Can you buy laxatives at any age?

Laxatives won’t make or help you lose weight. They are dangerous if used for anything other than constipation.If you want to lose weight then eat healthy and exercise. There is no other way to lose weight safely without harming your body.

Some individuals are under the misconception that through the use of laxatives they can get rid of unwanted calories. Since most of the calories eaten are absorbed by the small intestine right after eating, the method of using laxatives for weight loss is actually ineffective. Many laxatives act by irritating the lining of the intestines or by directly stimulating nerves. Continual over stimulation of the intestines form laxative abuse can eventually cause the bowels to become non-responsive.

The misuse of laxatives can cause significant and severe medical complications. These complications include but are not limited to:

Abdominal pain, bloating, and fullness Dehydration Esophageal perforations and lacerations (Mallory-Weiss Syndrome) Electrolyte abnormalities Irritable bowel syndrome Ulceration of the bowel Malabsorption of nutrients leading to hypoproteinemia, hypoalbuminemia and calcium deficiency Fatty infiltration of the liver Pancreatitis Exacerbation of hemorrhoids Esophagitis Melanosis coli Gastritis Gastric ulceration Gastric bleeding Intestinal injury