MYTH: If you induce diarrhea with laxatives you can prevent the absorption of food and avoid body weight gain.
FACT:Inducing diarrhea by laxatives does not significantly change the absorption of food. Consequently, laxatives do not significantly prevent weight gain. What appears, as weight loss is actually dehydration or water-depravation.Laxatives work near the end of the bowels--where they effect primarily the absorption of water and electrolytes and after most of the nutrients from the food have been absorbed into the body.
MYTH: You need to use a laxative every time you feel constipated.
FACT: “Feeling” constipated does not necessarily mean that you are constipated. This is especially true of people who have problems eating. Eating too little food or eating sporadically can result in the sensation of constipation. In this case the problem is not constipation, but poor eating habits.
MYTH:When you actually are constipated you need to use a laxative.
FACT: People who use excessive amounts of laxatives will eventually find the exact opposite happening—the laxatives cause reflex constipation.
MYTH: Laxatives are safe—especially over-the-counter laxatives.
FACT: Laxative abuse can be medically dangerous. Laxative abuse is defined as : a) the use of laxatives for weight control purposes; or b) the frequent use of laxatives over an extended period of time.
