Can vitamins cause constipation in adults?

While most people take supplements primarily to maintain or improve health, some supplements can cause side effects. Constipation is a common side effect of the minerals calcium and iron and a rare side effect of too much vitamin D. Certain herbal therapies and weight-loss supplements can also cause constipation.Jun 4, 2015 read more

About one-half of U.S. adults take dietary supplements, with multivitamin-mineral products, calcium supplements and omega-3 or fish oil being the most common choices, reports a March 2013 article in "JAMA Internal Medicine." While most people take supplements primarily to maintain or improve health, some supplements can cause side effects. read more

Vitamins That Can Treat Constipation. Taking these vitamins may help ease your constipation. 1. Vitamin C. Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin. Unabsorbed vitamin C has an osmotic effect in your digestive tract. That means it pulls water into your intestines, which can help soften your stool. read more

Vitamins in general won’t cause constipation, but certain components, such as calcium and iron, can be a problem. "I would tell a patient to stop taking the iron [or calcium] unless they really need it and, if they do need it, I would put them on a stool softener to counteract that," says Dr. Ginsburg, who is a spokesperson for the American Gastroenterological Association. read more