Constipation And Aspirin

[ander454]

Not sure why, but 1 x 325mg aspirin once per day starts slowing down my bowels. 2 per day makes it pretty bad. I take each aspirin with 1mg of K2 (orally). I already take magnesium transdermal and magnesium bicarbonate internally. Without Asprin digestion is fine and regular. I have no gut issues as far as I can tell. I eat a carrot every day, some cooked spinach regularly. I keep starches low. I limit grains to brown rice and oatmeal and these seem to help transit time actually. I eat mostly: fruit + meat + gelatin + milk + OJ + cheese. I take Tyronene during the day and Tyromix at night. Temps are 98-ish. I can keep pulse near 80 bpm during the day. If I really take lots of magneisum internally in the form of mag bicarbonate, yeah I can get regular while on Aspirin. Or of course, lots of prunes can help too, but it doesn't feel that healthy for me to compensate that much just to keep regular. Any ideas? Does anyone else have this issue with Aspirin? I really wish I could take Aspirin regularly. I have lots of myofascial issues with neck / upper back and Aspirin really helps calm things down and improves my mood.

 

[ReSTART]

Are you sure it's the aspirin?

 

[Kray]

Are you sure it's the aspirin?

My question, too. I have a similar diet to @ander454, but don't take aspirin regularly (I've dropped down to equivalent of a 'woman's dose' of about 80mg/day when I take it). So maybe aspirin not the cause? But I still have bowel issues and I am taking mag bicarb. Seems counterproductive if you have to take so much of the mixture that it fills you up to the point you aren't hungry for food. I've been taking about 16oz a day, about double the beginning dose suggested in some recipes I've read.

How much does one need to take, or can you up the amount of MoM added to the carb water?

 

[What-a-Riot]

idk but maybe aspirin irreversably inhibiting platelet cox-1 even at low doses stops those platelets from releasing serotonin, and less circulating serotonin reduces gut motility. idk how much platelet derived serotonin plays into that, just a thought

 

[ander454]

My question, too. I have a similar diet to @ander454, but don't take aspirin regularly (I've dropped down to equivalent of a 'woman's dose' of about 80mg/day when I take it). So maybe aspirin not the cause? But I still have bowel issues and I am taking mag bicarb. Seems counterproductive if you have to take so much of the mixture that it fills you up to the point you aren't hungry for food. I've been taking about 16oz a day, about double the beginning dose suggested in some recipes I've read.

How much does one need to take, or can you up the amount of MoM added to the carb water?

Yeah, that's quite a bit of mag bicarb. I really don't take that much bicarb - just a few gulps a day. I also get magnesium transdermally using maghohal solution: http://www.weedemandreap.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Mag-a-hol.pdf

It seems to absorb really well. I just buy cheap vodka and mix with mag flakes. Super easy. It doesn't itch at all like that crappy Ancient Minerals mag oil. A few sprays seems fine for me.

As for the Aspirin, I think I'll go down to 80mg like you and see if that works for me. I just don't understand why 325mg is too much. Others on this forum are taking way more and I assume they aren't getting constipated.

 

[Kray]

I have some mag oil but the itching doesn't bother me when I use it. It goes away in a few minutes. Nice that there is an alternative for those sensitive like yourself.

I guess it's worth a try to go low-dose for a period and check yourself afterward. Maybe what @What-a-Riot mentioned has some bearing on your situation on higher doses. Your body may be telling you that you don't need so much.

Just curious-- is coffee in your diet? Does that have a laxative effect without adding mag? So many people can maintain regularity with just coffee (which is also claimed to have a fair amount of magnesium in it). I drink coffee but for some reason it doesn't have that effect, so I have to take a fair amount of magnesium. But maybe women require more mag than men.

Thanks for your feedback.

 

[ander454]

I have some mag oil but the itching doesn't bother me when I use it. It goes away in a few minutes. Nice that there is an alternative for those sensitive like yourself.

I guess it's worth a try to go low-dose for a period and check yourself afterward. Maybe what @What-a-Riot mentioned has some bearing on your situation on higher doses. Your body may be telling you that you don't need so much.

Just curious-- is coffee in your diet? Does that have a laxative effect without adding mag? So many people can maintain regularity with just coffee (which is also claimed to have a fair amount of magnesium in it). I drink coffee but for some reason it doesn't have that effect, so I have to take a fair amount of magnesium. But maybe women require more mag than men.

Thanks for your feedback.

Yeah, coffee doesn't seem to help me with regularity, but I do drink it for other reasons and like it. Funny though, nicotine does have a significant effect. It makes me go like within 30min after using. I'm not a heavy user or anything, so I don't rely on this effect to keep regular.

I'm not sure I understand what @What-a-Riot is saying exactly. Thanks for the replies though.

 

[ellebarrasi]

Hello Everyone. I am new to the forum and this is my first post. I have been following for almost a year (sometimes many hours per day). I will share my journey soon but in short, I agree with Ray Peat, but when one's body stops eliminating entirely (no BM), without any support from many MDs, several NDs and an OD, you have to be really open minded to find a solution. This post is for those who are in absolute misery hoping for a solution to constipation TODAY. Please believe me when I say I had tried almost every suggestion any member has posted about constipation solutions. Nothing worked. I was practically crying with "Charlie" ? when he went on one of his long experimental-constipation-relief binges along while ago:)

There are many possible solutions you can research around the topic of sulfoxidation and sulfation, but if one stops high sulphur and thiol foods and supplements for about 4-7 days, after a period/week of possible very loose stools, normal BMs should result. (I admit that I still have a half cup coffee to remind my body what to do.) The complex reason could be a DNA mutation, or it could be something simple like low molybdenum or elevated Boron hence low B2 . If you are low in moly before you start "Peating", it doesn't help to consume more of the lowest moly sources from meat, milk and eggs while avoiding the higher sources of legumes, grains, nuts and dark leafy greens. Foods high in purines, caffeine and alcohol will deplete moly also.

Whatever the cause of the poor sulfoxidation, you can research and experiment with supplements slowly or you can research while your body is flushing excess sulfur/thiols by avoiding them for a week. I am not saying eat lots of nuts, but at least eat the most low sulfur peaty veggies that you tolerate with butter? Only pineapple and papaya have a little thiol, but all other fruits are very low (according to one source below). Some sources say potatoes are low sulfur. As you all know, follow your cravings with this information in mind.

I have also been following a much lower protein diet for 10 days along with low sulfur (that is what I knew I had to do). Regardless of the cause of the poor sulfoxidation/sulfation, most likely lowering excess toxic sulfites and ammonia in your body will help more than just the constipation. Then when you feel regular again (could be day 7, 10, 14?), start adding back in moderate amounts of a few sulfur foods but perhaps avoid the worst ones (eggs). Go slowly so you don't go backwards. Avoiding high cysteine and methionine foods is quite similar/tightly related, but I did not know this before going on the low sulphur diet 10 days ago. As usual, if you overlap all diets, there is nothing left to eat anyway! I hope this could be an answer for someone:)

I have attached the most digestible research on this topic. Other sources I found on sulfoxidation/sulfation were related to bacterial overgrowth of Desulfovibrio species, autism, heavy metal toxicity, ammonia toxicity, etc. but the attached report put it all together in a neat package. I used the low/high sulfur/thiol food lists from Andrew Hall Cutler.

 

[lollipop]

Hello Everyone. I am new to the forum and this is my first post. I have been following for almost a year (sometimes many hours per day). I will share my journey soon but in short, I agree with Ray Peat, but when one's body stops eliminating entirely (no BM), without any support from many MDs, several NDs and an OD, you have to be really open minded to find a solution. This post is for those who are in absolute misery hoping for a solution to constipation TODAY. Please believe me when I say I had tried almost every suggestion any member has posted about constipation solutions. Nothing worked. I was practically crying with "Charlie" ? when he went on one of his long experimental-constipation-relief binges along while ago:)

There are many possible solutions you can research around the topic of sulfoxidation and sulfation, but if one stops high sulphur and thiol foods and supplements for about 4-7 days, after a period/week of possible very loose stools, normal BMs should result. (I admit that I still have a half cup coffee to remind my body what to do.) The complex reason could be a DNA mutation, or it could be something simple like low molybdenum or elevated Boron hence low B2 . If you are low in moly before you start "Peating", it doesn't help to consume more of the lowest moly sources from meat, milk and eggs while avoiding the higher sources of legumes, grains, nuts and dark leafy greens. Foods high in purines, caffeine and alcohol will deplete moly also.

Whatever the cause of the poor sulfoxidation, you can research and experiment with supplements slowly or you can research while your body is flushing excess sulfur/thiols by avoiding them for a week. I am not saying eat lots of nuts, but at least eat the most low sulfur peaty veggies that you tolerate with butter? Only pineapple and papaya have a little thiol, but all other fruits are very low (according to one source below). Some sources say potatoes are low sulfur. As you all know, follow your cravings with this information in mind.

I have also been following a much lower protein diet for 10 days along with low sulfur (that is what I knew I had to do). Regardless of the cause of the poor sulfoxidation/sulfation, most likely lowering excess toxic sulfites and ammonia in your body will help more than just the constipation. Then when you feel regular again (could be day 7, 10, 14?), start adding back in moderate amounts of a few sulfur foods but perhaps avoid the worst ones (eggs). Go slowly so you don't go backwards. Avoiding high cysteine and methionine foods is quite similar/tightly related, but I did not know this before going on the low sulphur diet 10 days ago. As usual, if you overlap all diets, there is nothing left to eat anyway! I hope this could be an answer for someone:)

I have attached the most digestible research on this topic. Other sources I found on sulfoxidation/sulfation were related to bacterial overgrowth of Desulfovibrio species, autism, heavy metal toxicity, ammonia toxicity, etc. but the attached report put it all together in a neat package. I used the low/high sulfur/thiol food lists from Andrew Hall Cutler.

Great and helpful post @ellebarrasi and btw

 

[ElenaB]

Yeah, coffee doesn't seem to help me with regularity, but I do drink it for other reasons and like it. Funny though, nicotine does have a significant effect. It makes me go like within 30min after using. I'm not a heavy user or anything, so I don't rely on this effect to keep regular.

I'm not sure I understand what @What-a-Riot is saying exactly. Thanks for the replies though.

Similar experience. Coffee is not helping my bowels either. just started "peating" about 2 weeks ago and just started taking ONLY 1/2 a 325mg aspirin (so, 112.5 mg!) 3 days ago...and I now haven't pooped in 3 days. I was ok before that but I'm not sure. It could be that its too much change too fast for my gut, or it could be just the aspirin, or just the progesterone, or too much raw carrot...or it could be combination of many things. Personally I'm going to stop all my supplements (progest-E, Vitamins D, K, Magnesium, aspirin, raw carrots) until I have a good poop and start over. Bowel movements are too important a piece of this process to just continue on the same path without being sure about exactly what is causing it. In my case it could also be die off. I've also heard that the progesterone can cause constipation at first. Seems like doing a mini elimination diet (like just of back to eating a normal healthy diet for a week) to figure out what is causing the stopped bowels is necessary before proceeding. In my opinion.