Don't get into the habit of taking laxatives every day to ease your constipation because this can be harmful. In some cases, you may be prescribed a laxative to use regularly, but this should always be supervised by your GP or a gastroenterologist (a specialist in digestive conditions).
The overuse of laxatives can lead to electrolyte disturbances, dehydration and mineral deficiencies. Laxative abuse can also cause long-term and potentially permanent damage to the digestive system, including chronic constipation and damage to the nerves and muscles of the colon.
They are safe to use daily. They contain various ingredients, and you may have to try more than one to find the product that helps you with minimal side effects, such as flatulence and bloating.
Bulk-forming laxatives.
They are considered the safest type of laxative and the only type that might be recommended for daily use. Examples are psyllium (Metamucil), polycarbophil (FiberCon), and methylcellulose (Citrucel).
Ideally, only take laxatives occasionally and for up to a week at a time. Stop taking a laxative when your constipation improves. If your constipation has not improved after taking laxatives for a week, speak to a GP.
Laxative abuse occurs when a person attempts to eliminate unwanted calories, lose weight, “feel thin,” or “feel empty” through the repeated, frequent use of laxatives.
Perform stimulation with your finger every day until you start to have a regular pattern of bowel movements. You can also stimulate bowel movements by using a suppository (glycerin or bisacodyl) or a small enema. Some people find it helpful to drink warm prune juice or fruit nectar.
Try natural laxatives that work fast for constipation relief, which include: aloe vera, leafy greens, chia and flax seeds, high fiber fruits, probiotic foods, and coconut water. Also make sure to drink plenty of water/fluids when consuming natural laxatives, since these work with high fiber foods to help soften stool.
Prunes act as a natural laxative, owing to its high content of fiber and sorbitol. Both these nutrients add bulk to your stool, making it easier to go. Apples and plums are good alternatives too owing to their high fiber content, especially in their skins.
After long-term laxative abuse, the intestines lose normal tone and nerve response, and can no longer contract to evacuate stool normally. This is often reversible, but recovery may be a slow process.
Chronic constipation can be subclassified into four categories: normal transit, slow transit, dyssynergic defecation (DD) and slow transit-dyssynergic combination (6,7).
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. Damage.
Stimulant laxatives are usually taken on an empty stomach for rapid effect. Results are slowed if taken with food. Many stimulant laxatives (but not castor oil) are often taken at bedtime to produce results the next morning (although some may require 24 hours or more).
Some of the most common signs of laxative abuse can include vomiting, dehydration, fainting, blurry vision. Depression, heart attack, muscle spasms, diarrhea, intestinal paralysis, bloody stools, electrolyte abnormalities, and increased occurrence of urinary tract infections.
Using laxatives for weight loss is not safe or effective. If a person weighs less after taking laxatives, this is likely to be due to water loss. Water loss from laxative use is temporary and is not the same as losing body fat. Laxatives do not reduce body weight in the long term.
By far the largest group is made up of individuals suffering from an eating disorder such as anorexia or bulimia nervosa. The prevalence of laxative abuse has been reported to range from approximately 10% to 60% of individuals in this group.
Metamucil is made with psyllium husk, a plant-based fiber that helps promote digestive health and regularity. * It also acts as a non-stimulant laxative that relieves occasional constipation, generally helping you produce a bowel movement in 12 to 72 hours.
“Bananas, when fully ripe, contain soluble fiber and thus can help treat constipation,” Lee says. “However, unripe, or green, bananas have high levels of resistant starch, which can be very binding and cause constipation.” Because of this, unripe bananas can be used to treat diarrhea, she notes.
Delayed or slower bowel movements can be caused by a lack of fiber in your diet. A diet that emphasizes natural, unprocessed fruit and vegetables can kick-start digestion and help make you more regular unless you have IBS, gastroparesis or other chronic gastrointestinal condition.
Lazy bowel syndrome, also known as slow transit constipation (STC), is a condition characterized by the slow movement of waste through the digestive system, primarily due to reduced motility of the large intestine. It is a type of functional constipation, or constipation without a clear cause.
Common side effects are constipation, fluid retention, and temporary weight gain (Eating Disorders Review, 1999). Just as any weight loss from using laxatives is temporary; it is important to remember that this weight gain is temporary and is mainly due to increased fluid retention.