According to DiabetesLibrary.org, approximately one out of every four diabetics experience diabetic constipation frequently. Constipation is hard to standardize because everyone is different in this regard. However, most doctors agree that a person is considered constipated if they have a bowel movement less than three times a week and pass hard stools.

Most people have a bout with bowel movements time and again. Diabetic constipation is usually due to diet, lack of exercise, stress, and not drinking a sufficient amount of liquids. Yet, some cases of diabetic constipation are chronic, having been caused by medications or digestive disorders which are linked to hypothyroidism, cancer, or diabetes, and other serious medical issues.

The problem affects both type 1 and type 2 diabetics and is more prevalent among diabetics with neuropathy (nerve damage). Research has shown that when blood sugar levels rise the intestinal nerves cannot function properly. These nerves control the …