Laxatives are common ammunition in the weight loss arsenals of people with eating disorders. The belief is that a stimulant laxative like Ex-Lax speeds up weight loss by purging food (and the accompanying calories) from the body quickly. Not only is that untrue, but the misuse of stimulant laxatives can severely damage one's body.

"Damage to nerve endings in the colon is also a very real concern because these nerve endings are what the body relies on to excrete waste from the body. If the stimulant laxatives render these nerve endings useless, then the result could be a total loss of control over bowel movements and even leaking of the rectum. Taking extra laxatives to try to resolve this problem could permanently damage nerve endings."

Because stimulant laxatives work on the colon, which is at the end of the digestive system, most calories have already been absorbed. So the use of laxatives not only increases, dramatically, a person's health risks, but the desired result (purging of food and calories before they're absorbed into the body) is medically impossible. Read more online.

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Labels: dangers_of_eating_disorders, health_care, long_term_effects

Posted By: Aspen Education Group