Lose Weight With A Laxative

Laxatives are basically bowel movement stimulants. But many dieters use laxatives to lose weight as they seem to speed up the movement of the digested food through the digestive tract, thereby preventing the absorption of calories. While laxatives may work in weight loss, overuse or continuous use can cause serious health issues. So, if you are considering using laxatives to lose weight, you must know what you are getting into. This article discusses the types of laxatives, how much weight you can lose using laxatives, and the side effects you must be aware of. Swipe up.

Laxatives are herbal or chemical medicines that help loosen the stool and improve bowel movement (1). According to the American Gastroenterological Association, doctors commonly prescribe laxatives to those dealing with constipation (2). Laxatives help add bulk to the stool and push out the waste from the digestive tract. There are various types of laxatives, as discussed in the next section.

While various different types of laxatives are used in combating constipation, the graph below mentions top ten laxatives that were prescribed in the UK in 2021. A recent study portrays Macrogol 3350 as the most commonly prescribed laxative, with an estimated 6.8 million prescription items, emphasizing on its leading usage in the medicine industry.

Laxatives For Weight Loss: Why They Are Not Safe Or Effective

There’s not a single laxative doctors specifically recommend for weight loss. So, why do dieters use laxatives to lose weight? Are they effective? Let’s find out.

Laxatives do not aid weight loss. They are meant to help people get relief from constipation. But here’s why many people use/abuse laxatives for weight loss.

Laxatives speed up the movement of the digested food in the small intestine. The small intestine is where all the nutrients get absorbed. And when the nutrients are not absorbed properly, the body absorbs fewer calories. But will this help you lose the flab and achieve a toned body and a healthy mind? No. You may lose water weight, but not fat. After losing 1 to 2 pounds, your weight loss will stall.

Is It Safe To Take Laxatives For Weight Loss?

You may continue using laxatives to lose more weight, but they will only harm your health. Moreover, there is no scientific research supporting the effectiveness of laxatives for weight loss. Yet, people with eating disorders use laxatives to lose weight and look a certain way. This is an unhealthy practice and laxative abuse only further deteriorates your physical and mental health.

One of the first effects of overusing laxatives is dehydration (5). Most laxatives tend to draw water into the digestive tract from the surrounding tissue to soften the stool, leading to dehydration. When you are dehydrated, your cell function and metabolic rate

XThe minimum amount of energy the body needs to sustain basic life functions when at rest. will go down, and your brain function will be compromised.

Do Not Use Laxatives For Weight Loss!

Electrolytes play an important role in proper cell function, cell division, cell signaling, etc. And the main electrolytes are sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, phosphate, and magnesium. Overusing laxatives lead to an imbalance in the electrolyte levels that can involve the renal

XIt’s also called the circulatory system and includes the heart and blood vessels. (6). If you are using laxatives and suffer from a headache, muscle fatigue, weakness, and heart palpitations, stop their use and consult a doctor immediately.

Constant use of laxatives may lead to kidney or renal disorders (5). When that happens, over time, your kidneys may become weak and fail.

Things You Should Know If You're Using Laxatives For Weight Loss

Rhabdomyolysis is caused due to severe injury and muscle death (7). Using laxatives for days to lose weight may lead to muscle loss, weakness, and even muscle death. This can lead to an overdose of harmful protein in the bloodstream causing further complications.

Taking too many chemical tablets is not good for your liver. Using too many herbal laxatives may lead to liver damage. However, more research is needed in this regard.

Since laxatives do not actually help you lose the flab, you will not lose weight after losing the initial water weight. This may trigger obsessive-compulsive actions and depression.

Laxatives For Weight Loss

Now that you know there are so many disadvantages to using laxatives as weight loss agents, you may want to consider the next best options to lose weight quickly. Well, here’s what you’ve got to do.

Overusing laxatives may lead to addiction. The intestines may become dependent on them and cause a constant state of dehydration. Consequently, when water is introduced back into the body, the resultant weight gain could be extreme (8).

According to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), between 2015 and 2018, one in five adults aged 20 and above followed a diet plan on a given day, and weight loss or low-calorie diets were the commonly followed diet plans (9). However, several fad diets show no improvement. Following the points given below may help you know better:

The Problem Of Living On Laxatives To Lose Weight

Thus, it is important to note that while laxatives can be used for weight loss, incorporating healthy eating habits, increasing water intake, and focusing on improving digestion through fiber-rich foods is a more sustainable and long-term approach to maintaining a healthy weight.

Eating mindfully is the key to losing the excess flab without taking any crazy pills or diet. Laxatives are meant for people with chronic constipation. They are not ideal for weight loss and do not prevent caloric absorption. In turn, they can result in other health problems and illnesses. Hence, take your health seriously. Taking laxatives for weight loss is not advisable.

While consuming too much dairy products can lead to constipation some people can get things going with a glass of warm milk.

Do Laxatives Help You Lose Weight?

Yes, laxatives make your bowel movement regular, helping to flush out waste and toxins from your body. However, overuse for a prolonged time is not recommended.

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Pallavi Srivastava is a Clinical Nutritionist with over 13 years of experience and the founder of Q-Slim Fitness Studio. She has dealt with more than 6000 clients, including Industrialists, Politicians, TV and film Celebrities, etc. Apart from formulating Diets for Weight loss, Weight Gain, Pregnancy and lactation diets, She helps treat issues related to High Cholesterol, High Blood Pressure, Diabetes, ...more

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Charushila is an ISSA certified Fitness Nutritionist and a Physical Exercise Therapist. Over a span of 6 years, she has authored more than 400 articles on diet, lifestyle, exercises, healthy food, and fitness equipment. She strives to inform, educate, and motivate her readers via authentic, straightforward, and fact-checked information. After completing her master's in biotechnology from Vellore Institute of Technology, ...more

Believes in credibility and giving our readers access to authentic and evidence-based content. Our stringent editorial guidelines allow us to only cite from reputed research institutions, academic journals, and medically established studies. If you discover any discrepancy in our content, you may contact us.One consequence of this can be weight loss – and a study last year of 13, 000 people by Pediatrics found that dieters are increasingly turning to these small pills. The study found that 10.5pc of males aged 23 to 25 and 5.5pc of females within the same age group have used laxatives to try to lose weight.

They may be misguided in doing so. Using laxatives for weight loss is like playing with fire, according to Nigel Denby, a dietitian specialising in treating Irritable Bowel Syndrome. And The National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) agrees,  calling the overuse of laxatives for weight loss the “The Laxative Myth” – because, quite simply, it doesn’t work.

Natalie Lost 12st On Diet Coke And Laxatives And Says Lockdown Saved Her

The reason? Laxatives act on the large intestine, long after most food and calories have already been absorbed by the small intestine.

“The ‘weight-loss’ caused by a laxative-induced bowel movement contains little actual food, fat or calories, explains the association. Instead, laxatives encourage the loss of water, minerals, electrolytes and indigestible fiber and wastes from the colon.”

“There are three main types of laxatives, ” dietitian Nigel Denby explains. “Some help to soften the stools and make them easier to pass. Others bulk the stool up by adding fibre, which again makes waste easier to pass out of the body.

Laxatives For Weight Loss: What Dietitians Want You To Know

Then there are also laxatives which help to stimulate the gut muscles to do their job to move waste along the large intestine and out of the body.”

In a word? No. “Using laxatives to obtain a flat stomach is crazy, ” says Nigel. “Of course, if you’ve been constipated, you’re definitely going to feel more comfortable once you’ve been to the loo.

You might also find that opening your bowels relieves trapped wind and bloating but it won’t aid weight loss and routinely taking them is very dangerous.”

Half Of Women Dieters Admit Using Laxatives For Quick Fix Weight Loss At Least Once Despite Knowing It's Bad For Their Health

You may have read reports of people feeling ‘skinnier’ or having a flatter stomach after taking laxatives but this is purely down to a loss of water weight, which will immediately return once the body is rehydrated.

“Laxatives can lead to the body losing a lot of fluid, and with it, a lot of important electrolytes, ” says Nigel Denby. These electrolytes control systems and functions in the body - including vital organs and your heart beat.  “When your electrolytes are out of balance, you can feel