MiraLAX® Exposes The Gut Gap™, Proving Women are More Stressed and More Constipated than Men

• Leading occasional constipation relief brand, miralax®, reunites comedic duo to help lighten women’s loads through laughter 

• Brand-commissioned survey which found women to be more than twice as likely as men to be pooping less than three times a week

• Survey conducted among 2,000 Americans aged 27-42 found a 85% of millennial women report routinely having stress on their minds

• High frequency of stress and constipation that American women are facing has been coined “The Gut Gap™” 

WHIPPANY, NJ, January 22, 2024 – On January 17, MiraLAX®, the #1 brand choice for effective, gentle, occasional constipation relief from Bayer, released the findings of a brand-commissioned survey which found women to be more than twice as likely as men to be pooping less than three times a week. Stress may be a contributing factor to this constipation; in fact, the survey, which was conducted among 2,000 Americans aged 27-42, found a staggering 85% of millennial women report routinely having stress on their minds. 

This high frequency of stress and constipation that American women are facing is what MiraLAX has coined “The Gut Gap.™” With 9 in 10 millennial women reporting that stress impacts their gut, MiraLAX is committed to exposing – and closing – The Gut Gap and helping women get the relief they need.

While the stress women face can take a physical toll, sometimes in the form of occasional constipation, there are a number of activities that can help alleviate stress and its effects. With the survey revealing that nearly half of women (48%) cite laughing as a way they reduce stress, MiraLAX has reunited comedic duo Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer, best known for their friendship on and off the screen, to draw awareness of The Gut Gap and help women lighten their loads through laughter. 

Launching this week, The Gut Gap campaign includes multiple touchpoints across digital, social and broadcast, with all content co-written and co-created by the duo. 

“While stress and constipation can be a heavy issue, we hope by bringing some laughter and levity, we’ll also help to lighten the mental loads women carry,” said Abbi Jacobson, director, writer, producer and actress. “Reuniting with Ilana to write and film the campaign ads has certainly brought lots of laughter to us, and we hope they resonate with women everywhere and ultimately help spark a movement, pun intended.” 

According to the survey, stressors ranging from major life events to everyday responsibilities are disproportionately affecting women, with nearly half (47%) experiencing stress on a daily basis and 84% feeling stressed at least once a week. While this stress can cause constipation in women, the inverse is also true – two in three women feel more stressed when they experience constipation.

“The link between mind and body has been well documented,” said Dr. Jessica Clemons, a board-certified psychiatrist and guiding medical consultant for the campaign. “Stress activates the body’s fight or flight response, which can disrupt the digestive system, leading to constipation, among other issues. Women, in part due to societal pressures and burdens, but also hormones, are particularly susceptible to stress-induced constipation. Alleviating stress, and in turn, the discomfort associated with constipation, can promote a healthier, happier gut and better quality of life.”

“Constipation is no laughing matter, but our approach to exposing The Gut Gap and the reality of how stress leaves women feeling metaphorically and physically backed up is bound to evoke a few laughs,” said Dana Valentino, Marketing Director, Digestive Health, Bayer Consumer Health. “With our new campaign featuring Abbi and Ilana at the helm, we’re hoping to engage women in a national conversation about the root causes of constipation and offer some much-needed comedic relief.”  

As advocates for women’s wellness and the liberating power of laughter, Abbi and Ilana will help give The Gut Gap and constipation conversation a national platform. For additional information and to see Abbi and Ilana take on The Gut Gap, visit https://www.miralax.com/thegutgap.

About MiraLAX
For those experiencing constipation, MiraLAX® is the #1 brand choice for effective, gentle, occasional constipation relief. Unlike stimulant laxatives, MiraLAX® is an osmotic laxative, meaning it works naturally with the water in your body to hydrate, soften, and ease stool through the colon. Since it works naturally with the water in your body, MiraLAX® provides complete, comfortable, and predictable relief without causing harsh side effects so that users can maintain their daily lifestyles.

Bayer: Science For A Better Life
Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the life science fields of health care and nutrition. Its products and services are designed to help people and planet thrive by supporting efforts to master the major challenges presented by a growing and aging global population. Bayer is committed to drive sustainable development and generate a positive impact with its businesses. At the same time, the Group aims to increase its earning power and create value through innovation and growth. The Bayer brand stands for trust, reliability and quality throughout the world. In fiscal 2020, the Group employed around 100,000 people and had sales of 41.4 billion euros. R&D expenses before special items amounted to 4.9 billion euros. 

Bayer® and the Bayer Cross®, MiraLAX® and The Gut Gap™ are registered trademarks of Bayer.

Survey Methodology:
The survey was conducted between May 2 and May 9, 2023, among 2,000 nationally representative 
Americans ages 27-42, using an e-mail invitation and an online survey.

Results of any sample are subject to sampling variation. The magnitude of the variation is measurable and is affected by the number of interviews and the level of the percentages expressing the results. In this study, the chances are 95 in 100 that a survey result does not vary, plus or minus, by more than  2 percent from the result that would be obtained if interviews had been conducted with all personas in the universe represented by the sample. The margin of error for any subgroups will be slightly higher