Popular brands of osmotics include:Taken orally, stool softeners work like the name implies — they make hard stools softer and easier to pass with less strain. Our website services, content, and products are for informational purposes only. Castor oil is most frequently used for bowel preparation.Anthraquinones are a group of chemicals that contain the tricyclic anthracene nucleus. Available preparations are derived from plant material and are mixtures of various chemicals. Get some tips here on precautions and treatment.Having a lazy bowel means it’s difficult or painful to have a bowel movement. In the upper intestine, the triglycerides are hydrolyzed by the pancreatic lipase enzyme to liberate ricinoleic acid, which acts in the small intestine to stimulate fluid and electrolyte secretion and thereby reduce intestinal transit time.

Talk with your doctor before using any laxative.Overuse of laxatives (other than bulk formers) can result in the intestines losing muscle and nerve response, which can lead to dependency on laxatives to have a bowel movement.If you find yourself in this situation, your doctor should have suggestions on how to remedy laxative dependency and restore your colon’s ability to contract.When you have constipation and are using laxatives, make an appointment to see your doctor if you experience unexplained changes in bowel pattern or constipation lasting longer than seven days (even with using a laxative).Contact your doctor immediately if you experience:If you don’t get constipated, you won’t need laxatives.To help treat constipation and avoid it in the future, consider making these dietary and lifestyle changes:For the treatment of occasional constipation, you have a choice of a number of safe, effective OTC laxatives. The most common side effects are electrolyte and fluid imbalance, abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting.Senna (FDA category C) was not found to be associated with a higher risk for congenital abnormalities or adverse birth outcomes,Castor oil (FDA category X) works quickly; however, it is contraindicated in pregnancy as it may induce uterine contractions,We use cookies to help provide and enhance our service and tailor content and ads. This article reviews 20 natural laxatives and how they work.Many people think laxatives can help them lose weight quickly.

Healthline Media does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.Last medically reviewed on August 28, 2018,20 Natural Laxatives to Help Keep You Regular.Laxatives for Weight Loss: Do They Work and Are They Safe?What’s the difference between a stool softener and a laxative? Substitutions in the ring structure define various monoanthrones, including aloe-emodin, rhein, and frangula. Side effects include allergic reactions, electrolyte depletion, and melanosis coli, a benign discoloration of the mucosa due to apoptosis of the colonic epithelial cells.

They're usually mild and should pass once you stop taking the laxative. Stimulants may be used as initial therapy in patients with constipation, but for no longer than 1 week. If you’re considering using laxatives, understand that risks can include:Among other medications, laxatives can interact with certain heart medications, antibiotics, and bone medications.This information is often on the label. Because polyethylene glycol is metabolically inert (i.e., resistant to bacterial fermentation), it is less likely to result in these adverse GI effects.Surfactants: Anionic surfactants containing the docusate salts dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate or dioctyl calcium sulfosuccinate (e.g., Surfak Liqui-Gels, Colace, Doxinate) are mild stimulant laxatives. We’ll explain. This group includes senna (e.g., Senokot, Nature Remedy, Ex-Lax), cascara sagrada, and aloe. The stool softeners also produce little adverse effects and are usually safe but potentially can have serious problems. Flatulence, cramping, and bloating are largely related to the fermentation of osmotic laxatives by colonic bacteria. All rights reserved. Laxatives stimulate bowel evacuation and defecation by a number of different methods depending on the drug used.The major mechanisms of action include enhancement of fluid retention by hydrophilic or osmotic mechanisms, decreasing net absorption of fluid through effects on the fluid and electrolyte transport in the small or large intestines, and finally an alteration of motility by inhibiting nonpropulsive contractions or stimulating propulsive contractions.Laxatives are often placed in one of four categories that include: bulk forming laxatives, osmotic laxatives, stimulant laxatives, and stool softeners or surfactant laxatives.