Many people turn to laxatives when they want to lose weight quickly. However, there are serious concerns about the safety and effectiveness of these drugs. Of course, there is logic here. Since absorption occurs in the small intestine, it is necessary to block its work, and everything eaten will leave the body without consequences. Maybe you just don’t need to eat a lot? Today we will consider the safety of “toilet” preparations, and also discuss whether the laxative really helps to lose weight.
Foreword
In fact, any drugs are designed to solve a specific medical problem. Therefore, the appointment should be preceded by an examination and examination of the doctor. But when people passionately want to lose weight, for them there are no barriers. Everyone knows the feeling when the stomach hurts. There is no appetite, any piece causes severe pain and urge to the toilet. As a result, while a person is recovering, he manages to lose a couple of kilograms. Nice bonus.
But the danger is as follows. If before that he had not wondered whether the laxative helps to lose weight, now he is ready to believe it unconditionally. Therefore, once again gaining excess weight, he goes to the pharmacy for pills. A study in 2016 showed that dieters are increasingly turning to these pills. Moreover, no one consults with a doctor or nutritionist. In principle, adults at heart understand that if you ask a specialist if a laxative helps to lose weight, you will get a negative answer.
According to Nigel Denby, a nutritionist specializing in treating irritable bowel syndrome, using laxatives to lose weight is like playing with fire. The National Association of Eating Disorders (NEDA) agrees, calling the use of such drugs “a laxative myth” - because, simply put, this does not work.
More and more
But the statistics are inexorable. A lot of research has been conducted on this topic, in which people were asked whether the laxative helps to lose weight and whether they used these drugs to reduce weight. The results are a little shocking: at least 10% of all respondents regularly use drugs and 20% use laxative herbs to keep fit.
Important information
This needs to be posted on stands in hospitals so that people can imagine the peculiarities of their body. The human digestive system is a complex mechanism, the intrusion into the work of which can provoke serious failures. Laxatives act on the colon long after most of the food and calories are absorbed into the small intestine.
“Weight loss caused by intestinal contraction has little to do with actual food, fat, or calories,” nutritionists explain. “Instead, laxatives contribute to the loss of water, minerals, electrolytes, indigestible fibers, and waste from the colon.” Does a laxative help to lose weight? No, but it can help make a ton of digestive problems.
How do laxatives work?
“There are three main types of these drugs,” explains nutritionist Nigel Denby. - Some help soften the chair and facilitate its passage. Others accumulate stool by adding fiber, which again facilitates the removal of waste from the body. In addition, there are drugs that help stimulate the intestinal muscles to do their job of moving waste products through the colon and removing them from the body. ”
Now let's imagine ourselves as a complete person who has a good layer of fatty tissue under his skin, plus a tendency to overeat. Is any laxative suitable for weight loss? None of them will be able to block the absorption of nutrients in the intestine and, moreover, will not contribute to the breakdown of already accumulated fat.
It is very good to recall another physiological process. What does a person need to lose weight? Reduce calorie intake and increase energy expenditure. If these conditions are met, then the body begins to produce a special hormone that allows you to extract energy from fat stores. So a laxative for weight loss is nonsense. You need to eat less and move more.
Why do people see the effect
Despite the words of doctors, people continue to use them. Why is this faith so ineradicable? “Using laxatives to get a flat stomach is crazy,” says Nigel. “Of course, if you have constipation, you will definitely feel more comfortable after going to the toilet.” But their use is fraught with a number of problems. Therefore, muscle stimulants as laxatives should really be used only under the supervision of a general practitioner or gastroenterologist. Despite the fact that this group of drugs helps to get rid of flatulence and colic, it will not lead to weight loss. Moreover, their regular use is very dangerous. ”
But back to the results. They can be seen after a laxative tea for weight loss. On the forums you can easily find posts about people who feel “slimmer” or have a flat stomach after this application. But this only speaks of the loss of water. That is, the volume and weight will return immediately after you stop tormenting the body and make up for the loss of fluid. And of course, laxative tea for weight loss - these are still flowers.
What remedies can be found in a pharmacy
Here, the listing of drug names is used for informative purposes only. Each of these drugs should be prescribed by your doctor. Otherwise, its use can be considered hazardous to health. Do not rely on reviews, a laxative for weight loss is not intended. These are medications that people use to help stimulate bowel movements or loosen stools to facilitate passage. But many people believe that the use of laxatives can help increase the frequency of bowel movements and provide quick, easy and easy weight loss.
However, the truth about their safety and effectiveness is a different story, as you can see later. There are several different classes of laxatives that work in different ways. The main ones are:
- Stimulating laxatives: they cause bowel movements, increasing contractions of the intestinal muscles. Examples are aloe, cascara (a North American buckthorn), senna grass, bisacodyl, and castor oil.
- Osmotic type laxatives: these drugs cause the colon to hold more water, which increases the frequency of bowel movements. This is Dufalac, Lavacol, Forlax.
- Saline laxatives: with their help, water is absorbed into the small intestine, which helps to stimulate bowel movements. Sodium sulfate, magnesium sulfate, Karlovy Vary salt.
- Lubricating laxatives: this type of laxative covers the intestinal mucosa to facilitate bowel movements. For example, glycerin suppositories or petroleum jelly.
All laxative diet pills are a myth. These drugs help stimulate bowel movements, but do not affect the process of burning fat.
Homemade Slimming Laxative
It would seem that a natural remedy should not harm the body. You can make it from ordinary water and salt:
- dissolve salt in a warm liquid at the rate of 1 tablespoon per liter of water;
- drink should be on an empty stomach 1-3 liters for an hour.
The following types of oils are perfect as a harmless home remedy: sea buckthorn, olive. By themselves, they can not harm a person, but they are not suitable for weight loss. Laxatives for bowel cleansing can accelerate the process of promoting feces, but do not interfere with the absorption of nutrients.
Temporary effect
I must admit that if there was no result, no one would take these drugs. It is true that the use of a laxative for weight loss at home can be a kind of catalyst, that is, it will help increase weight loss. But the results are temporary, and the treatment itself can negatively affect the state of the body.
Especially noticeable is the effect of laxatives, which draw water from the body and saturate the feces with it for easier passage through the intestines. When using this method, you only lose the weight of water, which will quickly recover.
One small study measured daily food intake and eating habits of 30 patients with bulimia nervosa, a type of eating disorder that consumes large amounts of food, and then uses methods such as self-induced vomiting or laxatives to prevent weight gain. Compared to other methods used by these patients, a laxative has proven to be an ineffective method of controlling body weight.
Another study showed that laxatives were not effective in controlling weight. Researchers noted that the use of these drugs was more common among overweight and obese adolescents than in children with normal weight.
To date, no experiments have been conducted confirming the idea that any of the drugs in this group can lead to stable weight loss. That is, even the best laxative for weight loss is not good. But it can lead to dangerous side effects.
Dehydration and its danger
One of the most common side effects of using a laxative is dehydration. Against this background, the appetite is dulled, and the stomach itself is reduced in size. If you do not actively replenish lost water, this can lead to dehydration.
Common symptoms include headaches, decreased urination, increased thirst, fatigue, dry skin, and dizziness. Accordingly, this can affect the work of internal organs.
Electrolyte imbalance
Electrolytes are substances dissolved in the fluids of your body that are important for the normal functioning of cells and tissues. These are chloride, sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium and phosphate. If the balance is disturbed, it can cause dangerous side effects, including cramps, confusion, and coma. Any laxatives can lead to the loss of important electrolytes. Therefore, it is impossible to practice taking a laxative to cleanse and lose weight on your own, you need to coordinate everything with a specialist.
Other side effects
In addition to dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, and potential dependence, the use of laxatives can cause a number of other dangerous side effects, including:
- Rhabdomyolysis One study showed that the abuse of laxatives can provoke rhabdomyolysis, causing rapid destruction of muscle tissue and the release of harmful protein into the bloodstream.
- Damage to the gastrointestinal tract. A small study showed that some recovered patients with anorexia had changes in the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and long-term damage to the pancreas.
- Damage to the liver. In one study, it was reported that the use of a laxative contributed to liver damage in one out of ten patients.
- Renal failure. Another study found that excessive consumption of laxatives seems to have caused severe kidney failure requiring dialysis, a treatment that helps remove waste products and toxins from the blood.
However, additional studies of potential long-term effects are needed. Perhaps, as a result, it will be possible to detect effective laxatives for weight loss.
The best ways to lose weight
If you use unhealthy weight loss methods, such as laxatives, cleansing, or severe food restrictions, stop and seek professional help to prevent health consequences. There are many better, safer, and more effective ways to lose weight without compromising your health.
Here are some simple, proven ways to lose those extra pounds:
- Eat more fruits and vegetables: they are low in calories, but rich in fiber. A higher intake of fruits and vegetables will reduce body weight. At the same time, fiber itself is a laxative, as it improves the movement of feces through the intestines.
- Increase your physical activity: aerobic exercise several times a week can help in weight loss and prevent its recovery.
- Reduce serving sizes: smaller servings mean fewer calories. One study even found that simply using small plates makes participants eat less.
- Eat a high protein breakfast: Starting with a protein breakfast, you reduce your appetite and food intake throughout the day.
- Reduce your sugar intake. Sugar contains a lot of calories, almost no nutrients and leads to weight gain. Studies show that drinking sugary drinks can lead to obesity.
Any fast-acting laxative for weight loss is used only because a person is obsessed with the idea of quickly becoming slimmer without making any effort. Finding a magic pill in this case does not play the best role.
Instead of a conclusion
Laxatives can be an effective way to prevent or treat constipation. However, their use is unlikely to lead to stable weight loss. In addition, intestinal stimulation can be accompanied by many dangerous conditions, including dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, and dangerous health conditions.
If you want to lose weight, make small changes to your diet and exercise regularly. These solutions are safer, more efficient and more sustainable in the long run. Salt water, natural oils, or the inclusion of fresh vegetables salads (beets, zucchini) in the diet can be used as bowel cleansing to speed up the results. A proper diet and a healthy diet in itself stimulates the normal functioning of the intestines and relieves constipation.