Can laxatives cause inflammation?

When we hear the word ‘laxative,’ we usually think of bowel movements, and lots of them. Some people use laxatives to lose weight, while others need them for constipation or other reasons. Unfortunately, recent studies suggest that many laxatives can also cause inflammation in the body.

What are Laxatives, Anyway?

For those who don’t know: a laxative is a substance that helps promote bowel movements. These come in pill form, suppositories and some fruits like prunes which have natural laxative properties on their own.

Laxatives work by stimulating nerves in the colon or by softening stool through increased water retention capacity from colonic absorption.Right… but what does this have to do with inflammation?

The Link Between Inflammation and Laxatives

You see our digestive systems – contrary to popular belief – are complicated biological computers rather than just tubes that food goes down without any significant interior effect whatsoever (please excuse us using technical terms!). Many different factors contribute to how well our intestinal system works – including inflammation.

In simple terms when something is inflamed it is essentially angry at its present state i.e. it gets bigger as cells fight themselves; A fascinating thing about your gut is there’s a constant low-level amount of bacteria fighting each other pretty much all the time your whole life regardless if you eat too much fiber over Thanksgiving dinner or stick to sushi forever.

This ongoing battle causes irritation along the digestive lining & mucosal border within which nutrients travel from between cells into blood circulation leading hitchhikers carrying info regarding nutrient levels throughout one’s bodily workings.

An important discovery has been made recently where certain types/quantities/concentrations of active ingredients commonly found in most forms of laxatives could exacerbate pre-existing inflammations like Crohn’s disease Irritable Bowel Syndrome acid reflux / Colitis.

Now, the leading doctor in charge of this study was extremely displeased as they could not use any common brand name due to limitations on medical findings publishing (obviously for our own safety) but he mentioned that ingredients such as Senna, Docusate sodium and sodium phosphate/citrate were some prime culprits.

What’s so Bad About Inflammation Anyway?

You might be wondering why inflammation is even a problem. After all, isn’t it just your body’s natural response to injury or infection? Well, yes and no.

Although inflammation can be helpful in certain situations – like when you have an acute cut – chronic low-grade inflammations i.e long burning embers instead of big short flames are linked with many health problems: heart disease, autoimmune disorders depression & Type 2 diabetes amongst others.

So yes which clearly means keeping the swelling down if other options available would give you a leg up against those future diseases you didn’t know are lurking (just like me at my classmates high school graduation…never seen since).

So Should You Stop Using Laxatives Altogether?

Depends…There’s no need to panic quite yet if one needs these magical little pills; after all – not everyone who uses laxatives will end up with inflammation issues! Like most things moderation seems key…if used occasionally prescribed by a licensed doctor space out dosage appropriately (N.B Overusage creates another set of problems) now let us move gracefully from our soapbox!

Oh! also before taking any self-medication advice off the internet do check with healthcare professionals for better alternatives especially since reducing inflammatory load through supplements / diet adjustments might work well too.

tl;dr Some types/quantities/forms/kinds of commonly used laxative agents contain compounds that trigger worsening inflammation reactions within intestines irritating lining/mucosal area contributing to illnesses like Crohn’s’ disease Colitis IBS etc among permanent health risks like diabetes heart disease etc assuming you keep up the habit for long. So if you are a frequent user/client prescribed with these users Do take caution, avoid overusing & do reach out to healthcare professionals follow their advice on alternatives/assuage them supplements / dietary revamps!

Dane Raynor

Hey there, I’m Dane Raynor, and I’m all about sharing fascinating knowledge, news, and hot topics. I’m passionate about learning and have a knack for simplifying complex ideas. Let’s explore together!