The Risks Of Using Laxatives
Far from helping us, the abuse of laxatives can make the intestines lazy and make us unable to evacuate without help, so we should avoid them.
The desperation to lose weight and show off a perfect figure leads many people to make bad decisions. One of those extreme measures, especially because they are harmful to health, is the excessive intake of laxatives. Do you know the risks of using laxatives?
Although can be purchased without medical prescription, they should not be taken as if a vitamin supplement is tried . Although they have the function of alleviating the symptoms of constipation, their prolonged consumption can lead to several consequences. Discover them below.
Laxatives: what are they for?
The main function of laxatives is to speed up the digestive process. Some doctors prescribe them for occasional constipation, on trips and vacations to “exotic” destinations, or when drastic changes in diets are ordered.
However, it is important to note that not all specialists share this idea of using them for prevention. However, using laxatives to lose weight or burn fat is completely useless, not to mention the long and troubling list of collateral damage.
Risks of the use of laxatives that you should know
If there is any virtue in chemical laxatives, it appears that it has yet to be found. Given the alarming number of people who use and abuse these substances, it is important to consider all the risks that are included.
Malnutrition
The belief that laxatives are useful to lose those extra kilos that bother so much is born from the idea that ” as the body does not have time to absorb fat from food, body mass will not increase .”
It is true that the digestion of food, as well as its subsequent expulsion, will be so express with the use of laxatives, that not only fats, but the body will not be able to extract absolutely anything from any food.
- Nutritionally this theory is outrageous and the only thing that can be achieved with it are various imbalances.
- The first symptoms to appear will be dizziness, cardiac arrhythmias or reluctance, among others.
Dehydration
The intestines will dispatch food at high speed, and for this they will need a lot of water, so the more “discharges”, the greater the consumption of liquids.
It must be remembered that, unless the person is receiving intravenous hydration constantly, the lack of water in the body will generate the respective dehydration picture. This, in turn, will be accompanied by loss of minerals and electrolytes.
Digestive system deficiencies
One of the risks of laxative use is possible dependence. Its excessive intake will cause the intestines and colon such a level of dependency that they will become more and more inactive. None of these organs will be able to carry out their basic tasks on their own if we accustom them to this extra help.
- In the case of the intestine, it will contract so much and so continuously that it will become flaccid and lose all strength.
- In the colon, all its nerve endings will atrophy, so no more alarm signals will be generated (those that tell the brain when it is time to defecate).
More intestinal problems
Other consequences of laxative abuse include:
- Diarrhea.
- Sickness.
- Vomiting
- Constant belly pain.
- Uncontrollable flatulence.
In addition, due to poor intestinal absorption, hypotension and hypertension problems may appear.
Hypokalemia
Another risk of laxative use is hypokalemia. It is also known by the name of hypokalemia or, what is the same, low levels of potassium in the blood.
- This disorder will include muscle weakness, cramps and cardiac arrhythmias.
- Paradoxically, it will also cause intestinal obstruction and constipation.
Most specialists consider the use of laxatives to be the most extreme of remedies. There are so many collateral damages that are incorporated that its use is extremely delicate. In cases of chronic constipation they are totally ruled out, since they only manage to further aggravate the condition.
When they are prescribed in “occasional” cases, their use should not exceed ten continuous days, always under strict medical supervision.
How to avoid the use of laxatives?
It is clear that, to lose weight, laxatives are useless. Although the body will stop assimilating fat from food, laxatives will not eliminate in any way what is already attached to the body. To have a fair figure for your weight, and also in cases of constipation, there are two key elements:
- A balanced diet, which also includes the intake of fluids, mainly water, as well as foods rich in fiber.
- Do exercise. Half an hour of daily walking, if you do not have more time to do sports, go to a gym, etc., it may be enough to maintain physical shape.
Now that you know the risks of using laxatives, try to use them only with a prescription. If you have digestive difficulties, try to deal with them with solutions of natural origin.
