Is period poop really a thing?

Welcome to Doctor's Corner, where medical experts from Makati Medical Center will answer health questions from readers! Got a question? Send them over to comment@gmanews.tv.

Q: Why am I constipated before menstruation, then experience period poop at that time of the month?

Unfortunately, period poop is real, and we have hormones to blame for it.

Hormonal changes tend to affect your gastrointestinal system during your time of the month. Just before your period, a spike in the level of progesterone slows down the passage of food through your intestines, resulting in constipation.

Look out for prostaglandin, or what the Cleveland Clinic describes as "a group of lipids with hormone-like actions that the body makes primarily at sites of tissue damage or infection."

Prostaglandin is at its peak during your menses. You’ll know it because of symptoms associated with the hormone. Prostaglandin stimulates the uterus to contract, giving you painful menstrual cramps. It also triggers the contraction of your intestines, which speeds up food movement, causing diarrhea.

Are there remedies to digestive issues that come around during one's period?

Yes. For constipation, I recommend consuming high-fiber foods like leafy green vegetables, whole grains like oats and brown rice, and fibrous fruits like apple, guava, berries, and prunes. Hydrating regularly and staying active also help with regular bowel movement.

For diarrhea, steer clear of these foods as well as food and drink that can irritate the digestive tract: milk, caffeine, alcohol, sodas, greasy food, and too hot or cold foods.

Diarrhea, especially the severe kind, can drain you of electrolytes that are crucial to keeping your heart’s rhythm normal, your muscles working, and your body fluids balanced.

Drink water and eat bananas to prevent dehydration and replace any lost potassium. Reduce processed food and excess sugar to ease bloating.

If not allergic, you can take pain medications called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) which are anti prostaglandins like mefenamic acid, ibuprofen, Cox 2 inhibitors (celecoxib and etoricoxib) to help ease period cramps and abdominal pain. 

For more health and wellness tips and educational reads, subscribe to GMA News Online's weekly newsletter, The Boost. Don't forget to confirm your email after signing up!

Carla Victoria E. Castro, MD, FPOGS FPSUOG, is an Active Consultant in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Makati Medical Center.