Among those who have just started taking chaga, some occasionally ask questions like this. "It seems I've become constipated after taking chaga." "After taking it, my stomach aches a little and I have diarrhea — more precisely, loose stools." It isn't something that many people who take chaga experience, but it is definitely a reaction that exists.
However, in most cases these symptoms are not so much side effects caused by chaga not agreeing with the body, but rather signals of an adaptation process that appears as the amount and method of intake interact with the individual's intestinal condition. Today I will explain step by step why this happens and how you can take it comfortably.
First, let me start with the conclusion.
Chaga is a natural substance rich in dietary fiber. Dietary fiber has the property of increasing stool volume and softening the stool, so depending on the person the reaction may appear toward diarrhea, or on the contrary toward constipation.
These symptoms appear in people who are taking chaga for the first time, who suddenly take a large amount, or whose intestines are usually sensitive. And in most cases, just reducing the amount you drink a little and then increasing it slowly, or drinking enough water, makes the constipation or diarrhea disappear and you become comfortable.
Why can constipation occur when you take chaga?
Chaga is rich in dietary fiber. Dietary fiber is a component that is not digested in our body and, as it passes through the intestines, increases stool volume and helps intestinal movement. But there is one very important point here. That is, if the body lacks moisture, the stool can actually become harder and constipation can occur. Fiber that has absorbed moisture must swell inside the intestines for the stool to become soft, but if water is insufficient it instead becomes dry and hard.
In such cases you must drink a sufficient amount of water. You need to drink pure water, not beverages.
For those who are older or who have received hospital treatment for a long period, they do not feel thirst, but the ability of their body's cells to retain moisture is reduced, so their bodies are often short of moisture. Also, people whose intestinal transit is slow or who do not usually make a point of drinking water may react more sensitively.
Why can diarrhea or loose stools occur when you take chaga?
In the case of diarrhea or loose stools, there can be two reasons.
The first is the case where chaga that has not yet been absorbed is expelled as it is. When someone who was not taking chaga suddenly takes a large amount, or when their digestive health is usually not good, the unabsorbed chaga comes out of the body together with the stool. At this time, because of chaga's own black color, loose stools that are black in color and low in moisture often come out. Unlike ordinary diarrhea, in most cases it does not lead to loss of strength or dehydration.
The second is loose stools caused by the characteristics of dietary fiber. Dietary fiber has high water-retention capacity, so it has the property of increasing stool volume and making the stool watery. When a large amount of fiber suddenly enters intestines that usually had little fiber intake, the intestines are startled by the change and quickly expel it as watery stool.
In both cases, the symptoms usually disappear within a few days as the body adapts.
Practical ways to take it comfortably
First, please start with a small amount and increase slowly. Do not fill the recommended amount all at once from the beginning; start with 1–2 g per day and increase little by little over a week. Especially if your digestive system is usually sensitive, this adaptation period is absolutely necessary. Since there are individual differences, the safest approach is to use the amount that is comfortable for your own body as your standard.
Second is drinking enough water along with it. When you take dietary fiber, water is essential. If you usually drink little water, please increase your daily water intake as well. If constipation is your concern, this is the most effective part.
Third is not drinking it all at once but dividing it up. Rather than taking your whole day's amount at once, dividing it into several servings reduces the burden on your intestines. You can divide it into before breakfast, lunch, and dinner and before bed, or mix a day's portion in a large water bottle and drink it in divided servings from time to time.
Fourth is trying to adjust the time of intake. If your stomach feels sore or bloated, avoid taking it on an empty stomach and try moving it to after a meal. Because the comfortable timing differs from person to person, it is good to try a few options.
Chaga has no side effects
Constipation or diarrhea occurring after taking chaga is not common, but it is by no means strange either. In most cases, adjusting the amount, the pace, and moisture makes you comfortable. Do not ignore the signals your body sends; if you feel a little uncomfortable, reduce the amount and try starting again slowly. It is not a side effect of chaga, so please do not worry. Chaga is a natural substance that demonstrates its power when taken consistently over a long time, so please do not rush and take it comfortably in a way that suits your body.
- Kinam Oh, kinam_oh@hanmail.net
