The word laxative is derived from a Latin word “Laxatus” which means to loosen. Laxative is basically a food, medication or either any compound which can cause the induction of bowel movement. This further helps in making the stools soft. When a person suffers from hardness of stools, the laxatives are generally prescribed by the doctor. Constipation is a disorder of intestine which causes it to absorb more water from the stools which ultimately result in hardening of stools. When Laxatives are taken, they act as a lubricant to soften the stools and facilitate the easy removal of stools from the body. In some cases Laxatives are also used before the examination of bowels. This is generally done before executing a bowel surgery. Taking laxatives to reduce weight are in fashion as well as many men and women who are taking weight loss programs are reported using laxative pills.
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Do Laxatives Help You Lose Weight ?
It has been seen that many people take laxatives as a part of their dieting routine with an aim to reduce weight. It is understood factor that laxatives speed up the digestive process in the body. When digestion speeds up, the bowel movements are supposed to increase as well. According to a research conducted earlier this year, it has been revealed that more than 47% of females take laxative pills to reduce weight. How to lose weight with laxatives is still under debate. There is also a big question about safety of using laxatives to lose some pounds of weight and the probability of side effects if any along with taking laxatives to reduce weight. In this article we will discuss the effects of using laxatives and how safe these laxatives are while aiming to lose weight.
Do Laxatives Help You to Reduce Weight Fast ?
Laxatives are usually available in the form of suspensions, syrups or pills, the main purpose of laxatives are to speed up the process of digestion. Along with it, they also help to minimize the chances of person to suffer from constipation. The people who are suffering from chronic constipation are at risk of certain associated ailments like piles, bowel cancers etc. such people are recommended to use laxatives regularly. Laxatives help to regulate and speed up the bowel movement and help in the easy removal of stools. On the other hand, use of laxatives for a long time also can cause threatening health issues as excessive water can be lost from the body along with considerable amount of nutrients and salts. Do laxatives help you to lose weight? Under these circumstances, loss of essential nutrients from the body can sometimes be disastrous. Hence you are supposed to consult a dietician or regular family physician while taking up such pills to reduce weight or to fight against constipation. Asking doctor before the use of such medicines generally keeps you safe from over use of these medicines and you will be well aware of side effects as well.
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How to Lose Weight With Laxatives ?
Laxatives are finest remedies for losing water weight. According to your requirements, the doctor might advise you the use of laxatives pills or syrups twice a day. How to lose weight with Laxatives? With the use of laxatives, stools are removed along with some other toxins are flushed out of the body. These laxatives indeed work in the gastro intestinal tract where they help in passing out the gases which if gather in the body might be harmful. When toxins, stools, harmful gases are lost from the body, the person ultimately feels well. Do laxatives help to lose weight? According to Doctors however it is not appreciated to use laxatives to lose weight. Keeping in mind that the prolong use of laxatives can disrupt the general health and well being of a person and can also result in drug dependency. (a condition in which no bowel movement will occur if the drug is withheld). Hence for a long time, the use of laxatives is never considered a good option. Moreover, when laxatives are taken, they result in the increased removal of water from the body, the water is lost with some essential minerals and the energy balance of the body is disrupted. An increased water discharge from the body can cause dehydration and de-mineralization of the body which can result in sudden death as well. Hence taking laxatives to lose weight sometimes can be fatal. For females who use laxatives for shedding some pounds of weight can harm their bodies and damage their livers.
Effect of Laxatives and Weight Loss On the Body:
As per their use, there is always a probability of side effects when using any medication and same is the case when you use laxative either for constipation or weight loss. However certain factors are always associated with it, the drug tolerance level is different for different people and depending on the nutritional value and life style of a person; the side effects of laxatives may also vary. Can laxatives help lose weight ? Laxatives definitely help in reducing weight but at the same time, there are many risks associated with use of medicines to lose weight.
The Short Term Side Effects of Laxatives and Weight Loss on the Body:
In the beginning of taking laxatives to lose weight, a person might encounter certain temporary discomforts like increased bloating, diarrhea and vomiting. These effects however can be overcome by simply withdrawing the medicine or by taking some alternate measures. As diarrhea result in removal of some useful minerals from the body and human friendly bacteria are also damaged, your doctor may prescribe Vitamin B-complex along with the use of laxatives to maintain the nutritional balance of the body. Some people after taking initial doses of laxatives also report cramps in stomach, if this happens, the doctor may stop the medicine immediately. For women the decreased energy level and loss of minerals can also alter menstrual cycle hence, it is always recommended to consult a doctor while taking laxatives. Do laxatives help you lose weight? We recommend you to find out alternatives of laxatives like natural products which won’t harm the body.
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Long term effects of Laxatives:
The long term effects of using laxatives include instability and irregularity of bowel movement which can be a serious concern in future.
- In some people with frequent use of laxatives, the removal of too much water can result in rectal bleeding.
- If you get habitual of laxatives, you may end up in strong and extremely painful stomach cramps. The stomach linings are also disturbed by laxatives hence a person may feel nauseous and vomiting is likely to happen.
- Permanent and serious damage to intestine is reported with people using laxatives for a long run.
- Not only intestine, the regular intake of laxatives is also considered to be linked with permanent damage to gastrointestinal tract. Don’t make your body habitual of such medication as these medicines are not to be used for a long time.
- Diarrhea associated with the use of laxatives may end up causing wrinkles and freckles on the skin and make you look aged.
- Laxatives also cause nerve impulse as they alter the electrolytes with invade the body.
- In extreme cases, permanent damage to kidneys, liver, bowel cancer is also caused while using laxatives for a long time.
Do Laxatives Make you Lose Weight Fast ?
Keeping in mind the serious health consequences, the use of laxatives must be avoided, though there are some natural components which can be taken up and are equally effective as laxatives are as far as weight loss is concerned. The best thing while using natural products is that no side effects are associated with them.
- Keep your body well hydrated, take 2-3 liters of liquid daily, water will not only keep you hydrated, it will also speed up the process of digestion and induce bowel movements.
- Add prunes in your meals as they are treasures of Potassium and Vitamins, they help in maintaining healthy bowel as well. Taking prunes on empty stomach is one of the best natural remedies for constipation. Besides, they also help in reduction of weight. Do laxatives help you lose weight? Besides laxatives, there are some other products which are extremely helpful as far as weight loss is concerned. Better is to rely on natural products.
- If you have high cholesterol level in the body, you can take coconut water as well. It is a naturally occurring laxative and is proven effective for weight loss.
- High fiber diet is needed in routine to keep the intestine healthy and well functional. Legumes are rich in fiber, they aid in the easy removal of stools and reduction of weight.
- Green leafy vegetables are also rich in fiber and must be taken in routine for regulating the process of digestion and to shed some pounds of weight.
- Take salads and fruits as a part of your everyday diet. The fiber present in vegetables as well as fruits is extremely significant for healthy bowel and its movements.
Laxatives For Weight Lose and Our Conclusion?
As we have studied in this article that laxatives are useful as they speed up the process of digestion and facilitate bowel movements which are needed for the removal of stools from the body, they are helpful in losing weight but at the same time, you need to consult a doctor before taking laxatives to reduce weight, consequences and side effects. Extreme care is needed while using any medication, hence it is always better to rely on natural products and remedies as they are free from side effects.
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