What bowel changes were reported during the three days of warm-water drinking?
The authors report that 24 of 25 female university students with recurrent constipation passed stool at least once during the three-day study, and 15 passed stool every day. Participants had not passed stool for three days before enrolment and drank 500 mL of water at approximately 45°C before breakfast each morning. These findings describe bowel movements following the intervention, rather than a measured treatment effect against a comparison group. In particular, the reported 96% should not be interpreted as a proven success rate for treating constipation.
Can the improvements be attributed to warm water rather than other explanations?
No causal benefit, or benefit specifically from warmth, can be established from this uncontrolled intervention study. Everyone received warm water; there was no untreated group or group drinking the same volume at room temperature. Consequently, spontaneous bowel movements, additional fluid intake and other influences cannot be separated from a temperature-specific effect. The report does not describe how diet or physical activity were accounted for. Although the authors repeatedly report “p = 0.000”, they do not identify the statistical test or reference comparison, so those values cannot provide verifiable evidence of treatment effectiveness.
Does passing stool over three days establish lasting relief or broader clinical usefulness?
It does not establish sustained relief, comprehensive symptom improvement or safety. The reported outcomes concern whether participants passed stool, without results for stool consistency, straining, discomfort or quality of life. Follow-up lasted only three days, and adverse-event assessment was not reported. The sample comprised 25 volunteers from 50 eligible students at one women’s university dormitory, limiting applicability to other populations; its small size also limits precision. The study therefore leaves unanswered whether any improvement persists, whether troublesome constipation symptoms resolve, and whether comparable results occur in older adults or people with different causes of constipation.
Assessed 21 Sept 2026.
