Anti-poop pills: These 3 supplements can make you constipated

Feeling backed up?While there are plenty of foods and some health conditions that cause constipation, certain supplements may also be to blame.It’s worth double-checking your routine vitamins to see if they may be the cause of your gut issues.Just like any medications, vitamins and supplements can have side effects, like infrequent or painful bowel movements or changes in bowel habits.And common supplements like iron, calcium and vitamin D can especially cause back-ups in your stomach and intestines.While iron supplements are generally taken for anemia or an iron deficiency, they can also cause gastrointestinal distress as an unpleasant side effect.Women especially tend to be iron-deficient, with around 20% of women worldwide experiencing it due to the menstrual cycle.Constipation from an iron supplement can be managed by taking the pill with food or in smaller doses.This nutrient can also be found in foods like fish, red meat, legume and leafy greens such as spinach.While calcium is necessary for strong bone development and to lower heart risk, it can also stop the flow of digestion.This supplement, specifically calcium carbonate, slows down how food moves in the gut.It can also interfere with how much fluid is secreted into the gut, making stool harder and more difficult to pass.A way to offset these effects is to drink enough water and eat enough fiber if you’re regularly taking calcium.And if you’re calcium-deficient, there’s a good chance you’re taking a vitamin D supplement, which can cause a vicious cycle of constipation.When taken consistently in higher doses, this vitamin helps increase the amount of calcium in your body, leading to stomach issues.However, taking less than 10,000 international units (IU) a day is less likely to cause problems on the toilet....