Does Cheese Cause Constipation? What the Evidence Says

Quick answer: For most adults, cheese doesn't cause constipation on its own. The only controlled study we could find in adults showed no change in bowel habits after a tenfold increase in cheese. Cheese contains essentially no fiber, though. A cheese-heavy, plant-light day can leave stools harder. In young children, cow's milk protein intolerance is a recognized but uncommon cause. If you suspect cheese, run a two-week log test before you cut it out.

The idea that cheese "binds you up" is everywhere. Ask a room of people and someone will swear a pizza night cost them two days. The research tells a quieter story. Cheese itself has a weak case against it. The things cheese tends to replace on your plate have a much stronger one.

This guide separates the myth from the mechanism. It also gives you a way to find out what's true for your own gut.

Key takeaways

• The adult evidence is thin, but it points one way: in a small trial, a tenfold increase in cheese didn't change transit time, stool frequency or stool consistency [1].
• Cheese has essentially no fiber. Low-fiber eating is a well-established contributor to constipation [5][6].
• Lactose intolerance usually shows up as gas, bloating and diarrhea, not constipation [3].
• In young children, cow's milk intolerance has been linked to chronic constipation in a controlled study. That doesn't automatically apply to adults [2].
• A simple test beats guessing: keep cheese steady for a week, change only that, and compare stool type and frequency.

Does cheese cause constipation, according to research?

Probably not by itself. The research is small and old, but it doesn't support cheese as a direct cause in adults.

The study most often cited is a Finnish trial in 21 retirement-home residents aged 68 to 87. Their cheese intake was raised about tenfold. The researchers measured intestinal transit time with radiopaque markers. They also recorded stool frequency, wet weight and consistency, plus gut symptoms. None of these changed [1].

That's one small study in older adults. It isn't the final word. But it's the best direct evidence there is, and it runs against the myth. We found no adult trial showing that cheese, eaten as part of a normal diet, causes constipation.

Children are a different story. In a 1998 double-blind crossover study, 65 young children with long-standing constipation were switched between cow's milk and soy milk. Forty-four of them (68%) had a response on soy milk; none had a response on cow's milk [2]. Many of these children also had anal fissures and signs of allergy. Later researchers questioned parts of the testing. The takeaway is narrow: in some young children, cow's milk protein can drive constipation. Diagnosing that is a job for a pediatrician, not a home elimination diet.

Why do so many people feel constipated after cheese?

Usually it's the meal around the cheese, not the cheese. A cheese-heavy day tends to be a low-fiber day.

Cheese is an animal food, and fiber comes from plants. NIDDK's list of fiber sources is all plant foods: whole grains, legumes, fruit, vegetables and nuts [5]. Adults need 22 to 34 grams of fiber a day, depending on age and sex [5]. Think about a typical "cheesy" day: a bagel with cream cheese, a white-bread grilled cheese, pizza for dinner. You could easily land far below that range.

Other things often ride along with cheese:

• Processed and fast food. NIDDK specifically suggests limiting low-fiber foods like fast food, prepared foods and processed foods [5].
• Less fluid and less movement. Not drinking enough and not being active are both listed causes of constipation [6]. Think of a long weekend of takeout on the couch.
• Routine changes. Travel and changes in what and how much you eat are known triggers [6]. Holidays are cheese-heavy and routine-breaking.
• Medicines and supplements. Antacids that contain calcium or aluminum, and iron supplements, are both listed constipation causes [6]. If you take calcium "for your bones," that's worth knowing.

So when you feel blocked after a cheese-heavy stretch, cheese is the easy suspect. The real driver is often what's missing from your plate.

Is it lactose intolerance or something else?

Lactose intolerance rarely looks like constipation. NIDDK lists its symptoms as bloating, diarrhea, gas, nausea, belly pain, stomach rumbling and vomiting. Constipation isn't on the list [3].

There's a practical twist here, too. Hard cheeses like cheddar and Swiss are lower in lactose than milk. NIDDK suggests them as options that many people with lactose intolerance tolerate better [4]. Research summarized by NIDDK also found that many people can have about 12 grams of lactose, roughly a cup of milk, without symptoms [4].

If dairy gives you gas, urgency or loose stools, that points away from constipation. See our guides to dairy and bloating and diarrhea after dairy.

If dairy seems to cause both bloating and harder stools, that pattern is worth showing a clinician. Mixed constipation and bloating has many possible causes, including IBS, and a food diary helps narrow them down. Our constipation diary guide shows what to record.

How to discuss a suspected cheese pattern

Record the approximate cheese portion, the rest of the meal, bowel frequency, stool form and straining. Include comfortable days as well as difficult ones. Two weeks is an illustrative record, not proof that cheese is or is not the cause.

If you are considering a sustained dietary restriction or substitution, ask a clinician or registered dietitian how to keep the diet adequate and whether a structured assessment is appropriate. Do not change medicines to create a cleaner experiment. A constipation diary can organize observations for that conversation.

What actually helps if your diet is cheese-heavy?

You don't have to give cheese up. Build the rest of the plate around it.

• Add fiber gradually. NIDDK advises adding fiber a little at a time so your body adjusts [5].
• Consider kiwifruit or rye bread. In a 2023 meta-analysis of food trials in chronic constipation, kiwifruit increased stool frequency compared with psyllium. Rye bread did better than white bread [7]. The authors note the evidence base is small [7].
• Drink with your fiber. NIDDK recommends water and other liquids as part of a constipation-friendly diet [5].
• Psyllium if diet isn't enough. The 2023 AGA–ACG guideline suggests fiber supplements for chronic idiopathic constipation (conditional recommendation) [8]. Ask your pharmacist or doctor before starting anything new, especially if you take other medicines.

How to track this

To answer "is it the cheese?", you need three things in one place:

• What you ate. A rough note is enough ("cheese omelet," "2 slices pizza"). You don't need grams.
• Every bowel movement, with Bristol type, plus any straining or a feeling you didn't fully empty.
• No-go days. Days without a bowel movement are data too. On paper, mark them with a dash.

Keep it up for at least two weeks so you can compare a "with" and a "without" period.

For ongoing records, explore the Get Regular poop tracker. Compare the current logging workflow and access with the details you want to keep. An app record does not identify the cause of a bowel change.

When to see a doctor

Food swaps are for everyday constipation. Get checked if you notice any of these:

• Blood in or on your stool, or black, tarry stool
• Unintended weight loss
• Constipation that is new and persistent, especially if you're over 50
• Severe belly pain, vomiting, a swollen belly, or you can't pass gas. These can be signs of a blockage, so seek urgent care [6].
• Constipation that alternates with very thin stools, or any lasting change in your usual bowel habit
• A family history of colon or rectal cancer [6]
• A child with ongoing constipation, painful bowel movements or anal fissures [2]

NIDDK also advises seeing a doctor if constipation doesn't improve with self-care [6]. See our full checklist: when to see a doctor about bowel changes.

FAQ

Is some cheese worse for constipation than others?

There's no good evidence ranking cheeses for constipation. Hard, aged cheeses are lower in lactose [4], which matters for gas and diarrhea, not constipation. Portion size and what you eat with it probably matter more than the type.

Does cheese constipate babies and toddlers?

In some young children, cow's milk protein intolerance has been linked to chronic constipation [2]. Don't remove dairy from a child's diet without talking to a pediatrician. Growing children need the nutrients, and there are other causes to rule out.

Can dairy cause both bloating and constipation?

Dairy more often causes gas, bloating and diarrhea in people with lactose intolerance [3]. Bloating with constipation can have many causes, including the constipation itself. Log both for two weeks and bring the record to your doctor.

How long after eating cheese would constipation show up?

There's no set window, because cheese doesn't appear to act directly [1]. A low-fiber stretch tends to show up over a day or several. That's why comparing whole weeks works better than blaming a single meal.

Should I stop eating cheese if I'm constipated?

Not as a first step. Try adding fiber, fluids and movement around your usual foods [5]. If you still suspect cheese, run the two-week swap above.

Sources

1. Mykkänen HM, Karhunen LJ, Korpela R, Salminen S. Effect of cheese on intestinal transit time and other indicators of bowel function in residents of a retirement home. Scand J Gastroenterol. 1994;29:29–32. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8128174/
2. Iacono G, et al. Intolerance of cow's milk and chronic constipation in children. N Engl J Med. 1998;339(16):1100–1104. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9770556/
3. NIDDK. Symptoms & Causes of Lactose Intolerance. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/lactose-intolerance/symptoms-causes
4. NIDDK. Eating, Diet, & Nutrition for Lactose Intolerance. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/lactose-intolerance/eating-diet-nutrition
5. NIDDK. Eating, Diet, & Nutrition for Constipation. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/constipation/eating-diet-nutrition
6. NIDDK. Symptoms & Causes of Constipation. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/constipation/symptoms-causes
7. van der Schoot A, Katsirma Z, Whelan K, Dimidi E. Systematic review and meta-analysis: Foods, drinks and diets and their effect on chronic constipation in adults. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2023. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/apt.17782
8. Chang L, Chey WD, Imdad A, et al. American Gastroenterological Association–American College of Gastroenterology Clinical Practice Guideline: Pharmacological Management of Chronic Idiopathic Constipation. Gastroenterology. 2023. https://gastro.org/clinical-guidance/pharmacological-management-of-chronic-idiopathic-constipation-cic/

This article is for general education and isn't medical advice. Get Regular is a tracking app — it doesn't diagnose or treat any condition. If you have red-flag symptoms or ongoing changes in your digestion, talk to a doctor.