Xylooligosaccharides (XOS) and constipation

What 2 graded rows on xylooligosaccharides (xos) agree on for constipation, and where they differ. Counted side by side, never averaged.

Consensus finder Rows from the Xylooligosaccharides (XOS) page, reviewed Oct 21, 2026 How it decides

What the rows agree on

Each block and row is one graded row from the Xylooligosaccharides (XOS) page, with its PubMed record.

Supplement

Xylooligosaccharides (XOS) Choose another

2 rows · 122 people

They agree: both rows found an improvement.

No difference

Improved

Each block is one evidence row, sized by how many people it enrolled, with its grade inside.

From the rows

The best-graded row, grade C, is a randomized trial of 93 people (2024) and found an improvement.

The rows run from 29 to 93 people, published from 2005 to 2024: 2 single studies.

2 improved

Grade CFunctional constipation symptoms · Improved
RCT · n 93 · 2024 · Adults with functional constipation (Rome IV)
3, 5 or 10 g XOS a day · 1 month
XOS improved stool form, constipation scores and quality of life and enriched Bifidobacterium at lower doses than FOS (10 to 20 g), without diarrhoea or flatulence.
Row on the Xylooligosaccharides (XOS) page · PubMed 38370040 (opens PubMed)
Grade DSevere constipation in late pregnancy · Improved
Open-label trial · n 29 · 2005 · Pregnant women with severe constipation
4.2 g a day · 4 weeks
Stools per week rose from 1.1 to 6.7 and 27 of 29 could pass stool spontaneously by the end; no side effects were seen.
Row on the Xylooligosaccharides (XOS) page · PubMed 16521705 (opens PubMed)