Constipation and hormones: the gut motility checklist

🚽 Constipation is often treated like a fiber problem, but it is rarely just that. Gut motility depends on hydration, minerals, nervous system tone, hormones, and timing.

🧪 Low thyroid signaling, elevated stress, dehydration, and inadequate bile flow can all slow digestion. During hormonal shifts, especially perimenopause, gut motility often becomes more sensitive to stress and sleep disruption.
Adding fiber without addressing these factors can sometimes make symptoms worse.

🔧 Tip: Before adding more fiber, check the basics. Are you hydrated with electrolytes? Are you eating enough fat to stimulate bile? Are you allowing time between meals instead of constant snacking? Are you moving daily?

At Vagal, we look at digestion as a systems issue, not a single nutrient issue.