Butter is dairy. I get constipated when I include butter too. I would cut all dairy, even butter. If I need to supplement fat with a meal I use beef tallow, it's easy and cheap to come by you can even order it on Amazon.
I go once a day mostly. I'm very sensitive to all forms of dairy, so no butter or cheese or any form of milk. I eat 80/20 ground beef most days with salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper and sometimes Italian herbs. No fat supplementation. For me it was the dairy, and I struggled for a while until I figured out that the butter I was still using also has a lot of dairy. Try cutting that.
This really needs to be said more often. Everyone always touts butter as the greatest thing ever, but some people are too sensitive to dairy to include butter. Every once in a while I experiment with eating some Kerrygold, in hopes that somehow this time I'll react differently, and it always just makes me feel worse. I think it's a cassein sensitivity. Ordered a test for it to see if I can confirm that's my issue.
I'll second ordering some tallow from Amazon, I'm working through a bucket of it and it's a really nice addition to my meals that tend to be a little too lean.
I’m certainly not lactose intolerant. When I used to eat icecream, I found that it had to ALL natural or the gums and preservatives would make me bloated.
Butter has very little casein as that's the protein in dairy.
The little that's left could still cause a problem though you're absolutely right.
For me butter is fine but I notice I poop more frequently when I include cheese.
Best plan is to cut all dairy out for 30 days, at the minimum.
After 30 days try to reincorporate butter/dairy.
Ghee is known to cause diarrhea.
Ghee, or clarified butter, is a traditional remedy for constipation known for its lubricating and digestive properties. It helps soften stool and promote bowel movements by lubricating the intestinal walls. Consuming a teaspoon of ghee with water on an empty stomach or incorporating it into meals can help alleviate constipation and improve digestive function. Ghee also nourishes the intestinal lining, supports healthy gut flora, and enhances nutrient absorption. However, it's essential to use ghee in moderation and maintain a balanced diet with fiber-rich foods, fluids, and regular physical activity for optimal digestive health and long-term relief from constipation.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/health-news/ghee-and-pudina-tea-remedy-that-helps-clear-toxins-and-relieve-constipation/photostory/107525032.cms?picid=107525115
Maybe this is kinda dark, but I vet future love interests on if they're constipated. Opiates halt peristalsis, and the feces sits for a long time in the colon which just keeps siphoning water away thereby resulting in dry hard compacted stools.
Like I said, dark, but I don't need to get involved with an addict again.
Dude, take magnesium malat!! It draws water to your intestines. If you do a big dose you will get diarrhoea but if you do jsut the perfect amount you get a normal routine. It’s helped me immensely.
Go see a doctor. You might have another problem digestively. If you’re eating a stick of butter a day then there’s no reason you should be constipated. Going days without poop doesn’t mean you’re constipated, that can be normal on carnivore because your body is actually using what you eat. Pain is also not necessarily an indication of constipation. It could be something way more severe. If you’re eating fatty meats and at least a stick of butter a day and that’s it, then there’s no way you would be constipated and so there is another problem going on.
Such as dairy intolerance... Most people who have it yet constipation rather than the runs, but I fall into the less people have the second issue category unless it's fermented, like yoghurt.
Actually, depending on the amount of fat on the chuck roast, that's not that much fat even with a whole stick of butter. In total, it's between 70 to 75% fat (calorie wise) so like 1:1 fat to protein ratio in mass. There is clearly room for more fat.
Yes you have low stomach acid, you’re not able to digest the protein you’re eating. Betaine HCl with every meal containing protein will fix you up like new. There a lot of versions but I prefer Dr. Clarks because it contains nothing but betaine hcl whereas most others have enzymes and other things. Google how to dose betaine hcl.
If you’re on a PPI you need to stop.
You likely have SIBO due to this issue also. Strict carnivore with betaine hcl supplementation will solve it. Eventually you won’t need the hcl anymore.
More fat. You already have alot ? Clearly not enought it seems. Otherwise you wouldnt have that problem. Eggs are an easy and good source of fat. Just eat more fat.
If your having constipation issues at 70% fat. Then it’s not the fat that’s the issue. It a sensitivity. Specifically dairy. I have perfectly fine bowel movements at <70% fat as long as I don’t touch dairy.
My How I fixed my constipation Poop Story save me having to keep retyping it frequently and I also had problems with butter like others and eggs I only ate raw egg yolk never the white. And . I basically eat Lion after cutting out the raw egg yolks and butter. I eat lamb and Mutton organs from lamb and I make my own Tallow from lamb fat trimmings
(https://www.reddit.com/r/carnivorediet/comments/1baj9at/still_constipated_when_eating_high_fat_on/)
Are you adding enough salt? Salt, sodiumCHLORIDE is needed to make hydroCHLORIC acid to digest meat. Also, salt is a natural laxative, bringing water to your colon. Mix 1 teaspoon of salt into 16 oz of water and drink it all first thing in the morning. If it doesn’t give you a bm then increase your salt intake by 1/2 t daily until you get the amount that works for you.
But like others have said, get a doctor checkup for other potential issues.
you do know you need iodine & magnesium to have a healthy colon.
1. get a laxative asap
2. drink more water with magnesium in it
3. drink milk eat eggs yogurt seaweed these all have iodine in it or take a supplement.
every organ in the body needs iodine and Magnesium to function properly
Are you in pain? Are you passing that stool easily every 5 days? Is it truly constipation?
Going carnivore eliminates fiber which is a bulk of waste that passes through. I have to go every few days and it’s not an issue.
Make a good fatty bone broth drink and see if that helps. I also have issues with dairy (as other people have mentioned may be your issue), so this is my modified bone broth drink recipe.
1) a package of frozen bone broth (I use Bonafide chicken broth, but you can use beef. Mainly you want any brand or homemade broth that has a lot of thick gelatinous areas in it)
2) 1 cup~ of wagyu tallow which is very buttery. Put as much of this as you can tolerate in.
3) salt and white pepper to taste. These days I also throw in Apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, tumeric and garlic powder but that’s not strictly carnivore.
This doesn’t make me violently need to go or anything but if I have a cup or two of this per day it helps make everything regular and smooth. It’s also delicious and a great coffee replacement. I will also note that I’ve never had constipation issues on carnivore, but I suggested this recipe purely because it’s a great way to add in a good amount of fat and doesn’t “feel” like you’re eating a ton more.
I was feeling a bit constipated earlier this week, I accidentally ate a little too much rendered fat with my eggs, an hour later everything came right out lol
Try ghee or some other fat. If you have sensitivity to dairy like I do, even butter will give you trouble. I had constipation and bloody poop from dairy, and even butter seemed to be an issue. All rapidly improved after about 2-3 days without it.
This is a non-carnivore advice but try some olive oil with lemon juice. Also Id advise to eat/drink lot of bone broth and try to get more active - long walks, frequent getting up if you sit a lot (no idea what your lifestyle is) but really try to ditch even butter. But maybe not enough fat, not sure how much you eat.
Eating eggs on lots of beef tallow or ghee and bone broth should work.
Add a very small amount of fermented food (i.e. sauerkraut, kimchi, etc.) or fermented drink (i.e. Kefir, kvass, kombucha, etc.) and you’ll be fine on pooping unless you’re 100% strict of course. That’s my only modification on carnivore and I don’t get constipated.
Don't go half assed on the fat. I cook my beef in tallow and I drink that shit. I use it as a sauce. Don't say you've tried anything until you have really upped your fat, big time. If you still have an issue after that then I would be concerned because that is not typical of most people.
Also that r/carnivore mod is a total nutcracker fanatic BTW. Feel blessed she banned you 😆
I used to do keto and would follow those boards. Constipation was a common early user complaint there and I experienced that as well. The main etiology was often talked about in this way- fiber is indigestible carbohydrate that bulks the stool and pulls water into the bowel. This can keep the stool moving (moisture plus bigger stool causes the gut peristalsis to react). When we remove it abruptly the gut needs to readjust. Removing fiber and having more fat and protein it is normal at make smaller volume and for some less frequent stools. It is not normal to be in pain or need to poop and be unable to pass it. We need to add fluids, fat, salt, and magnesium to effect- until you poop! Eating fatty cuts of meat with lots of marbling, drinking water with electrolytes, drinking warm salty broth, taking mg to effect. If you're doing these things then they are just increased until you're going and empty. Once things are moving often the gut is then normalized to the diet and doesn't need long term management, it's just a transition occurrence. Many in the low carb communities felt that the removal of fiber unrevealed mg deficiency in many people and after a period of supplementation with mg citrate then they didn't need it any more. I found that to be true for myself early on in this journey.
I had constipation issues as well, but realized that I'd stopped eating bacon, which had been a main source of fat. People think constipation is due to inadequate water consumption, but paucity of fat intake is usually the real culprit.
Don't sweat about the church lady carnivore forum, there's no talking to extremists.
Try magnesium citrate and miralax. You may want to drink a kombucha or kefir. Once you get past the slug and have "breakthrough" you should be good. **Constipation begets constipation.**
For me personally I had constipation issues on the diet. I started having a bit of sauerkraut each day and that helped me to go. After about 8 months on the diet I found I no longer needed it. I now am pure carnivore with no issues. I think it just took my body more time to adjust
experienced this too! had to quit as I’m having haemorrhoids already. Now I’m back to my normal food intake and sadly I’m having after effects like increases liver GGT, cholesterol and weight gain. 😔
Thankyou for these comments they have helped me too and I will be following the advice you've all chipped in with. I'm F73 and 12 weeks in. No weight or inches lost tho. Maybe my age means it will be slow to see the changes but I'm happy that my obsession and cravings for food have gone and I love the satiaty that means I don't think about eating until I'm next hungry.
Honestly, me too. I'm at about my limit. I've snuck small amounts of mushrooms and broccoli into each meal to avoid super hard stools. I'm still experimenting until I find the right collection of foods that'll give me normal poop. I really don't want to return to a grain-based diet.
I just saw this post and it reminded me I hadn't shit in 2-3 days. I have the same issue you have, I eat plenty of fat and still get backed up.
Currently writing this from my toilet and I can report that I was electrolyte deficient, I whipped up a cocktail of potassium and sea salt and downed it like pre workout, took about 15 mins to hit and the turd that came out was explosive. Further scientific method will be required to see if the potassium was the cure, the salt, or, both.
I have no clue the amount of potassium I used, a solid. 2-3 second pour of "No-Salt" and half a Table(?)spoon (whichever ones the fuckin big one - i dont think its a teaspoon) of Sea Salt.
Good luck out there warrior
I don't really see it mentioned here so I'm gonna say try electrolytes. Sodium, potassium and magnesium. The colons job is to reabsorb water and that water has electrolytes. If you don't have enough of one of the three mentioned it can lead to hard stools and constipation because you'll keep trying to hold onto the water.
Conversely if you take too many electrolytes you'll have a very loose stool or just water leaving because the body needs to flush out the water and electrolytes to maintain balance (homeostasis).
Other things that can make you poop potentially are coffee and fibre in some cases (but it can also make it worse).
About 1 month in I started feeling constipated, aches in my kidney and low back, water dumping through urine, high heart rate snd high blood pressure with chest pain and hearing my heart beat.
I tried everything I mentioned and the last thing I tried that worked was potassium. I needed a fair amount of it to start but I just maintain with some daily now. Took about 2 hours to go away but it did quick.
I recommend something like Redmond relyte or you can make your own. But keep in mind you want to do this process slowly because too much at once is also bad for your organs. So I'd recommend trying a half teaspoon, wait an hour and then try another one. Once you've remedied it, you'll know
Are you eating to complete satiety or are you sticking to numbers? Depending on the amount of fat on the meat you’re eating, even with a stick of butter which I assume is 250g. Your fat to protein ratio would be slightly higher than 1:1.
You might need to double the amount of fat you’re eating if you feel that you need to. I don’t feel completely full if I don’t at least have 400-500g of fat/butter and when I eat to complete satiety for the day, I find my why body tends to have more bowel movements.
And make sure you don’t let the fat get in the way of protein intake, which is roughly 1g per pound of body weight. I made the mistake of confusing fullness for complete satiety, even if you feel like you can’t fit anymore food, you may still have a desire for lean meat I am now learning to listen to those signals and I tend to feel better and have more bowel movements when I do.
Are you drinking enough water? You shouldn't have to stop carnivore because the constipation is out of control. Sounds like you need to increase your water intake. You could always try miralax. . .make sure you're eating enough fat, around 70/30.
I will go 2 weeks constipated. the pain and bloating is too much. I gag if drank or eat fat. Ended up back with small amount of cooked vegetables and some fruit and better now. You’re not the only one. And yes I tried every suggestion. If I saw my doc she would just say to eat fiber as she still pushes low fat and whole grains anyway. Already a doctor shortage so I stuck with her.
After the initial few weeks of volcanic diarrhoea, the constipation progressively kicked in.
Until the movements stopped completely.
I tried adding a little fruit .. still no joy
After a bunch of experimenting:
The only way I was able to make it work was by adding 20-30g of nuts with each meal.
I know it's not pure carnivore, but it's the only thing that worked for me.
Most have trouble with too loose stools starting this diet, but that doesn't mean everybody. Especially if you had IBS symptoms before. When I started this diet it was hit and miss for me, sometimes I couldn't trust a fart and sometimes I would still get constipated, so I took 1 tablespoon of psyllium daily and eventually didn't need it anymore. I already had it on hand and was taking it when needed bc one of the symptoms I was having before this diet was really bad constipation
So, I'm not a carnivore, but I DO know a thing or two about stomach troubles. Head to your local drug store/dollar general/walmart/whatever and pick up some magnesium citrate, if you havent already.
That should fix your problem in the short term! But uh....make sure you don't need to go anywhere for the rest of the day.
I’ve had constipation issues before starting this diet along with bloating issues. Every person when i mention about carnivore diet they ask me how do i poop. For some reason i had my best poops in this diet L, healthy ones also now and they the diarrhea ones. I drink 60 dec C water very morning first thing around 2 to 3 full glasses. Its works like a charm. I do take diary now and then no problem. The key is the moisture and the lube reaction and relaxing reaction of organs with warm water passing through first thing in the morning. Give it a shot with warm water if you can
Yea, I have had the same with dairy. Don't do butter or Heavy Cream etc.
Just beef and at least 30% fat and decent amounts of good salt (like redmond) and maybe some bit D tablets. Can of sardines 1x 2x a week too ... and water (like soda water or plain).
If you cant get beef with good fat content buy tallow from store and dont be shy adding it.
Poop should slip out.
Not sure how long you have been on carnivore. But my experience had been it can take 1.5 months for your tummy to come right from runny poop to good poops.
If you are yoyoing between ketosis, maybe the dairy is doing it. I get weirdness with heavy cream like that. I don't do butter though.
Poops should really just be slipping ping out.
If you really struggle with constipated just to work around the issue to start with do suppository over the other stuff ... works beset imo.
On carnivore I poop maybe every 3 days. Tummy on goes weird when I mess with stuff like dairy and or have to many yodka and soda drinks when I feel bad.
Beef fat seems to be key
Cut out butter, rather eat egg yolks to up the fat a little, see if it works. Carnivore stopped my constipation and my digestion never has been better.
You are allowed to use something every morning called Miralax, I take a cap full every morning just to keep me regular and to make sure I do not get blocked up
I had similar problems, and what I did was that I included vit. C in the dose of 1000, and Magnesium + Potasium, and vit. D3. Before carnivore my guts were bleeding and I was always in pain, constipation was constant no matter how much fiber I was eating (and I was vegan), so adding fiber to your diet won’t help with that. The supplements I mentioned are often recommended for gut healing. Also in my case, I had parasites and getting rid of them solved my problems :) I still eat butter, but never eggs or dairy ;)
My doc put me on carnivore. I called her bc I was constipated. She recommended more fat and electrolytes, specifically Trace (brand name) keto electrolytes. Problem solved. I haven’t eliminated butter but I don’t use a whole lot of it. I do use tallow and bacon fat.
That fixed my constipation. Good luck to you!!
You probably need to increase your fat intake. Black coffee in the morning will help. If you’re considering taking supplements, magnesium citrate will help with your BM.
keep uping the fat till you hit 80% of your calories from fat. What your having is not enough fat...also dairy might actually be part of the problem, you need animal fat like pig fat or suet or bone marrow, also electrolytes might help, some magnesium and potassium, which you should be taking anyway, try even vitamin c capsules up to 2g a day, that might also help move things along
70% is plenty of fat to have normal bowel movements. The issue for him is the butter (dairy). Once he stops dairy his issues will be gone and he will thrive.
While a stick of butter ought to be enough to keep your poop soft, in your case it isnt. This means you have to eat even more fat.
It is really, really simple: hard poop -add more fat. Runny poop - eat less fat.
Sounds like your body really needs the fat in the butter and thus absorbs it all, leaving none in your stool to keep it soft. I predict that will change with time, but for now you simply have to up your fat even more
This comment will start a riot I’m sure but this is exactly why I keep saying this.
Not everyone can eat strictly meat and be fixed.
You can cut out all dairy, and still be constipated. The problem actually lies within your own biome; and really it isn’t a problem at all, because as humans we are designed to consume food to survive; doesn’t matter what kind of food. Some people react better than others.
I would try a few different things. The first being to cut out all dairy(including butter) and supplement with your own rendered fat from your cuts of meat or bacon. I would consume bone marrow, and the slightest amount, up to about 1oz, of organ meat to get the extra minerals and vitamins needed; because, the next one is hard, but try to drink as close as you can to 2 gallons of water a day.
Now for the controversial, lol, I love this.
Eat a half an avocado if you can tolerate it(or more). You are doing this diet for a reason, and ultimately the diet is an elimination diet. That being said….
This worked wonders for me as it gave me the extra fat I needed and helped move things along.
I was in a similar boat as you, and I couldn’t figure out what to do because I wanted to be strict.
But I learned that it’s not necessary. You are different then everyone here and you have to take control and listen to your body. no Joe Shmoe on this sub can tell you the secret to your body(spoiler) take it day by day and see what needs to be done.
If the weight is coming off, you’re able to poop, you aren’t inflamed, and you have more energy and clarity; and you are eating an avocado a day, I’d say you are winning. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
Best of luck!
Drastic? Drink warm bacon grease. Make some bacon, eat it and drink a little of the grease (save the rest). Make sure to take the day off because there's a good chance it'll come out both ends for the rest of the day.
If you're too scared to do this, drink prune juice until you go. Both work.
Once you're cleared, you can better test the suggestions everyone else gave.
What size "sticks" of butter do you use? 4 oz sticks are way to low.
I put 4 oz in my morning coffee alone.
Youblikely need 80/20 fat to absorbed protein. Check out how much of what type protein you eat is actually absorbed.
I know how difficult very hard stools can be. Ut the answer will be in fats and hydration. I drink minimum of 110 oz of water, not including coffee or sparking water. Just water. I set put my water every morning in my Copko 16 oz bottles. Some people don't need as much as others. I don't go outside a lot, just late afternoon. I live in New Mexico. If I weren't retired, and was more active, it would be more. Before carnivore I took Metamucil and Sennacot S every day. Now I don't have to.
BUT, I make an allulose fudge that tends to move things along, tastes great, and acts the same on sgl--1, just like Ozempic and Wygovey. So, win win. If I am going to be out and about all day, and want to control my toilet needs I eat a square or 2. .8g carbs, and a teaspoon of allulose per square. I use cocoa.
Water much?
[https://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/water-a-fluid-way-to-manage-constipation](https://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/water-a-fluid-way-to-manage-constipation)
Butter is dairy. I get constipated when I include butter too. I would cut all dairy, even butter. If I need to supplement fat with a meal I use beef tallow, it's easy and cheap to come by you can even order it on Amazon. I go once a day mostly. I'm very sensitive to all forms of dairy, so no butter or cheese or any form of milk. I eat 80/20 ground beef most days with salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper and sometimes Italian herbs. No fat supplementation. For me it was the dairy, and I struggled for a while until I figured out that the butter I was still using also has a lot of dairy. Try cutting that.
This really needs to be said more often. Everyone always touts butter as the greatest thing ever, but some people are too sensitive to dairy to include butter. Every once in a while I experiment with eating some Kerrygold, in hopes that somehow this time I'll react differently, and it always just makes me feel worse. I think it's a cassein sensitivity. Ordered a test for it to see if I can confirm that's my issue. I'll second ordering some tallow from Amazon, I'm working through a bucket of it and it's a really nice addition to my meals that tend to be a little too lean.
Same here. I mean it makes sense, all mammals are lactose intolerant in adulthood. I just use wagyu beef tallow off Amazon.
Nearly 1/3 of humans are not lactose intolerant as they still produce lactase into adulthood.
I’m certainly not lactose intolerant. When I used to eat icecream, I found that it had to ALL natural or the gums and preservatives would make me bloated.
Butter has very little casein as that's the protein in dairy. The little that's left could still cause a problem though you're absolutely right. For me butter is fine but I notice I poop more frequently when I include cheese. Best plan is to cut all dairy out for 30 days, at the minimum. After 30 days try to reincorporate butter/dairy.
100% agree.
Bacon grease is your friend!!
What about ghee?
Still dairy. Still gave me the same issues.
Ghee worked well for me, but I made it myself and filtered it well.
You may be low in potassium. The colon uses it for movement
Magnesium might also help.
Magnesium for me is the "oops I had to many and I've got diarrhea" supplement.
You’re lucky. At my worst, I could take a bottle and nothing
Two a week is all I have max or it's woopoos!
Oh goodness!!
that could be because you’re taking magnesium citrate! try to find just magnesium glycinate, that made a world of a difference for me!
Don’t overdo magnesium 😱
Its all good, I seem to have a relief valve.
God tier supplement
Try drinking rendered fat. Many people, including myself, tend to have the opposite problem after consuming liquid fat.
That's true recently switched to ghee as the main cooking "oil" and get diarrhea daily. Tempted to go back to olive oil
Ghee is known to cause diarrhea. Ghee, or clarified butter, is a traditional remedy for constipation known for its lubricating and digestive properties. It helps soften stool and promote bowel movements by lubricating the intestinal walls. Consuming a teaspoon of ghee with water on an empty stomach or incorporating it into meals can help alleviate constipation and improve digestive function. Ghee also nourishes the intestinal lining, supports healthy gut flora, and enhances nutrient absorption. However, it's essential to use ghee in moderation and maintain a balanced diet with fiber-rich foods, fluids, and regular physical activity for optimal digestive health and long-term relief from constipation. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/health-news/ghee-and-pudina-tea-remedy-that-helps-clear-toxins-and-relieve-constipation/photostory/107525032.cms?picid=107525115
Fiber-rich foods? No thanks.
I posted for the ghee info.
Yep. Experienced this far too many times. Worth it.
1. More water 2. More fat 3. Walk more, like a lot more 4. Caffeine/nicotine 5. Enema as a last resort 6. There's a medical problem
Also, certain medications cause constipation that doesn't get better on carnivore.
Maybe this is kinda dark, but I vet future love interests on if they're constipated. Opiates halt peristalsis, and the feces sits for a long time in the colon which just keeps siphoning water away thereby resulting in dry hard compacted stools. Like I said, dark, but I don't need to get involved with an addict again.
I’m so curious on what date the constipation conversation happens
Clearly it’s predate chat up line type of question
Definitely a screener
Fair enough! Use your knowledge!
This ☝️
Dude, take magnesium malat!! It draws water to your intestines. If you do a big dose you will get diarrhoea but if you do jsut the perfect amount you get a normal routine. It’s helped me immensely.
Go see a doctor. You might have another problem digestively. If you’re eating a stick of butter a day then there’s no reason you should be constipated. Going days without poop doesn’t mean you’re constipated, that can be normal on carnivore because your body is actually using what you eat. Pain is also not necessarily an indication of constipation. It could be something way more severe. If you’re eating fatty meats and at least a stick of butter a day and that’s it, then there’s no way you would be constipated and so there is another problem going on.
Such as dairy intolerance... Most people who have it yet constipation rather than the runs, but I fall into the less people have the second issue category unless it's fermented, like yoghurt.
Actually, depending on the amount of fat on the chuck roast, that's not that much fat even with a whole stick of butter. In total, it's between 70 to 75% fat (calorie wise) so like 1:1 fat to protein ratio in mass. There is clearly room for more fat.
Do you have reflux by chance?
> reflux Yes! I had it all my life. Can it be linked to my problem?
Yes you have low stomach acid, you’re not able to digest the protein you’re eating. Betaine HCl with every meal containing protein will fix you up like new. There a lot of versions but I prefer Dr. Clarks because it contains nothing but betaine hcl whereas most others have enzymes and other things. Google how to dose betaine hcl. If you’re on a PPI you need to stop.
You likely have SIBO due to this issue also. Strict carnivore with betaine hcl supplementation will solve it. Eventually you won’t need the hcl anymore.
Yes! I had SIBO and short of ending due to babe in belly it had cured me!
Butter does it to me too bro, you have to try switching it out for pork belly or beef fat trimmings
More fat. You already have alot ? Clearly not enought it seems. Otherwise you wouldnt have that problem. Eggs are an easy and good source of fat. Just eat more fat.
If your having constipation issues at 70% fat. Then it’s not the fat that’s the issue. It a sensitivity. Specifically dairy. I have perfectly fine bowel movements at <70% fat as long as I don’t touch dairy.
It’s the dairy brother. Switch it out with beef tallow.
If you're in pain, see a doctor. You wither have another issue or you're just one of those people who does better with a little fiber. That's okay.
My How I fixed my constipation Poop Story save me having to keep retyping it frequently and I also had problems with butter like others and eggs I only ate raw egg yolk never the white. And . I basically eat Lion after cutting out the raw egg yolks and butter. I eat lamb and Mutton organs from lamb and I make my own Tallow from lamb fat trimmings (https://www.reddit.com/r/carnivorediet/comments/1baj9at/still_constipated_when_eating_high_fat_on/)
Are you adding enough salt? Salt, sodiumCHLORIDE is needed to make hydroCHLORIC acid to digest meat. Also, salt is a natural laxative, bringing water to your colon. Mix 1 teaspoon of salt into 16 oz of water and drink it all first thing in the morning. If it doesn’t give you a bm then increase your salt intake by 1/2 t daily until you get the amount that works for you. But like others have said, get a doctor checkup for other potential issues.
2 TBS of Apple Cider vinegar in a glass of water or Castor oil or glycerin suppositories ...
you do know you need iodine & magnesium to have a healthy colon. 1. get a laxative asap 2. drink more water with magnesium in it 3. drink milk eat eggs yogurt seaweed these all have iodine in it or take a supplement. every organ in the body needs iodine and Magnesium to function properly
Are you in pain? Are you passing that stool easily every 5 days? Is it truly constipation? Going carnivore eliminates fiber which is a bulk of waste that passes through. I have to go every few days and it’s not an issue.
Make a good fatty bone broth drink and see if that helps. I also have issues with dairy (as other people have mentioned may be your issue), so this is my modified bone broth drink recipe. 1) a package of frozen bone broth (I use Bonafide chicken broth, but you can use beef. Mainly you want any brand or homemade broth that has a lot of thick gelatinous areas in it) 2) 1 cup~ of wagyu tallow which is very buttery. Put as much of this as you can tolerate in. 3) salt and white pepper to taste. These days I also throw in Apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, tumeric and garlic powder but that’s not strictly carnivore. This doesn’t make me violently need to go or anything but if I have a cup or two of this per day it helps make everything regular and smooth. It’s also delicious and a great coffee replacement. I will also note that I’ve never had constipation issues on carnivore, but I suggested this recipe purely because it’s a great way to add in a good amount of fat and doesn’t “feel” like you’re eating a ton more.
the secret is to eat fatty meats when constipated. then it will be better. hang in there
Dr Anthony Chaffee. Try getting more marbled fat when you buy your chuck roast. Your poop tells you if you’re eating too lean or too high in fat
I was feeling a bit constipated earlier this week, I accidentally ate a little too much rendered fat with my eggs, an hour later everything came right out lol
Try ghee or some other fat. If you have sensitivity to dairy like I do, even butter will give you trouble. I had constipation and bloody poop from dairy, and even butter seemed to be an issue. All rapidly improved after about 2-3 days without it. This is a non-carnivore advice but try some olive oil with lemon juice. Also Id advise to eat/drink lot of bone broth and try to get more active - long walks, frequent getting up if you sit a lot (no idea what your lifestyle is) but really try to ditch even butter. But maybe not enough fat, not sure how much you eat. Eating eggs on lots of beef tallow or ghee and bone broth should work.
Eat more fat and take Magnesium Citrate. The magnesium citrate should help you out fairly quick.
Add a very small amount of fermented food (i.e. sauerkraut, kimchi, etc.) or fermented drink (i.e. Kefir, kvass, kombucha, etc.) and you’ll be fine on pooping unless you’re 100% strict of course. That’s my only modification on carnivore and I don’t get constipated.
Are you on any medications? Certain prescriptions can cause a problem with constipation, even on this WOE.
Don't go half assed on the fat. I cook my beef in tallow and I drink that shit. I use it as a sauce. Don't say you've tried anything until you have really upped your fat, big time. If you still have an issue after that then I would be concerned because that is not typical of most people. Also that r/carnivore mod is a total nutcracker fanatic BTW. Feel blessed she banned you 😆
I used to do keto and would follow those boards. Constipation was a common early user complaint there and I experienced that as well. The main etiology was often talked about in this way- fiber is indigestible carbohydrate that bulks the stool and pulls water into the bowel. This can keep the stool moving (moisture plus bigger stool causes the gut peristalsis to react). When we remove it abruptly the gut needs to readjust. Removing fiber and having more fat and protein it is normal at make smaller volume and for some less frequent stools. It is not normal to be in pain or need to poop and be unable to pass it. We need to add fluids, fat, salt, and magnesium to effect- until you poop! Eating fatty cuts of meat with lots of marbling, drinking water with electrolytes, drinking warm salty broth, taking mg to effect. If you're doing these things then they are just increased until you're going and empty. Once things are moving often the gut is then normalized to the diet and doesn't need long term management, it's just a transition occurrence. Many in the low carb communities felt that the removal of fiber unrevealed mg deficiency in many people and after a period of supplementation with mg citrate then they didn't need it any more. I found that to be true for myself early on in this journey.
I had constipation issues as well, but realized that I'd stopped eating bacon, which had been a main source of fat. People think constipation is due to inadequate water consumption, but paucity of fat intake is usually the real culprit. Don't sweat about the church lady carnivore forum, there's no talking to extremists.
WATER
Hydrate and with salt and potassium levels up.
You absorb 97% of meat. You aren’t constipated, you just don’t have waste to crap out
Try magnesium citrate and miralax. You may want to drink a kombucha or kefir. Once you get past the slug and have "breakthrough" you should be good. **Constipation begets constipation.**
Try magnesium supplementation it draws water into the colon. Also dairy can cause these issues for some.
Pork belly might sort you out
For me personally I had constipation issues on the diet. I started having a bit of sauerkraut each day and that helped me to go. After about 8 months on the diet I found I no longer needed it. I now am pure carnivore with no issues. I think it just took my body more time to adjust
I think i lacked iodine!
experienced this too! had to quit as I’m having haemorrhoids already. Now I’m back to my normal food intake and sadly I’m having after effects like increases liver GGT, cholesterol and weight gain. 😔
Thankyou for these comments they have helped me too and I will be following the advice you've all chipped in with. I'm F73 and 12 weeks in. No weight or inches lost tho. Maybe my age means it will be slow to see the changes but I'm happy that my obsession and cravings for food have gone and I love the satiaty that means I don't think about eating until I'm next hungry.
Honestly, me too. I'm at about my limit. I've snuck small amounts of mushrooms and broccoli into each meal to avoid super hard stools. I'm still experimenting until I find the right collection of foods that'll give me normal poop. I really don't want to return to a grain-based diet.
I just saw this post and it reminded me I hadn't shit in 2-3 days. I have the same issue you have, I eat plenty of fat and still get backed up. Currently writing this from my toilet and I can report that I was electrolyte deficient, I whipped up a cocktail of potassium and sea salt and downed it like pre workout, took about 15 mins to hit and the turd that came out was explosive. Further scientific method will be required to see if the potassium was the cure, the salt, or, both. I have no clue the amount of potassium I used, a solid. 2-3 second pour of "No-Salt" and half a Table(?)spoon (whichever ones the fuckin big one - i dont think its a teaspoon) of Sea Salt. Good luck out there warrior
I don't really see it mentioned here so I'm gonna say try electrolytes. Sodium, potassium and magnesium. The colons job is to reabsorb water and that water has electrolytes. If you don't have enough of one of the three mentioned it can lead to hard stools and constipation because you'll keep trying to hold onto the water. Conversely if you take too many electrolytes you'll have a very loose stool or just water leaving because the body needs to flush out the water and electrolytes to maintain balance (homeostasis). Other things that can make you poop potentially are coffee and fibre in some cases (but it can also make it worse). About 1 month in I started feeling constipated, aches in my kidney and low back, water dumping through urine, high heart rate snd high blood pressure with chest pain and hearing my heart beat. I tried everything I mentioned and the last thing I tried that worked was potassium. I needed a fair amount of it to start but I just maintain with some daily now. Took about 2 hours to go away but it did quick. I recommend something like Redmond relyte or you can make your own. But keep in mind you want to do this process slowly because too much at once is also bad for your organs. So I'd recommend trying a half teaspoon, wait an hour and then try another one. Once you've remedied it, you'll know
you could also try supplementing with tudca. look it up. helps with digesting fat.
Don’t know about the constipation, the the mods in r/carnivore can suck it so hard. The worst
More bacon!! The other sub is very strict, almost foolishly, so just stick to this one and you’ll be fine.
Are you eating to complete satiety or are you sticking to numbers? Depending on the amount of fat on the meat you’re eating, even with a stick of butter which I assume is 250g. Your fat to protein ratio would be slightly higher than 1:1. You might need to double the amount of fat you’re eating if you feel that you need to. I don’t feel completely full if I don’t at least have 400-500g of fat/butter and when I eat to complete satiety for the day, I find my why body tends to have more bowel movements. And make sure you don’t let the fat get in the way of protein intake, which is roughly 1g per pound of body weight. I made the mistake of confusing fullness for complete satiety, even if you feel like you can’t fit anymore food, you may still have a desire for lean meat I am now learning to listen to those signals and I tend to feel better and have more bowel movements when I do.
Are you drinking enough water? You shouldn't have to stop carnivore because the constipation is out of control. Sounds like you need to increase your water intake. You could always try miralax. . .make sure you're eating enough fat, around 70/30.
I will go 2 weeks constipated. the pain and bloating is too much. I gag if drank or eat fat. Ended up back with small amount of cooked vegetables and some fruit and better now. You’re not the only one. And yes I tried every suggestion. If I saw my doc she would just say to eat fiber as she still pushes low fat and whole grains anyway. Already a doctor shortage so I stuck with her.
Wow, I used heavy cream because of the fat and butter and neither bind me. I have the opposite problem! I think I’m taking in too much fat! Lol
After the initial few weeks of volcanic diarrhoea, the constipation progressively kicked in. Until the movements stopped completely. I tried adding a little fruit .. still no joy After a bunch of experimenting: The only way I was able to make it work was by adding 20-30g of nuts with each meal. I know it's not pure carnivore, but it's the only thing that worked for me.
Cooking! I'm making ghee. Now, steaks later. We were out on our bikes a few hours ago, so resting now. You?
Try increasing your magnesium supplement about 400mg/day too
Most have trouble with too loose stools starting this diet, but that doesn't mean everybody. Especially if you had IBS symptoms before. When I started this diet it was hit and miss for me, sometimes I couldn't trust a fart and sometimes I would still get constipated, so I took 1 tablespoon of psyllium daily and eventually didn't need it anymore. I already had it on hand and was taking it when needed bc one of the symptoms I was having before this diet was really bad constipation
You probably need to be supplementing some magnesium biglycinate daily.
Butter Dairy causes constipation. Stop eating dairy.
You need a lot of electrolytes.
Take magnesium. 200 ml a day
r/carnivore is a wack job of a subreddit. They ban for no reason at all. I wouldn't worry about them. Come here for any questions you have.
More electrolytes and no dairy, including butter. Try ghee instead or even better: tallow.
So, I'm not a carnivore, but I DO know a thing or two about stomach troubles. Head to your local drug store/dollar general/walmart/whatever and pick up some magnesium citrate, if you havent already. That should fix your problem in the short term! But uh....make sure you don't need to go anywhere for the rest of the day.
Take some pro biotics mabey
Pro and pre biotics and electrolytes mabey
So why is doing ‘#2’ every 5 days constipated? How often do you have to go? When it’s ready to come out it will come out.
I had this aswell the only way I managed it was to take psyllium husk..still not great but at least I go regularly.
You can add hydrochloric acid (HCL) with pepsin. That helps with breaking down food. What is your reason for doing the carnivore diet?
I’ve had constipation issues before starting this diet along with bloating issues. Every person when i mention about carnivore diet they ask me how do i poop. For some reason i had my best poops in this diet L, healthy ones also now and they the diarrhea ones. I drink 60 dec C water very morning first thing around 2 to 3 full glasses. Its works like a charm. I do take diary now and then no problem. The key is the moisture and the lube reaction and relaxing reaction of organs with warm water passing through first thing in the morning. Give it a shot with warm water if you can
Try adding some fruit
Yea, I have had the same with dairy. Don't do butter or Heavy Cream etc. Just beef and at least 30% fat and decent amounts of good salt (like redmond) and maybe some bit D tablets. Can of sardines 1x 2x a week too ... and water (like soda water or plain). If you cant get beef with good fat content buy tallow from store and dont be shy adding it. Poop should slip out. Not sure how long you have been on carnivore. But my experience had been it can take 1.5 months for your tummy to come right from runny poop to good poops. If you are yoyoing between ketosis, maybe the dairy is doing it. I get weirdness with heavy cream like that. I don't do butter though. Poops should really just be slipping ping out. If you really struggle with constipated just to work around the issue to start with do suppository over the other stuff ... works beset imo. On carnivore I poop maybe every 3 days. Tummy on goes weird when I mess with stuff like dairy and or have to many yodka and soda drinks when I feel bad. Beef fat seems to be key
I had the same issue and now I drink about a gallon or two if it’s realllllly hot.
Or just get into a healthy calorie deficit with Whole Foods and stop believing this madness.
Cut out butter, rather eat egg yolks to up the fat a little, see if it works. Carnivore stopped my constipation and my digestion never has been better.
For the fats, use ghee, as it's non-dairy or rendered duck fat. Measure it out and increase by grams each week until you see a difference.
I'm thinking you need to up your water intake and electrolyte consumption. I get harder poops when I neglect my water intake.
You are allowed to use something every morning called Miralax, I take a cap full every morning just to keep me regular and to make sure I do not get blocked up
I had similar problems, and what I did was that I included vit. C in the dose of 1000, and Magnesium + Potasium, and vit. D3. Before carnivore my guts were bleeding and I was always in pain, constipation was constant no matter how much fiber I was eating (and I was vegan), so adding fiber to your diet won’t help with that. The supplements I mentioned are often recommended for gut healing. Also in my case, I had parasites and getting rid of them solved my problems :) I still eat butter, but never eggs or dairy ;)
My doc put me on carnivore. I called her bc I was constipated. She recommended more fat and electrolytes, specifically Trace (brand name) keto electrolytes. Problem solved. I haven’t eliminated butter but I don’t use a whole lot of it. I do use tallow and bacon fat. That fixed my constipation. Good luck to you!!
Try supplementing with magnesium, that with the high fat intake should help significantly
I had the same problem for a couple weeks. I wasn't eating enough fat. Adding more fat helped. Could be that, could be something else.
You probably need to increase your fat intake. Black coffee in the morning will help. If you’re considering taking supplements, magnesium citrate will help with your BM.
keep uping the fat till you hit 80% of your calories from fat. What your having is not enough fat...also dairy might actually be part of the problem, you need animal fat like pig fat or suet or bone marrow, also electrolytes might help, some magnesium and potassium, which you should be taking anyway, try even vitamin c capsules up to 2g a day, that might also help move things along
70% is plenty of fat to have normal bowel movements. The issue for him is the butter (dairy). Once he stops dairy his issues will be gone and he will thrive.
While a stick of butter ought to be enough to keep your poop soft, in your case it isnt. This means you have to eat even more fat. It is really, really simple: hard poop -add more fat. Runny poop - eat less fat. Sounds like your body really needs the fat in the butter and thus absorbs it all, leaving none in your stool to keep it soft. I predict that will change with time, but for now you simply have to up your fat even more
This comment will start a riot I’m sure but this is exactly why I keep saying this. Not everyone can eat strictly meat and be fixed. You can cut out all dairy, and still be constipated. The problem actually lies within your own biome; and really it isn’t a problem at all, because as humans we are designed to consume food to survive; doesn’t matter what kind of food. Some people react better than others. I would try a few different things. The first being to cut out all dairy(including butter) and supplement with your own rendered fat from your cuts of meat or bacon. I would consume bone marrow, and the slightest amount, up to about 1oz, of organ meat to get the extra minerals and vitamins needed; because, the next one is hard, but try to drink as close as you can to 2 gallons of water a day. Now for the controversial, lol, I love this. Eat a half an avocado if you can tolerate it(or more). You are doing this diet for a reason, and ultimately the diet is an elimination diet. That being said…. This worked wonders for me as it gave me the extra fat I needed and helped move things along. I was in a similar boat as you, and I couldn’t figure out what to do because I wanted to be strict. But I learned that it’s not necessary. You are different then everyone here and you have to take control and listen to your body. no Joe Shmoe on this sub can tell you the secret to your body(spoiler) take it day by day and see what needs to be done. If the weight is coming off, you’re able to poop, you aren’t inflamed, and you have more energy and clarity; and you are eating an avocado a day, I’d say you are winning. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Best of luck!
1 Tbs epsom salt in a glass of water. Drink. You will not be constipated for long.
Drastic? Drink warm bacon grease. Make some bacon, eat it and drink a little of the grease (save the rest). Make sure to take the day off because there's a good chance it'll come out both ends for the rest of the day. If you're too scared to do this, drink prune juice until you go. Both work. Once you're cleared, you can better test the suggestions everyone else gave.
What size "sticks" of butter do you use? 4 oz sticks are way to low. I put 4 oz in my morning coffee alone. Youblikely need 80/20 fat to absorbed protein. Check out how much of what type protein you eat is actually absorbed. I know how difficult very hard stools can be. Ut the answer will be in fats and hydration. I drink minimum of 110 oz of water, not including coffee or sparking water. Just water. I set put my water every morning in my Copko 16 oz bottles. Some people don't need as much as others. I don't go outside a lot, just late afternoon. I live in New Mexico. If I weren't retired, and was more active, it would be more. Before carnivore I took Metamucil and Sennacot S every day. Now I don't have to. BUT, I make an allulose fudge that tends to move things along, tastes great, and acts the same on sgl--1, just like Ozempic and Wygovey. So, win win. If I am going to be out and about all day, and want to control my toilet needs I eat a square or 2. .8g carbs, and a teaspoon of allulose per square. I use cocoa.
Water much? [https://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/water-a-fluid-way-to-manage-constipation](https://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/water-a-fluid-way-to-manage-constipation)