Taking laxatives to lose weight?

Question

A friend of a friend is taking laxatives to lose weight.She has lost a lot of weight from doing it.I am so tempted as I still have a lot of pregnancy weight to lose and am really disheartened.Is it a good idea....it seems to work?

Answer 1

I think that chronic use of laxatives is a poor and dangerous way to lose weight.

Chronic use of stimulant or hyperosmotic laxatives can cause serious problems such as dehydration in the short term and diverticulosis longer term. There's less chance of harm when using emollient or lubricant laxatives, but even so these can cause other problems like becoming dependant upon them for proper bowel function.

If you feel you must use them, you should limit their use to no more than a week. It is important once you've finished using anything which clears your gut, to use a good pro-biotic to re-establish your intestinal flora in order to avoid problems with food intolerance.

You're much better off simply eating less food, making sure the food you do eat has a high fibre content and getting regular exercise.

Cheers.

Answer 2

No no no and no!!
It can lead to addiction since once you come off you will start to feel too full and uncomfy and then you'll want to take more laxatives to relieve the feeling since you're body will be so out the way of performing naturally.
Also, you'll lose out on masses of all the goodness of the food since your body will not have enough time to process the food before it gets rejected unnaturally from your body so this can lead to other problems of under nourishment etc which could have long term effects for you.
If you are trying to lose the baby weight (aren't we all and I'm 2 years down the line!) then healthy eating and exercise is your only option. Slowly but surely wins the day - if the weight comes off sensibly then it will stay off. Fast fixes will only mean the weight quickly going back on once you stop and are still eating the same amounts as you were with the laxatives, which is where a lot of addictions come in - so please get yourself a healthy eating plan. Why not persuade your friend to join with you then the sensible way will be easier with a friend along side.
I have just started a GI diet and lost 4 pound in a fortnight (2lb a week is the recommended loss) and it's filling and healthy and has loads of variety. Please follow a structured, calculated diet.

Answer 3

It is not a good idea - in fact worse than that it is insane and your friend will do no end of long term damage to her body. Misuse of laxatives can permanently make your bowels ineffective. In addition, if she has not changed her eating habits she will put the weight on as soon as she stops using the laxatives. Also, it is likely that she will be short of electrolytes which can cause serious health problems if left unaddressed. If you want to lose weight follow a Low GL eating plan such as Dr Jenny Brand or Patrick Holford, take some exercise everyday and drink enough water. It's not rocket science.

Answer 4

Laxitives can be very dangerous and can damage your insides. Also, you won't get any real long term benifits from them.

The real way to lose weight is to just eat in moderation and get at least 1/2 hour of moderate exercise a day.

When you use laxitives you do not absorb enough nutrience and once you stop you'll just be in your old habits again.

Losing weight is about lifestyle, not chemicals or flushing things out. If you can't change your habits you won't be able to keep your weight off long term.

Answer 5

no dont do it im also trying to loose weight since my last baby but im eating healthy going on plenty of walks and am losing 3-4 lbs a week laxatives will cause you long term health problems

Answer 6

Many people ask me how they can slim down. I recommend that people eat right and exercise. However, if they would like a little "help", I suggest using natural Hoodia (it's important to note that not all Hoodia works well, even if the bottle says "pure" or "standard").

The Hoodia sold at http://tinyurl.com/y389on is in my opinion the best Hoodia on the market. It's pure, has no side effects, and they give you a free 15 day sample (there is a $7.99 shipping and handling charge, but they also give you free recipe and diet guides). Fantastic results have been seen with this particular Hoodia.

Answer 7

It may seem like a good idea but she is also ruining her body

Laxatives can interfere with several medications, causing them to be less effective.

Laxatives can cause gastric upset, total dependency to achieve a bowel movement, in addition to possible toxic effects.

Laxatives can rob the body of vital vitamins and minerals, most significantly potassium, which can result in heart failure.

Answer 8

Dont go there and tell your friend to stop right now!!
This is a seriously dangerous thing to do as the after affects of taking these tablets consistently mean the bowels will stop operating them selves as they are used to the drug making them go. If you then ever stop taking them you will not be able to go naturally ever again and will only have the option of going back on laxatives.
Trust me I know how dangerous they are I have been there and done that, they can also cause you to literally pass your whole bowel which is not what you want.
There are plenty of ways to lose weight safely please dont go down this road it could quite possibly be the worst way of losing weight there is..
Why not try eating lots of oranges and lots of bran, they also have the same effect but in a safe and harmless way.
Good luck you can do it without the pills xx

Answer 9

Sounds like it could be a messy and inconvenient strategy. Anyway, you will probably put the weight back on once you stop taking them like any quick fix. You need a more permanent stratergy.

My friend was telling me about a herbal slimming remedy from Holland and Barrett called something like 'cidar vineger' tablets. Maybe you could try that initially along with a new healthy eating plan. But don't completely cut out everything you fancy or it won't last. Maybe treat yourself to a choccie bar once a week still.

Answer 10

I cant even Begin to tell you how much of a bad idea this is. If you want to find out what it does to you then please go out and buy 'Billie Pipper Growing Pains' this book is a good illustration of what effect it can have on your digestive system. Taking laxatives to lose weight will make you seriously ill and the damage caused can be unrepairable. If you want to live with the constant agony of cystitis then go ahead, but trust me you will regret it.