“Your gut is where it all begins, start with Activia,” the Dannon brand proclaims on the front page of its website. This message is paired with a photo collage of smiling women — many wearing the brand’s signature green — who seem to enjoy a healthy lifestyle with the aid of Activia products. While the brand’s yogurt has long been marketed to support gut health and happiness, we wanted to explore the science behind Activia’s potential to aid those who feel, well, backed up.
If you’re having fewer than three bowel movements a week, and your stool is small and hard instead of long and soft, these are signs of constipation. Approximately 4 million people nationwide are familiar with constipation, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. So how might Activia help ease these symptoms? The company’s products reportedly contain billions of live and active probiotics. Consuming these microorganisms has been associated with improved digestive health, mainly by maintaining a balanced gut bacteria environment (via Activia).
How Activia may help relieve mild constipation
Activia highlights how probiotics are increasingly present in dairy products worldwide. As a symbiotic food product, Activia yogurt includes both prebiotics and probiotics, according to a 2008 controlled trial published in Acta Gastroenterologica Latinoamericana. Among over 300 women aged 18 to 55 (some with functional constipation and some without), those with functional constipation who consumed Activia twice daily for two weeks saw increased bowel movement frequency, improved stool quality, and reduced pain and strain. The study concluded that symbiotic food items may be effective for managing constipation.
But do other experts agree? According to a University of Michigan Health FAQ, when asked if Activia can alleviate constipation symptoms as advertised, experts stated that the products can indeed benefit patients with mild constipation.
Probiotics may only benefit those with gastrointestinal issues
While some research hints at benefits from probiotics, the findings are not conclusive. In fact, probiotics may not be advisable for everyone. “There is no evidence to suggest that people with normal gastrointestinal tracts can benefit from taking probiotics,” gastroenterologist Dr. Matthew Ciorba told Scientific American. “If you’re not in any distress, I would not recommend them.” The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health also notes that while the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) may regulate probiotics when included in food products, those sold as supplements remain unregulated.
While the efficacy of probiotics is still debated, Mayo Clinic experts indicate there is stronger evidence that fiber can facilitate easier bowel movements by softening and bulking up stool. With this in mind, Activia’s fruit-flavored probiotic yogurt with added fiber might be worth trying to help promote regular bowel movements (via Activia).
