Having lazy bowel syndrome can cause uncomfortable constipation and hard stools. Certain health conditions, a low fiber diet, or a past reliance on laxatives can cause it.
Medically reviewed by Cynthia Taylor Chavoustie, MPAS, PA-C
Lazy bowel syndrome, or slow gut, is not a diagnosable medical condition, but it is considered a form of constipation. Healthcare professionals may refer to your symptoms of slow bowel movements as slow transit constipation (STC).
It happens when your large intestine moves waste too slowly through your digestive system.
With lazy bowel syndrome, it is common to experience constipation and pain during bowel movements. A slow bowel can be chronic, where you experience symptoms often if not all the time.
Learning more about slow gut and STC, as well as ways to treat your symptoms can help you manage your condition more effectively.
Symptoms
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Lazy bowel syndrome can cause the following symptoms:
Although these symptoms may be present very often or always, it is possible to manage them with various treatment options.
Causes
Every time you eat something, your digestive system carries out a sequence of activities that makes the muscles in your digestive tract process the waste.
This process is called peristalsis. If this movement slows down, becomes blocked, or the muscles are not as strong as they need to be to move the waste through your digestive system, you may notice symptoms of lazy bowel syndrome.
These reflexes can become weaker and less efficient due to certain factors:
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS):IBS causes constipation, diarrhea, and other digestive issues. People who experience IBS can have sensitive intestines.
Thyroid conditions: If you have an underactive thyroid or hypothyroidism, it can cause constipation and slowed digestion.
Certain medications: Some drugs, such as opioids, can cause slow digestion and constipation.
Dysfunctional pelvic floor muscles: Weak pelvic floor muscles can disrupt the efficiency of peristalsis and cause slow digestion.
Reliance on laxatives: If you use laxatives for a long time, the bowel can become lazy, and you may find it difficult to pass stools without them.
Hirschsprung’s disease:This is a hereditary condition that causes blockages in the movement of waste through your large intestine. This happens because of a lack of nerve cells, which prevents regular digestive muscle movement.
Physical blockages: A growth, such as a tumor somewhere within the digestive tract, can slow peristalsis.
Sometimes the reason for these weaker muscles is simple. For example, you are missing something from your diet, such as drinking enough water or consuming enough fiber.
Other potential causes of slow digestion can result in constipation. These include:
The treatments for lazy bowel syndrome or STC depend on the individual cause of your symptoms. For example, symptoms can happen as a result of pre-existing conditions such as hypothyroidism, so treating this condition may help with the symptoms of STC.
A healthcare professional may help you by suggesting natural remedies or medical treatments.
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Lifestyle strategies and natural remedies can help manage your symptoms of lazy bowel syndrome and constipation.
Some of these remedies include:
Evaluating fiber intake: While consuming too little fiber can make your stools hard to pass, eating too much can worsen your symptoms of lazy bowel syndrome. You can ask a healthcare professional for advice on how much fiber you should include in your diet, although research recommends around 20–35 grams per day.
Light exercise: Including light exercise in your daily routine can help stimulate blood flow to your abdomen, increasing bowel motility and possibly improving constipation.
Natural laxatives: Artificial laxatives can make your digestive system lazy and worsen your symptoms. Natural laxatives can help your digestive system. For example, castor oil, green tea, and chia are all natural laxatives that can help. Still, you should be sure to only use them for a short time.
Drinking enough water: Try drinking some extra glasses of water per day. This can help soften stools that are too firm. Cutting down on caffeine can help keep your digestive system hydrated too.
Medical treatments
Treatments for lazy gut syndrome depend on the cause. It is often a secondary symptom of an existing condition, such as hypothyroidism.
Some treatments that a medical professional may suggest include:
Enemas: An enema helps flush out your bowel through the injection of fluid through your rectum. This can relieve symptoms, but it is not a long-term solution to regulating your bowel movements.
Medications: Artificial laxatives, such as bisacodyl (Correctol), are often used to treat STC symptoms. But these can eventually make your bowel lazy and worsen symptoms, so you should always consult with a professional. You may also be prescribed linaclotide (Linzess) or plecanatide (Trulance).
Bowel retraining: This is a type of behavioral training that helps you pass stools more regularly. It is not suitable if you have weakened anal muscles. You can consult with a professional about the possibility of starting a bowel retraining program and whether it suits you.
Surgery: In rare and very severe circumstances, you may need surgery to install a colostomy bag. This is typically only for people who experience severe fecal constipation resulting from an existing health condition.
Interferential electrical stimulation: This treatment aims to use painless electrical currents to improve the function of nerve cells in your digestive system. This may help increase digestion speed, and although more studies are needed, it could be a good alternative to surgical procedures.
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Summary
Lazy bowel syndrome is when you experience the slow movement of waste through your digestive system. While there is no cure for lazy bowel syndrome, a healthcare professional will help you manage your symptoms by considering the severity of your symptoms and their underlying cause.
Treatments that you might try include medical solutions, like taking laxatives, and lifestyle strategies, like increasing fiber consumption.
