magnesium laxatives safely and effectively.Constipation can be due to several things, including: A lack of dietary fiber or waterNot enough exercise Health conditions, including irritable bowel syndrome or some hormonal conditionsMedication, including opioids and the weight loss and diabetes drugs GLP-1 agonists The rise in popularity of GLP-1 medication for weight loss means more people might be having constipation as a side effect. According to Kyle Staller, MD, MPH, gastroenterologist at Massachusetts General Hospital and an expert for the American Gastrointestinal Association, “GLP-1 can cause constipation for people. Part of it is just a decreased calorie count, but there could be hormonal effects as well.” GLP-1 medications reduce the amount of a hormone called glucagon-like peptide 1, which your body uses to stimulate insulin production. Insulin affects your digestion, and these medications can slow the movement of food through your digestive tract. That causes stool to remain in your system longer, where it can dry out and make it hard for you to go. “Magnesium can be a relatively safe way to counteract that constipation,” says Staller. “It’s widely available and used in normal body processes. It certainly could be used for someone who's developed constipation as a result of taking these medications.”If you are taking GLP-1 medication and have constipation, talk to your doctor. They may suggest several things, including:Dietary changesExerciseIncreasing your water intake Eating more fiber They can also advise you on magnesium or other laxatives.There is more than one type
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