Can Chewing Gum Help You Poop?
Hello, Bestie! If you’re like me, growing up as a 90s baby, you knew it was going to be a great day when your parents gave you a piece of Fruit Stripe gum (that gum brand with the colorful zebra on the pack). There was definitely a year of my life during which I completely lived for that stuff. It was given sparingly in my household since I’m pretty sure it’s packed with sugar, but dang was it good. Nowadays, sugary gum really doesn’t do it for me and I much prefer a sugar-free wintergreen or cinnamon. So what the heck does any of this have to do with pelvic health? Well, some studies show chewing gum can help with bowel movements. I know—it’s pretty wild! Let’s talk about it!
Abdominal or colorectal surgeries can lead to constipation. Such surgeries could include cesarean section, colon resection, and more. This is a multifactorial issue that can be due to some of all of the following: medications taken post-operatively to manage pain, namely narcotics; disruption of abdominal musculature that is used in defecation; manipulation of the colon during surgery; impact of surgery on the parasympathetic nervous system (1). This cessation of bowel movements after surgery is termed paralytic ileus and it occurs commonly in patients that have undergone gastrointestinal surgery.
In a 2012 study by Ledari et al, researchers specifically looked at patients undergoing cesarean section (C-section). This study split patients into two groups: one control group (no intervention, typical care post-operatively) and one chewing gum group (chewed one stick of sugarless gum for one hour, three times per day). The folks in the chewing gum group experienced decreased time to first passing of gas and first bowel movement compared with the control group. They were also first to experience hunger. The participants in the chewing gum group also reported no adverse effects or issues with chewing the gum and were satisfied with their experience (1).
In a 2023 study, researchers looked at patients with colorectal cancer (2). These patients underwent colorectal surgery and were split into a control group and a chewing gum group. As in the study mentioned above, the patients in the chewing gum group chewed a stick of gum for an hour, three times per day. The control group received standard post-operative care. The researchers found that the folks in the chewing gum group experienced significantly less time to first bowel movement post-surgery compared with the control group.
Chewing gum after abdominal, colorectal, or pelvic surgeries can help improve colon motility. It stimulates the production of gastric acid (a fluid produced by the stomach), which can increase colon activity. This can be particularly helpful in folks experiencing nausea as a side effect of post-surgical medications or in those who haven’t gotten their appetite back. It is a tool that should certainly be considered after abdominal or colorectal surgery. However, I want to talk briefly about the other side of the coin. Sugar-free gum is typically sweetened with artificial sweeteners. As we’ve discussed previously, artificial sweeteners can cause issues within the gastrointestinal tract (3). While the effects of chewing gum following surgery have been studied fairly thoroughly, the effects of chewing gum on bowel health in the absence of surgery need to be studied further. There is conflicting evidence and not a good consensus on how chewing gum affects gut health. All of this is to say: chewing gum can be a great tool to stimulate the bowels following surgery, but may not necessarily be a good tool to use if you are suffering from chronic constipation.
If you have a surgery coming up or are recently post-operative, talk with your provider about chewing gum! It could make all the difference. Let’s get chewing!
XOXO,
Your Pelvic Bestie
References:
1. Ledari FM, Barat S, Delavar MA. Chewing gums has stimulatory effects on bowel function in patients undergoing cesarean section: a randomized controlled trial. Bosn J Basic Med Sci. 2012 Nov;12(4):265-8.
2. Al-Kharabsheh M, Alwahedi H, Elhamshary J, Younis L, Al Masri M. The Effect of Chewing Sugar-Free Gum to Improve Bowel Movement After Colorectal Surgeries in Patients With Colorectal Cancer. SAGE Open Nurs. 2023 Apr 19;9:23779608231170725.
3. Spencer M, Gupta A, Dam LV, Shannon C, Menees S, Chey WD. Artificial Sweeteners: A Systematic Review and Primer for Gastroenterologists. J Neurogastroenterol Motil. 2016 Apr 30;22(2):168-80.
*The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.
