Hey all,

Wondered if anyone has any tips or answers relating to my bowels! I've posted a few times about my constipation so it's really a massive ongoing problem. I found that by reducing my protein to 60-70g per day that I become more regular - research shows that protein slows the digestive tract and I know that it is slow motility that is causing my constipation.

I used probiotics for a while but they don't work any longer. Fibre just bulks things up and bungs me up even more. Protein is definitely a key.

So I've been reducing protein levels, but in order to reduce protein I've had to increase carbs to provide enough to keep me full, which is making me feel rubbish, and I don't really want to increase carbs. I wondered if anyone knows of any reason why protein has such an increased effect in me of slowing my digestive track - am I missing something else? My fat levels are 50% of diet (g not calories). Is there something else I can do to help myself while eating more protein? Any ideas welcome. Thank you very much.

I know its been a few months since this was posted but I'm sure there are other people out there that experience this issue. I've never really had trouble with constipation, until I started the induction phase of atkins. BUT, I was also eating most of my carbs in Dairy like cheese and sour cream. 2 weeks in I learned that I had a sensitivity to fermented items. I dropped the cheese, aged dairy and meats and added in the fat as suggested by the atkins books and my bowels are running like a well oiled machine.

coconut oil is great for keeping things regular, and is a good healthy fat. Best eaten as coconut bark (on the recipe section).

Lee

60-70g of protein per day is too low, IMO. I would find other ways to regulate things. It could be you're not eating enough fat. try upping it from 50% to 70% and see how things go. Are you drinking enough water? Some people swear by magnesium. There's also fiber. But if you eat more fiber you have to drink a lot of water or you'll make your problem worse.

Decrease protein, increase fat. If you are doing Atkins, it is a high fat diet, not a high protein diet. Fat will keep you feeling full without all of the problems caused by carbs.

I'm just seconding this opinion, as it reflects with mine to a t.