Laxatives are often used for quick weight loss, which confirms the incredible ingenuity of humans in the fight against excess pounds.
Medications and weight loss… This pair should always raise concerns.
Laxatives do indeed have the ability to tilt the scale towards a decrease. But the main question that should concern us is: at what cost? and what is the price?
From a medical standpoint, their use for weight loss is an unsafe practice. The harm from their use can be catastrophic for health and life-threatening.
In this article, we will discuss the mechanism of action of laxatives for quick weight loss, how effective they are, and what the side effects of their use are.
Main thoughts:
Prolonged use of laxatives can lead to a long-term disruption of insulin response to normal food
What are laxatives and what is their mechanism of action for weight loss
Laxatives are medications used in medicine to stimulate bowel movement for the rapid evacuation of its contents.
They are very often used for constipation – it is hardly necessary to explain, but nevertheless – a condition of difficult bowel evacuation, when trips to the toilet are rare and usually very painful.
In our time, laxatives have gained quite a bit of popularity as a means for quick weight loss.
The idea at first glance is simple and obvious: the use of laxatives significantly increases the frequency of “throwing off the waste from the ship,” body weight (or scale readings) decreases, and the result is pleasing to the eye.
In reality, the mechanism of action of laxatives for weight loss is more complex. Body weight decreases not only due to the removal of fecal masses: after all, their quantity is limited. But due to… more on this below.
But at this stage, it is already clear that the reason for the decrease in body weight as a result of the use of laxatives is not the hated fat. This is important.
There are several types of laxatives that act in different ways 1:
- stimulant laxatives: accelerate the speed of peristaltic movements of the intestine by stimulating the nervous system;
- osmotic laxatives: cause the retention of a larger amount of fluid in the intestine, which provokes an increase in the frequency of its contractions and ultimately evacuation;
- bulk-forming laxatives: they move through the intestine without being absorbed, absorb water, and increase the size and mass of the stool. One vivid example is fiber.
- lubricant laxatives: coat the surface of the stool with lubricant and simultaneously smooth the walls of the intestine, facilitating the movement of fecal masses;
- stool softeners: increase the amount of fluid retained in the stool, making it softer and facilitating evacuation.
The idea of using laxatives for weight loss is that they make trips to the toilet more frequent, increasing the amount of “ballast” expelled, which ultimately affects the overall body weight. But the reason for weight loss is NOT fat.
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What Causes Weight Loss When Using Laxatives
Laxatives are a quite popular tablet solution for quick weight loss. According to statistics, about 4% of the population uses them specifically for weight correction 2.
How effective are they?
It can be said unequivocally that they are effective for reducing body mass, but not for weight loss in the classical sense (through fat burning). Moreover, even this effect is very short-lived.
What is the difference between weight loss and body mass reduction?
Different people attach different meanings to the concept of weight loss. For some, it is a change in scale readings towards a decrease, while for others, it is a reduction in body fat percentage.
Body mass can change through various mechanisms.
The most desirable outcome is a reduction in body fat percentage. This is weight loss in the classical sense of the word; if it occurs, it has a long-term effect, brings health benefits, but is quite difficult to achieve: quickly – almost never.
Rapid weight loss is usually always the result of shedding ballast in the form of liquid from the body.
School biology textbooks taught us that the human body is approximately 80% liquid. This means that even a small change in its relative content significantly affects body mass.
“Weight loss” on popular quick weight loss diets occurs precisely due to liquid. These include detox diets and the use of laxatives.
Look carefully at the descriptions of different types of laxatives. You will find that the saturation of fecal masses with liquid is mentioned as a mechanism of action for most of them.
Weight loss when taking laxatives occurs due to the removal of liquid from the body, not fat burning
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Scientific Research on the Effectiveness of Laxatives for Quick Weight Loss
Let’s consider several scientific studies on the benefits and effectiveness of laxatives for quick weight loss.
In one of them, scientists studied the eating habits of 30 patients with bulimia: 20 of them used vomiting to forcibly expel the food they had eaten, while 10 used laxatives.
As a result, scientists concluded that compared to other weight control methods used by patients with bulimia, laxatives are the least effective 3.
Several curious facts from this study: the average caloric intake of bulimics during the day is 6025 calories (!) – three times more than recommended, in one case it was 30000 calories (!)… With such a caloric volume, the average weight of patients was within the normal range, which indicates the effectiveness of vomiting in preventing weight gain.
The uselessness of laxatives for weight loss is also confirmed by the results of another study 4 involving more than 8000 young people. The authors also note that those who resort to improper weight loss methods and means most often completely ignore the principles of a healthy lifestyle: proper nutrition and physical activity.
There are no scientific studies that confirm any benefit of laxatives for weight loss (in terms of reducing body fat percentage) at all.
Instead, there are numerous facts about the dangerous side effects and harm of laxatives to human health, including dehydration, electrolyte imbalance, which can even lead to… death.
Scientific studies indicate the uselessness of laxatives for weight loss; scientists call them – one of the most ineffective weight loss methods
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The harm of laxatives for weight loss and side effects of use
First of all, it should be noted that most studies on the harm of laxatives are based on scientific data regarding their use for medical purposes, such as treating constipation. As it is. There are very few direct studies on the benefits and harms of using laxatives for weight loss.
But this should not confuse anyone, just as the fact that scientists often draw conclusions about the benefits or harms of certain dietary supplements or medications based on research data on animals.
1 Dehydration
Dehydration of the body as a result of using laxatives is one of the most common side effects. This is explained by the fact that many types of laxatives work by drawing fluid from various parts of the body, saturating the stool with it.
Its symptoms include: headache, decreased urine output and its bright coloring, intense thirst, dry skin, and dizziness.
Undoubtedly, all these symptoms are perceived as harmless and causing only slight discomfort. However, dehydration is just the beginning of other more serious consequences.
The most characteristic side effect of using laxatives for weight loss is dehydration of the body. It manifests as mild discomfort in well-being but is the root cause of other more serious health consequences.
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2 Electrolyte Imbalance
Electrolytes are fluids that fill cells and the internal intercellular spaces of organs and tissues. They ensure their functioning.
They consist of ions of various chemical substances: chlorine, sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus.
For the normal functioning of the body, the balance between these ions is very important, i.e., their correct ratio. Disruption of this balance can lead to serious side effects, including muscle cramps, coma, and death due to heart failure.
Dehydration of the body as a result of taking laxatives can lead to an imbalance of ions 5.
The same happens with the use of diuretics (water pills) in bodybuilding – drugs that remove fluid from the body, including subcutaneous layers, to detail muscle relief.
Harmless diuretics are considered one of the most dangerous drugs in sports pharmacology and are very often the cause of deaths in professional bodybuilding (even more often than steroids, hormones, and other drugs).
Scientific studies confirm that the use of laxatives can lead to electrolyte imbalance.
In a study of 24 patients with diarrhea that occurred after taking laxatives, a disruption in the ratio of sodium and potassium ions in electrolytes was found 7.
This was also confirmed in a fairly large study of 2270 people who took laxatives before a colonoscopy procedure 8.
And this scientific report 6 states that in recommended dosages, laxatives are safe, but overdose leads to electrolyte imbalance (mainly potassium depletion) and other side effects.
Symptoms of electrolyte imbalance: thirst, headaches, arrhythmia (disruption of heart rhythm), fatigue, weakness, muscle pain.
The most dangerous side effect of using laxatives for weight loss is the disruption of electrolyte balance, which can result in muscle cramps, heart dysfunction, and even death.
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3 Dependence
Laxatives are relatively safe for short-term use. However, there is an opinion that prolonged use may lead to dependence.
This is especially true for laxatives with a stimulating effect on the nervous system.
Scientific data do NOT support these concerns 9. Some researchers note that both the development of dependence and the formation of resistance to their effects are not characteristic for laxatives 9,10.
Scientific data do not support the idea that using laxatives for weight loss can lead to dependence on them
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4 Rhabdomyolysis
Rhabdomyolysis is the rapid breakdown of muscle tissue, where remnants of muscle cells enter the blood and urine and can lead to kidney dysfunction (see below). The cause of rhabdomyolysis when using laxatives is said to be the depletion of potassium ions from the body.
The fact of rhabdomyolysis was recorded by scientists in an 87-year-old patient who took a very large dose of laxatives 11. Blood and urine tests showed a severe degree of deficiency in potassium, calcium, and chloride, as well as the presence of rhabdomyolysis.
Yes, of course, the case of an elderly woman, whose “everything is falling apart anyway,” may seem unconvincing to many, but nevertheless, the authors of the study make the following conclusion (regardless of the patient’s age):
“Although laxatives are not perceived as dangerous medications for human health, their long-term use may disrupt electrolyte balance and cause rhabdomyolysis.
Laxatives have a strong osmotic effect (fluid removal), resulting in the elimination of important minerals from the body. Rhabdomyolysis is most often a consequence of the depletion of potassium ions.”
The result of laxative overdose can be rhabdomyolysis – rapid breakdown of muscle tissue, ultimately leading to kidney dysfunction
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5 Impaired Digestive System Function
Some facts indicate a possible long-term impairment of digestive system function with prolonged use of laxatives.
In a study of 18 patients who underwent treatment for anorexia (10 of whom took laxatives), a disruption of insulin response to regular food was found specifically in those who used laxatives 12.
Prolonged use of laxatives can lead to a long-term disruption of insulin response to regular food
6 Liver Function Disruption
A disruption of liver function was found in a woman after taking a laxative 13. After the drug was removed from her system during rehabilitation, her symptoms improved.
7 Kidney Function Disruption
One scientific report describes the life-threatening kidney function failure in a 27-year-old woman who had been using laxatives for weight loss over an extended period. The cause was rhabdomyolysis.
Emergency medical assistance and resuscitation were required, which included hemodialysis to remove toxins from the blood and restore kidney function 14.
One of the most dangerous consequences of prolonged laxative use for weight loss can be kidney function disruption
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Conclusion
Laxatives are known as a means for quick weight loss.
Always remember the simple rule: anything that promises quick results usually has no long-term effect, does not reduce body fat percentage, and carries the risk of serious harm to human health.
Laxatives can indeed reduce body weight quite quickly, but they do so by expelling fluid, having no effect on the amount of fat in the body.
You cannot escape nature. The functioning of our body is governed by certain laws, and for proper weight loss without harm to health, it is important to follow them.
The following recommendations are the result of our understanding of the weight loss issue, as a result of thorough research over the past few years:
Excess calories are the main cause of obesity
The reality is that we eat too much. We are often convinced that the reason for excess weight lies elsewhere – in insufficient physical activity. However, recent scientific data indicates that sports are very ineffective for weight loss.
Eat more natural foods and eliminate everything that is man-made from your diet
Humans are constantly trying to improve everything. In the food industry, this results in the emergence of a huge number of refined products that have undergone harsh technological processing, filled with flavor enhancers, sugar, and preservatives.
Such products (especially fast food – the pinnacle of mastery) provoke overeating, lead to hormonal disruptions, and reduce metabolic rate. Stay away from them.
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Eat fewer carbohydrates, more protein
Protein is beneficial for weight loss. But don’t overdo it,
Reduce the relative share of carbohydrates in your diet, especially simple ones (sugar, fructose, flour), and increase the share of protein and healthy fats. This is the basis of the ketogenic diet, which is considered one of the healthiest for well-being and weight loss.
Engage in sports
Yes, sports are ineffective for weight loss. Why? Simply because an hour of running burns only one Snickers. And running for a whole hour is quite challenging. It is much easier not to eat a candy.
But sports are undoubtedly beneficial for health.
Pay attention to high-intensity interval training (HIIT), which scientists recognize as one of the most beneficial for health and weight loss. Moreover, they take significantly less time than traditional types of workouts.
Weight loss without harm to health must include calorie intake control, exclusion of harmful products for health and weight loss, as well as an increase in physical activity levels. Moreover, diet is more important. And such weight loss is never quick.
