ElectrolytesDo electrolytes help with constipation?
Updated 9 Nov 2026
Short answer
Magnesium may help with constipation, a gut health problem. In a trial of 244 women, one group drank 1 litre a day of a mineral water rich in magnesium sulfate. After 2 weeks, constipation eased in 37.5% of them, against 21.1% with low-mineral water. One author worked for the water's maker.[1] Magnesium salts loosen stool because the gut does not absorb all of them.[2] Polyethylene glycol laxatives worked better than lactulose in 10 trials, but that review compared two laxatives and did not test electrolytes.[3]
Sources (3)
- Efficacy and safety of a magnesium sulfate-rich natural mineral water for patients with functional constipation. Dupont C, Campagne A, Constant F Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol, 2014. PMID 24342746
- Magnesium: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. ods.od.nih.gov
- Lactulose versus Polyethylene Glycol for Chronic Constipation. Lee-Robichaud H, Thomas K, Morgan J, Nelson RL Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 2010. PMID 20614462
More about electrolytes
What are electrolytes?Do you need electrolyte drinks every day?What are electrolytes used for?What are the signs of low electrolytes?Are electrolyte supplements safe?Do electrolytes help with dehydration from diarrhea?For education; not medical advice. Talk to a doctor before you start, stop or change a supplement.