The allure of quick weight loss often leads individuals to explore unconventional and potentially harmful methods. Among these, the use of laxatives for weight loss stands out as a dangerous practice with potentially severe health consequences. While laxatives are legitimate medications designed to alleviate constipation, their misuse as a weight-loss tool is both ineffective and detrimental to one's well-being.
What are Laxatives?
Laxatives are medicines that help with constipation. Your doctor usually only recommends these if you have problems passing stool even after you make changes such as eating more fiber, exercising regularly, and drinking more water. They come in various forms, each working differently to stimulate bowel movements or soften stool.There are several different types of laxatives, which all work in specific ways, including:
- Stimulant laxatives: These work by speeding up the movement of the digestive tract. Causes the muscles of the large bowel to contract, forcing stool out
- Osmotic-type laxatives: This type causes the colon to retain more water, which increases bowel movement frequency. Help the colon retain more water and encourage frequent bowel movements.
- Bulk-forming laxatives: These move through the intestines undigested, absorbing water and adding bulk to stool. Absorb excess water in the intestines and add bulk to the stool to push things along.
- Saline laxatives: With these, water is drawn into the small intestine, which helps promote a bowel movement. Help draw water into the small intestine to help stimulate bowel movements.
- Lubricant laxatives: This type of laxative coats the surface of the stool as well as the lining of the intestines to ease bowel movements. Coat the lining of the intestines and the stool to help things move along more easily.
- Stool softeners: These allow stool to absorb more water, making it softer for easier passage. The opposite of bulk-forming laxatives, these help stools absorb more water, making hard stool easier to pass.
The Myth of Laxatives and Weight Loss
Some people think that laxatives will help move their food through their body before the body absorbs any calories. So, they may take laxatives after eating a big meal or binge eating. They think this helps lose weight or will stop them from gaining weight. This is not true. Laxatives don’t stop your body from absorbing calories or from gaining weight. The food you eat goes through lots of processes before it reaches your bowel and becomes stool.
The misconception that laxatives can aid in weight loss stems from the misunderstanding of how the body processes food. Individuals may assume that by inducing bowel movements, they can eliminate calories before they are absorbed. However, this is a dangerous oversimplification.
In reality, your body absorbs calories, fat, and most nutrients before they get to the large intestine. What’s left of your food is waste that your body doesn’t need, and that is mostly full of water and some minerals. The waste moves into your large intestine, where your body absorbs some of the water, minerals, and any other healthful substances that remain. By the time laxatives take effect, the majority of calories and nutrients have already been absorbed by the small intestine. Laxatives primarily target the large intestine, which mainly contains waste products.
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So, if you use laxatives and lose weight, you are just losing water. As soon as you drink something, you will gain the weight back. The temporary weight loss that people may experience from taking laxatives is actually due to water loss. Losing water is not the same as losing body fat.
The Dangers of Laxative Abuse
You should only take laxatives for a short period of time and as directed. If you take them for weight loss, for long periods of time, or when you don’t need them, it can cause some or all of the problems below.
Misusing laxatives for weight loss can lead to a range of adverse effects, some of which can be life-threatening.
Dehydration
Laxatives make you lose water. This can cause:
- Lightheadedness
- Dizziness
- Weakness
- Confusion
- Headaches
- Dark-colored pee
- Fainting
- Blurry eyesight
Sometimes, people who abuse laxatives also don’t drink any fluids, and this can be serious. In extreme cases, dehydration can cause heart problems, kidney failure, and even death.
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Dehydration is a common consequence, as many laxatives draw water from the body into the intestines, resulting in a loss of fluids through bowel movements. Symptoms of dehydration include thirst, dizziness, weakness, headaches, and decreased urination.
Electrolyte Imbalance
You absorb important minerals and salts called electrolytes in your colon. These are important for your muscles and nerves in your heart and colon. Electrolyte loss can cause:
- Heart problems
- Muscle weakness
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Headaches
- Confusion
Electrolytes, such as sodium, potassium, and magnesium, are essential for various bodily functions, including muscle contractions and nerve function. Laxative abuse can disrupt electrolyte balance, leading to weakness, muscle cramps, and heart problems.
Constipation and Diarrhea
Using laxatives for longer than one week can cause loss of bowel muscle tone. Because your muscles become weak, you may have trouble passing stool on your own. Laxatives can cause long-term constipation, but they can cause diarrhea, too.
Long-term laxative use can weaken bowel muscles, leading to dependence and chronic constipation. Ironically, frequent laxative use can also cause diarrhea, further exacerbating dehydration and electrolyte imbalances.
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Damage to Intestines
Using laxatives too often and for too long can damage your intestines. This can lead to a greater chance of having colon cancer.
The frequent use of laxatives can irritate the intestinal lining, increasing the risk of bloody stools and potentially increasing the risk of colon cancer.
Medications
Taking laxatives can stop your prescription medications from working properly. This can cause serious health problems.
Laxatives can interfere with the absorption of certain medications, reducing their effectiveness and potentially leading to serious health complications.
Eating Disorder
People who use laxatives to lose weight are more likely to get an eating disorder.
The misuse of laxatives for weight loss is often associated with eating disorders such as bulimia nervosa. This dangerous cycle can have devastating effects on both physical and mental health.
Other side effects
Laxatives can cause other serious problems in your digestive tract. You should see your doctor right away if you bleed from your rectum or don’t have any bowel movements, as these are serious health problems.
How Long After Taking Laxatives Do You Poop?
It depends on which type you take. Some things such as enemas and suppositories can work within minutes. Bulk-forming laxatives, such as psyllium (Metamucil), could take days to work.
What is the Most Effective Laxative?
The most effective laxatives are osmotic laxatives, such as polyethylene glycol (Gavilax, Miralax). These pull water from other parts of your body into your colon. The extra water softens your stool and makes it easier to pass.
Do Laxatives Flush Out Calories?
No, they don’t. Your body takes all the calories and nutrients it needs from your food long before it reaches your bowel. Laxatives do absorb water and essential minerals, called electrolytes. Laxatives do not help a person to lose weight. No evidence indicates that taking laxatives is a safe or effective method of losing weight.
Healthy and Sustainable Weight Loss Strategies
Talk to your doctor about whether you need to lose weight. Sometimes, you may feel you need to be thinner when you really don’t need to be. If you have a risk for heart problems and diabetes, you may need to lose weight. But using diet pills and laxatives is not a safe way to manage your weight.
It is possible to lose weight safely with basic lifestyle changes.
If you’re eating right and exercising but still struggling to lose weight, it may be time to talk to your doctor. They can prescribe medications to help you lose weight. Beltre says if you struggle with hunger and cravings, your doctor can prescribe pills such as phentermine (Adipex-P, Lomaira) or injections such as semaglutide to control them.
If you have an eating disorder, it’s important to talk to your doctor about your weight and your habits. You should also talk to your doctor if you’re thinking about starting laxatives to lose weight. This may be a sign that you should see a counselor.
Healthy Diet, Hydration, and Fiber Intake
The first step in losing weight is to look at what you’re putting into your body, says Wiljon Beltre, MD, a bariatric and metabolic surgeon in Orlando, Florida. “What foods are you eating that are contributing to your excess weight? Are you consuming too many sodas, too many refined carbs like pasta or juices loaded with sugar?” Beltre says eating fewer calories, choosing healthy snacks, and cutting down on sugary drinks and alcohol can help you lose weight.
Eating more fruits and vegetables can help, too. According to the USDA, adults should eat at least 2 cups of fruits and vegetables each day. And drink more water. It’ll keep you hydrated and help you feel full.
- Focus on Whole Foods: Prioritize fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains.
- Limit Processed Foods: Reduce your intake of sugary drinks, refined carbohydrates, and unhealthy fats.
- Stay Hydrated: Drink plenty of water throughout the day to support metabolism and satiety.
- Increase Fiber Intake: Fiber-rich foods promote fullness and aid in digestion.
Regular Exercise
Aim for at least 150 minutes of aerobic activity each week. This will help get your heart rate up and keep your heart and lungs healthy. You should also add strength training to your workout twice a week. This will raise your metabolism and help you burn more calories.
“Consistency is key. Remember, this is a long-term lifestyle change, not a quick-fix diet trend,” says Alicia Shelly, MD, a board-certified Internal Medicine and Diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine at Wellstar Medical Center in Douglasville, GA.
- Aerobic Exercise: Engage in activities like brisk walking, jogging, swimming, or cycling.
- Strength Training: Incorporate exercises that work all major muscle groups, such as weightlifting or bodyweight exercises.
Professional Weight Loss Support
If you’re eating right and exercising but still struggling to lose weight, it may be time to talk to your doctor. They can prescribe medications to help you lose weight. Beltre says if you struggle with hunger and cravings, your doctor can prescribe pills such as phentermine (Adipex-P, Lomaira) or injections such as semaglutide to control them.
If you have an eating disorder, it’s important to talk to your doctor about your weight and your habits. You should also talk to your doctor if you’re thinking about starting laxatives to lose weight. This may be a sign that you should see a counselor.