Lose Weight with Laxatives

Lose Weight with Laxatives

There are hundreds of different ideas floating around about the best way to lose weight. Some of them make sense while others are completely unrealistic. Trying to lose weight with laxatives is one of those that is completely unrealistic.

Laxatives function by stimulating the colon, increasing the frequency of peristaltic movements in the wall of the bowel and by increasing the amount of water present in the bowel. Neither of these functions has anything remotely to do with losing weight. In fact, if anything a person could gain weight from drinking more water to replace what is leeched from the other tissues to fill the bowel.

Lose Weight with Laxatives and Digestion

These drugs do not inhibit the absorption of nutrients from foods during digestion. Any part of what is consumed that can benefit the body in any way finds its way into the bloodstream and into the cells of the body. The only thing that is left over is waste material that the body cannot use. The bowel, being of limited size, cannot hold more than approximately five pounds of such waste matter.

While laxatives may hasten the expulsion of this waste material, along with a moderate amount of water, the total weight lost in the process will not be over six or seven pounds. In the process, the drugs cause dehydration, possible abdominal cramps, and other problems that are actually worse than carrying those five or six pounds around until they can be lost in the proper fashion.

People who use laxatives routinely as means to attempt to lose weight often find that their bowels will no longer work properly without them. This type of dependence on a drug is harmful to the body and the self esteem of the individual.

Lose Weight with Laxatives and Physical Illness

Other forms of physical illness often arise as a result of continued use of laxatives. In many ways, this condition is quite similar to the eating disorder known as bulimia, where a person eats all he/she desires, and then forces himself/herself to vomit by mechanical or chemical means. Anyone who thinks that eating all one can hold, and then forcing it out of the body rapidly through the use of laxative medications is fooling themselves.

This practice is unhealthy and useless in the battle against excess weight. It does not create any significant weight loss. Any weight lost in the process will be regained as soon as the person eats or drinks anything. It can lead to serious health problems. It is impossible to lose weight with laxatives, so it is best to find a more sensible approach to weight loss.