In the 'Supplements And Medications' section of our in-depth questionnaire we ask the following question about osmotic laxative use:
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Osmotic Laxatives. Do you use oral laxatives that work by drawing water into your colon? Examples include epsom salts, Milk of Magnesia, Golytely and Colyte.
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Your answer |
...indicates |
...and suggests |
| 1. |
"Don't know" |
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| 2. |
"No" |
No osmotic laxative use |
A risk factor |
| 3. |
"Frequent use (1 to 4 times per week) or less" |
Regular osmotic laxative use |
A risk factor |
| 4. |
"Approximately daily" |
Daily osmotic laxative use |
A risk factor |
| 5. |
"More than once daily" |
Excessive osmotic laxative use |
A risk factor |
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Your answer will affect the likelihoods of the conditions below.
Any answers in green reduce the likelihood of the condition.
GLOSSARY
Calcium
The body's most abundant mineral. Its primary function is to help build and maintain bones and teeth. The body also needs calcium to carry nerve signals, keep the heart functioning, contract muscles, clot blood and maintain healthy skin. Calcium helps control blood acid-alkaline balance, plays a role in cell division, muscle growth and iron utilization, activates certain enzymes, and helps transport nutrients through cell membranes. Calcium also forms a cellular cement called ground substance that helps hold cells and tissues together.
Colon (Colonic)
The part of the large intestine that extends to the rectum. The colon takes the contents of the small intestine, moving them to the rectum by contracting.
Kidneys (Kidney, Renal)
Bean-shaped organs, each about the size of a fist. They are located near the middle of the back, just below the rib cage. The kidneys are sophisticated reprocessing machines, each day handling about 50 gallons of blood to sift out about half a gallon of waste products and extra water. The waste and extra water become urine, which flows to the bladder through tubes called ureters. The actual filtering occurs in tiny units inside the kidneys called nephrons. Every kidney has about a million nephrons. In a nephron, a glomerulus -- which is a tiny blood vessel, or capillary -- intertwines with a tiny urine-collecting tube called a tubule. A complicated chemical exchange takes place, as waste materials and water leave your blood and enter your urinary system. The kidneys recycle chemicals such as sodium, phosphorus, and potassium and thus regulate their levels. Renal: Pertaining to the kidneys.
Laxative (Laxatives)
A substance (food, herb, chemical) that stimulates evacuation of the bowels. Examples include cascara sagrada, senna, castor oil, aloe vera, bisacodyl, phenolphthalein and many others.
Magnesium
An essential mineral. The chief function of magnesium is to activate certain enzymes, especially those related to carbohydrate metabolism. Another role is to maintain the electrical potential across nerve and muscle membranes. It is essential for proper heartbeat and nerve transmission. Magnesium controls many cellular functions. It is involved in protein formation, DNA production and function and in the storage and release of energy in ATP. Magnesium is closely related to calcium and phosphorus in body function. The average adult body contains approximately one ounce of magnesium. It is the fifth mineral in abundance within the body--behind calcium, phosphorus, potassium and sodium. Although about 70 percent of the body's magnesium is contained in the teeth and bones, its most important functions are carried out by the remainder which is present in the cells of the soft tissues and in the fluid surrounding those cells.
Osmotic Laxative (Osmotic Laxatives)
Osmotic laxatives exert a laxative effect by drawing water into the colon and retaining fluid in the bowel or by changing the pattern of water distribution in the feces. Unlike stimulant laxatives, they are safer and non-habit-forming. The most commonly used osmotic laxatives include magnesium hydroxide ("Milk of Magnesia"), magnesium citrate, magnesium sulfate (Epsom salts), sodium potassium tartrate, lactulose, glycerol and polyethylene glycol. Some are administered orally and others by enema.
Last updated: Feb 28, 2008
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