Can Overuse Of Laxative Worsen Your Constipation?
Laxatives are foods, compounds or drugs taken to induce bowel movements and most often used to treat constipation.
Primarily, commercial laxatives have the noble purpose of helping those who suffer the symptoms of constipation for them to be able to have an easy and regular bowel movement.
Natural Laxatives
There seems to be a lot of misinformation about the use of laxatives. Although constipation happens to almost everyone alive at one point or another, it does not necessarily mean that laxatives are necessary each time it occurs.
In fact, occasional constipation can be treated in many ways without resorting to commercial laxatives for relief.
Natural laxatives should first be tried before one makes a choice of taking commercial laxatives.
Examples of the natural laxatives include increasing the amount of fiber in one’s regular diet, drinking plenty of water and fresh juices, eating fresh fruits and vegetables, taking flaxseed, exercising regularly, are just some of the many other natural remedies.
The Laxative Abuse Effects
Despite its good intention, dependence on laxatives happens which can actually backfire to the patient. Using laxatives for a long period of time can result in some serious consequences.
The colon (part of the large intestine) and lower digestive tract will ultimately cease working if not helped by laxatives. It becomes riskier because it can permanently damage the colon.
People who use too much amount of laxatives will eventually find the exact opposite happening — the laxatives will cause reflex constipation.
This means that repeated use of laxatives over a long period of time actually causes constipation. This may lead people to increase the dosage of the amount of laxative which in turn only worsens the constipation problem.
Laxatives cause loss of body fluid through the intestines. Dehydration then impairs body functioning.
People who abuse laxatives, especially the stimulant-type laxatives, can develop blood in their stools. Chronic blood loss associated with laxative abuse can lead to anemia.
A lot of people who use too much laxatives have electrolyte imbalances. Electrolytes like potassium, sodium, magnesium, sodium, and chloride are of great importance to life functions.
They help regulate muscle contraction, heart rhythm, nerve function, fluid balance and other bodily functions. Chronic diarrhea leads to an electrolyte imbalance in the body as electrolytes are drawn out through the bowel.
Laxatives can cause fluid loss. This fluid imbalance confuses the body ‘s protective mechanism. Its response is to retain the fluid in the body. As a consequence, prolonged used of laxatives almost always leads to edema or fluid retention.
This creates the effect of looking and feeling bloated.
Oral laxatives may interfere with the body’s absorption of some medications and food nutrients.
Considering its harmful effects when used for a prolonged period of time, laxatives should therefore be used only upon the advices of a medical doctor and only as a last resort.
Otherwise, the resulting long-term harmful side effects will not be worth the short tem solution it gives to the patient.
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