Cutting fiber might help constipation because it makes poop smaller and less gas is made in the gut, so it’s easier to go and you don’t feel as bloated.
Scientific Claim
In adults with idiopathic constipation, the mechanism by which reducing dietary fiber improves symptoms may involve decreased fecal bulk and reduced gas production from bacterial fermentation, leading to easier stool evacuation and less abdominal pressure.
Original Statement
“Reduction in dietary fiber would reduce fecal bulk and volume and make evacuation of the smaller and thinner feces easier. ... Gases that are trapped by peristaltic colon exert pressure on the walls, causing the abdominal pain experienced by patients.”
Evidence Quality Assessment
Claim Status
overstated
Study Design Support
Design cannot support claim
Appropriate Language Strength
association
Can only show association/correlation
Assessment Explanation
The study did not measure fecal bulk or gas production; the mechanism is speculative and inferred from discussion. Mechanistic claims require experimental validation.
More Accurate Statement
“In adults with idiopathic constipation, the improvement in symptoms after reducing dietary fiber may be associated with decreased fecal bulk and reduced gas production from bacterial fermentation, though this mechanism was not directly measured.”
Evidence from Studies
Supporting (1)
When people with chronic constipation ate less fiber, they pooped more often and felt less bloated and strained—suggesting that less fiber means less stuff in the gut and less gas, making it easier to go.