What's more, while taking laxatives for weight loss may seem like an easy way to speed up your metabolism more poop must mean a faster engine, right? In fact, taking laxatives for weight loss can actually create the opposite effect. By taking laxatives regularly, you essentially teach the muscles of your intestines and colon to shut off, since they get used to having an outside source do their job.
The result: paradoxical constipation the name says it all. Sure—but in very specific read: not vain! Stool softeners, such as Miralax, are less extreme versions of laxatives. They're less likely to cause the, er, explosiveness that full-blown laxatives might spike.
If you're still not seeing progress after two weeks, it's time to see a doc. And remember, no instant "skinny" feeling is worth risking your overall health. If you want to lose weight, stick to the tried and true basics: eat clean, exercise regularly, and for everyone's sake, drink lots and lots of water. Weight Loss. I'd been chubby my whole life, thanks to a healthy appetite and my mom's generous Southern cooking. Public school in Burlington, North Carolina, only reinforced my insecurities.
Showing up every day was like jumping into a shark tank filled with cute cheerleaders. I'd been swimming with them since kindergarten. Or rather, they'd been swimming; I'd just been floating along like a big, fat buoy.
But one Friday in gym class, in the ninth grade, something changed. As I struggled to hide my cottage-cheese thighs from the stares of the stick-thin girls, someone shouted, "Everybody duck—here comes the thunder! The fat me needed to die. First, I tried the usual dieting. I ate fat-free lunch meat and chicken noodle soup. I even tried my Granny Ruth's "buttermilk and cornbread diet," which, naturally, was more tasty than effective.
Nothing worked. I needed something more drastic. I needed to be inspired. I needed major motivation to transform myself into a svelte Southern belle. My answer came in the form of a premier, all-girls boarding school in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. It was home to some of the South's most prized debutantes—upper-class Scarlett O'Hara look-alikes who officially enter society like little ladies in lavish coming-out balls.
I'd never thought of myself as debutante material, all dressed up in satin and lace, dancing with my daddy before being presented to society at a fancy ball. But when I enrolled in this school at age 15, my thinking began to change. Tenth grade was a whole new world, full of late-night gab sessions with my roommate and new best friend. I started to feel less alone. One day, after listening to me whine about my weight for the hundredth time, my roommate suggested a solution: a little pink pill—a laxative.
Later that night, a miracle happened. My muscles burned, my stomach cramped, and what felt like half my weight in water ran down the toilet. When I looked in the bathroom mirror, I was astonished. My stomach looked distinctly flatter. For a second, the fat girl inside me felt almost After that, I started taking laxatives every day.
The pills felt like Excalibur in my hands. With their help, I began waging war against the fat. Yes, I had to run to the toilet constantly, necessitating all kinds of fibs to get out of class.
I'm sure my teachers were suspicious, but nobody ever called my parents or mentioned my frequent bathroom breaks to the dean. Instead, as the weeks went by and the pounds slipped off, everyone complimented me. My grades were improving, I was feeling more confident, and boys on the street were starting to notice me.
Feeling inspired, I decided to take my mission to a new level—by restricting the food I ate. I started skipping breakfast; for lunch I'd eat only a cup of bran cereal, topped with the smallest amount of skim milk possible.
Dinner wasn't allowed because I couldn't burn off the calories before bed. My new circle of friends also advised me to down laxatives with black coffee—a diuretic that would force excess water out of my body and help make me lean. Of course, coffee plus laxatives made bathroom visits more necessary than ever.
My stomach rumbled all the time, so my pals told me to chew peppermint candies. Chewing on them tricks your stomach into registering the sugar as food, so your muscles stop churning, or so I was told. Over the months, I watched my weight drop on the scale— pounds, then , , I was thrilled. Yet somehow it was never enough. When a couple of girls in my AP English class taught me another trick to keep my body laced with laxatives, I embraced the idea wholeheartedly.
They showed me how to steam open a little blue packet of Equal sweetener and fill it with finely ground laxatives. The thinking was this: I could keep a stash of these Equal packets in my purse and sprinkle the contents on my cereal, coffee, or tea anytime—right in front of my teachers' eyes. My friends and I thought we were incredibly clever. Yes, we could've just popped a pill in private in a bathroom stall, but this was real subterfuge.
Believe it or not, eventually I got myself down to about calories a day. Laxative use — especially when abused — can lead to an electrolyte imbalance. This can get dangerous. One small study of 24 people found that laxatives can cause major changes to urinary sodium and potassium levels. A larger study of 2, people showed that laxatives increase the overall risk of electrolyte issues. More serious side effects include:. Laxative abuse is when you take laxatives more often than you should in order to lose weight.
It can be very dangerous and is also fairly common. A research review showed that laxative abuse occurs in an estimated 4 percent of people. A research review showed that laxative abuse is common in people with an eating disorder ED like anorexia or bulimia nervosa.
A study also suggested that laxative abuse is common in obese and overweight teenagers. But keep in mind, anyone can abuse laxatives. Laxative abuse can lead to long-term and even life-threatening conditions. These include:.
Laxative abuse can cause a huge range of side effects. You might experience multiple symptoms at once. They could be a warning sign that something is off. Laxatives are usually safe when used in the short term. But some believe long-term use can lead to dependency. What does the science say? Laxative addiction is likely emotional, not physical.
But more research is needed. If laxatives are affecting your health or happiness, get help ASAP. Long-term use can lead to dangerous and sometimes irreversible side effects. You have nothing to be ashamed of. There are tons of amazing resources that can help.
A good first step is to chat with your doctor. You can also see a trained mental health professional or try a therapy app. Not ready to see a doctor? The National Institute of Drug Abuse offers a variety of free services. There are also additional resources available online like counseling services, hotlines, and treatment options. Liver damage: This is rare but possible. One study found that laxative use contributed to liver damage in one participant. Kidney damage: A case report showed that overusing laxatives can lead to kidney failure.
GI damage: A study showed that laxative abuse can mess with GI function and damage your pancreas. Rhabdomyolysis: A case report showed that this condition is linked with laxative abuse. They can help you come up with a recovery plan. There are so many safer, better ways to lose weight without risking your health.
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