How Fast Does Baking Soda Work For Constipation?

How fast does baking soda work for constipation?

In this brief guide, we are going to answer the question “how fast does baking soda work for constipation” with an in-depth analysis of the effect of baking soda on constipation. Moreover, we are going to discuss the side effects of overconsumption of baking soda along with the symptoms of constipation and the common reasons for constipation.

So without much ado, let’s dive in and figure out more about it.

How fast does baking soda work for constipation?

Baking soda is a home remedy that is used to treat constipation. Baking soda has a long history of being used to neutralize stomach acid but its use for constipation is rather new. To this date no scientific evidence is backing up its effect on constipation, rather it is backed up by the people and different institutes claiming its effectiveness in relieving constipation.

You could either consume the baking soda orally or can take a baking soda bath.

The science behind consuming baking soda orally is that there are claims that baking soda helps to pull water into the digestive system and also helps with the muscle contractions that will ultimately help in getting rid of constipation. Moreover, when the baking soda reacts with stomach acid, it will produce certain gases that will help you to burp.

According to El Camino hospital, soaking the body in the baking soda can also help with relieving the constipation pain. Moreover, it will also relax your anal sphincter thereby making it easy for you to pass stools.

So to prepare a baking soda bath, what you gotta do is to fill your bathtub with warm water and add 2 ounces of baking soda to it. Now get into your bathtub and stay there for at least 20 minutes.

How much baking soda do I take for constipation?

You can mix a tsp of baking soda in a quarter cup of warm water and consume it orally to relieve constipation.

What are the side effects of using baking soda?

Baking soda excessive consumption is associated with some gastrointestinal problems. If you are over-consuming baking soda it can cause vomiting, diarrhea, frequent urination, muscle weakness, muscle spasms, convulsions, and irritability.

Moreover, baking soda also contains sodium and excess consumption of it can cause many health-related problems like hypertension, heart diseases, and kidney diseases.

Other FAQs about Baking Soda which you may be interested in.

What happens when adding baking soda to toothpaste?

How does baking soda absorb odor?

Does baking soda go bad?

What are the symptoms of constipation?

If you are feeling a lot of difficulty in passing the stool or if you are straining too much while passing the tool and that too for consecutively a long time then it is an indication that you are constipated.

If your bowel frequency has been less for some time, for instance, if normally you pass the stools twice or thrice a day and now you are passing the stool once in three days then it is an indication that you are constipated.

Moreover, if you are passing really hard, dry, and lumpy stools, it may be an indication of constipation.

What are the common causes of constipation?

Moreover, if the food stays for too long in the colon and if the food transit time is too slow, then the colon will have more time to reabsorb more water from the residual food leaving hard and dry stools that will be really difficult to excrete out of the body. There can be a couple of reasons lying behind this problem including some medications like diuretics, iron supplements, antidepressants, anticholinergics, etc.

Moreover, the people suffering from irritable bowel syndrome, also suffer from constipation that is the main symptom of IBS along with bloating, abdominal cramps, etc. if you are suppressing your urge to defecate for too long it can also result in constipation.

Moreover, the hard, dry stools also indicate that you are not consuming enough dietary fiber and are dehydrated, then to preserve the water content of your body fluids, the body reabsorbs more of the water in the colon leaving your stools to be dry and hard. So you should keep your body well-hydrated and consume fiber-rich foods in your diet.

You can read more about the association between dehydration and constipation here.

What are the foods that can help in relieving constipation?

Fiber-rich fruits and vegetables, apples, blueberries, raspberries, apricots, chia seeds, grapes, lemon juice, yogurt, cabbage, corn, grapefruit, prunes, and hot beverages are among some of the important foods that can help you in relieving constipation.

Conclusion

In this brief guide, we answered the question “how fast does baking soda work for constipation” with an in-depth analysis of the effect of baking soda on constipation. Moreover, we discussed the side effects of overconsumption of baking soda along with the symptoms of constipation and the common reasons for constipation.