Non-pharmacological dietary support for functional constipation in long-term care: A quasi-experimental pilot study...

To evaluate the feasibility and short-term bowel-related changes associated with young barley leaf (YBL) supplementation among long-term care residents with functional constipation.

A one-group quasi-experimental pilot study was conducted in a long-term care facility. Twenty-eight residents who met the Rome IV criteria for functional constipation received YBL (3 g twice daily) for two weeks following a one-week baseline period. Defecation frequency, bisacodyl use, and bowel sounds were recorded daily by care staff and investigators. Selected biochemical parameters and gut hormone levels were assessed at baseline and post-intervention to provide a supportive physiological context.

Defecation frequency increased significantly during the second week of supplementation compared with baseline (p < 0.05) and declined after discontinuation. Bowel sound frequency also increased significantly during the intervention period (p < 0.001). Although bisacodyl use did not change significantly, a downward trend was observed. YBL supplementation was well tolerated in this highly dependent population. Exploratory analyses showed changes in selected metabolic and gut hormone markers, although their clinical relevance remains to be clarified.

In this pilot study, short-term YBL supplementation was feasible and was associated with favorable bowel-related changes among long-term care residents with functional constipation. Because this study used a one-group pretest-posttest design without a control group, the findings should be interpreted as preliminary and hypothesis-generating. Further controlled studies with larger samples and validated outcome measures are needed to confirm the potential role of YBL supplementation as a non-pharmacological dietary support strategy in long-term care.