Together, these side effects interfere with normal bowel movements. When the muscles in the colon are prevented from working as they should, they weaken over time. But when used for too long or at too high of a quantity, laxatives can damage the nerves. This stimulation makes the intestinal muscles contract and move the stool out of the body. Laxatives work by artificially stimulating, or irritating, the nerves in the large intestine. People become both psychologically and physically dependent on laxatives, more quickly than many realize.Ĭonstipation: Laxatives are used to treat constipation, but when abused, laxatives can actually cause constipation to worsen. Risks Associated with Laxative AbuseĪfter taking laxatives for a period of time, the body begins to rely on the help of the laxative in order to move waste through the body. The rectum, at the lower end of the large intestine, stores stool until it can be pushed out of the anus during a bowel movement. It’s at this point that nutrients and water from food are absorbed through the walls of the small intestine into the bloodstream.įrom there, waste products move into the large intestine. In the small intestine, digestion continues with the help of enzymes from the pancreas and bile from the liver. In the stomach, digestive acids and enzyme further process the food, before emptying into the small intestine. Chewing breaks down food for easier processing by the body. The digestive process starts the moment we put food into our mouths. But as soon as the individual drinks water, the weight returns. This can make a person feel like they have a flatter stomach or cause the numbers on the scale to read a bit lighter. Laxatives may, however, cause temporary loss of water, electrolytes, minerals and waste product sitting in the lower intestine. The bowel movement triggered by the laxative doesn’t even contain a lot of food, fat, or calories. By the time waste reaches that area of the body, the small intestine has already absorbed the calories from the food consumed. Laxatives do not actually help people lose weight. The Myth of Laxatives as a Weight-Loss Tool Others take small amounts, potentially even staying within the recommended dose, but for far longer than is safe. Many people who abuse laxatives will take more than the suggested dose and continue to increase that dose as the body becomes accustomed to the additional assistance. However, individuals with an eating disorder may disregard these warnings. Laxatives contain warnings that using the medicine for more than one week can cause serious long-term complications. The thinking – though incorrect – is that the laxative will quickly move food through the body and clear out calories before the calories can be absorbed. Laxative abuse is the repeated use of laxatives to purge calories or food. While a doctor may recommend occasional laxative use for people with constipation, in people with eating disorders, laxative use may become a frequent or everyday occurrence. Laxatives are medicines to treat constipation by softening the stools to make passage easier, or by stimulating the lower intestine to push out stool.
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