Question: Could you please tell me what the long term effect of laxatives are?

Answer: The long term effects of laxatives are still being studied, but there have been health problems associated with taking laxatives for longer than recommended.

One of the most common effects of long term laxative use is that the body will no longer be able to go in the absence of the laxative agent. To combat this you should wean yourself off of the laxative over a period of weeks while adding plenty of fiber to your diet.

More serious problems associated with the overuse of laxatives are:

• Irritable bowel syndrome
• renal failure
• possible link to pancreatitis
• Possible intestinal paralysis

The other problem with overusing laxatives is that more of the laxative will be needed to promote a bowel movement over time as the body becomes used to the laxative agent.

We would recommend an alternative to laxative abuse such as an herbal supplement that contains all natural herbs and vitamins. A company called DrNatura has an extensive web site with the benefits to these supplements.

We hope we have answered your question about the long term effects of laxatives to your satisfaction, but if you need further information feel free to ask.