Laxatives To Lose Weight - Pros and Cons

Laxatives to lose weight may seem like a good idea. Who doesn't want to lose some weight in the easiest, fastest way possible? The problem is that too often laxatives are used incorrectly, causing more harm than good. Not only are laxatives themselves not the best method for permanent weight loss, they also can be extremely unhealthy for your body and will create several other unpleasant side effects. With improper laxative usage, some individuals don't even realize they're detoxifying themselves of calories and nutrients, negatively affecting their body's natural fat metabolism, and disrupting their electrolyte balance...

Laxatives can cause several different common side effects that can greatly hinder their use. Some of the most common ones include constipation, bloating, gas, indigestion, diarrhea, headaches, fatigue, mood swings, urinary frequency, and much more. While these are certainly some of the most extreme, they're all symptomatic of the complications that can occur when using laxatives improperly. To make matters worse, as a society we're more inclined towards using laxatives as a quick fix for everything from constipation to energy crashes.

One of the biggest problems that occurs when using laxatives to lose weight is dehydration. As the body becomes dehydrated it stops absorbing nutrients and is instead producing too much waste to compensate for what it's missing. This causes cramps, which can last anywhere from a few minutes up to a few hours depending on the severity of dehydration.

Constipation is common with all forms of laxative usage. However, constipation is typically caused by insufficient dietary fiber, which leads to hard stools. Hard stools aren't absorbed well by the body, so it compensates by producing more. While this causes the uncomfortable feeling of constipation, it also causes long-term weight loss as the digestive system attempts to expel the excess waste.

As a result, people who take laxatives to achieve fast weight loss often find that the problem returns after the course of treatment is complete. The reason for this is twofold. First, after the body has finished with eliminating stool through laxative use it requires a relatively large amount of water to rehydrate itself. Second, while laxatives do help with relieving constipation, they don't help your body to properly excrete waste in a timely manner.

To combat this problem, there are two main laxatives, both of which replenish electrolytes, the primary source of moisture in the colon. The first is a water-soluble laxative, such as sodium bicarbonate, also known as diet soda, which helps to activate the colon's production of mucus. This mucus lubricates the stool and makes it easier to remove, while also preventing the stool from having an unpleasant odor.

Another type of laxative use is made from soluble fiber, found in psyllium products and other fiber-rich products. These fibers are not absorbed into the digestive tract, but act like natural mucus between the lining of the digestive tract and food. Mucin absorbs water from the stomach, as well as other liquids, so it prevents dehydration. This helps to maintain correct gastric acid levels and prevent the onset of ulcers. Psyllium also reduces the absorption of other toxins through its insoluble fiber content.

Both types of laxatives have drawbacks. While they relieve constipation and gastrointestinal discomfort, they also cause dehydration, an undesirable side effect of weight loss. And, while they do help you pass stool faster, they do so at your expense. While you may be tempted to drink more fluids after using laxatives to lose weight, doing so increases the risk of dehydration and causes the dehydration to become even more severe because of the increased volume of urine that results. For this reason, it is generally not recommended for people with medical conditions, who may be at risk for dehydration while using laxatives.