Dietary Recommendations for Hemorrhoid Sufferers

Category: Diet and Nutrition

Hemorrhoids are often associated with a low-fiber Western diet. A diet deficient in fiber and high in refined foods can cause constipation from insufficient fecal bulk. This may cause straining during bowel movements, since the smaller and harder stools are more difficult to pass. Hemorrhoids can form when intra-abdominal pressure increases from straining during defecation. (1-3)

A high-fiber diet rich in unrefined foods is an important component in the treatment and prevention of hemorrhoids. Excellent sources of fiber are fresh fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole grains. These high-fiber foods promote peristalsis and result in soft, bulky, feces that make emptying the bowels easier. Drinking six to eight glasses of water daily will also help form softer, bulkier stools. This eliminates straining, lessens the pressure from hemorrhoids, and prevents hemorroids from forming. (1-3)

High fiber foods such as buckwheat, apples, and citrus fruits contain the flavonoids rutin and hydroxyethylrutosides (HER), which have shown to be beneficial for the treatment and prevention of hemorrhoids. Studies have found that rutin and HER supplementation significantly improved symptoms in patients with hemorrhoids, including pregnant women. (3,4-8)

A high-fiber diet including the use of natural plant fibers such as pectin (fruit fiber) and psyllium can be an effective treatment and prevention of hemorrhoids. Pectin and psyllium have traditionally been used as bulking agents to improve stool consistency, promote peristalsis, and reduce straining during defecation. Double-blind studies have reported that supplementation with bulk-forming plant fibers decreased both pain and bleeding in patients with hemorrhoids. (3, 9-12)

Posted by Kristopher Foster on October 11, 2013 11:00 AM