Iron is an essential mineral needed to carry oxygen through your red blood cells to every organ and cell in your body. It also is involved in producing energy. Anemia is one of the most common side effects of iron deficiency that can lead to...
Laxatives are useful for combating occasional constipation. Different laxatives work in different ways. Some stimulate the muscles of the bowel to contract. Others contain fiber that absorbs water and gives stool more bulk. Some laxatives are...
Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by cycles of binging and purging. Though purging typically takes the form of self-induced vomiting, some people that suffer from bulimia will abuse laxatives or over-exercise after a binge. Many...
Laxatives and diuretics are two types of medications that can be used when the body needs to get rid of extra fluid or stool. Although these medications usually work well to prevent high blood pressure, excess fluid buildup or constipation,...
Anorexia and bulimia are complex psychological disorders that pose an array of physical complications. People with the disorders may abuse laxatives in attempt to rid their bodies of calories, lose weight, or to improve digestive regularity....
Bulimia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by a destructive pattern of binge-eating followed by compensating with certain behaviors to obsessively control weight, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). Two types...
Edema is a condition caused by an excess of fluid trapped in your body tissues resulting in swelling. Typical reasons for this to emerge is excess salt consumption, premenstruation, pregnancy or sitting in one position for a long period. If you're...
Laxative abuse often accompanies the binge eating and vomiting of bulimia. According to a 2010 article by James Roerig and others, as many as 10 to 60 percent of patients suffering from bulimia also abuse laxatives. Laxative abuse poses numerous...
Laxatives in small and infrequent amounts may help regulate your bowel movements and should not damage your kidneys or other organs, according to MayoClinic.com. If you use laxatives to lose weight, take them frequently or in high doses, you could...
Losing weight gradually through proper diet and exercise is the best way to lose weight. A healthy weight loss is between one and two pounds per week but some people may want to see results quicker. Unfortunately, there are many weight-loss...
People who suffer from the eating disorder bulimia nervosa go through bouts of binge eating that are often followed by purging to avoid weight-gain and relieve the feeling of being uncomfortably full. The purge can involve misuse of laxatives or...
The Master Cleanse Diet claims to rid the body of the toxins that cause chronic illnesses, weight gain or the inability to lose weight, poor skin appearance and fatigue. Often used as a method to lose weight quickly, following the Master Cleanse...
Difficulty passing stools, infrequent stools and hard stools are all signs of constipation. This condition can result in several minutes of pushing and straining to no avail. The discomfort of this scenario may lead you to reach for an...
Potassium is an important electrolyte in the blood that helps to maintain normal nerve, muscle and heart function. According to MayoClinic.com, the normal level for potassium in the blood is 3.6 to 4.8 mEq/L. Anything lower than that is...
The World Health Organization explains that more than 1 billion adults are overweight and 300 million adults are obese. When people turn on the television or radio, they are often bombarded with exercise videos, weight loss supplements and diet...
The words "teen drug abuse" usually bring up images of illegal substances like cocaine and methamphetamine. Teenagers do abuse illicit drugs, but many are turning to readily available over-the-counter, or OTC, medications. They are easy to get...
Taking too many laxatives can put your health at risk. If you're taking excess laxatives for any reason, including chronic constipation or in misguided efforts to purge, cleanse your body or lose weight, serious complications are possible. Consult...
Vitamin C is used by your body for the growth and repair of your tissues, including your bones, cartilage, teeth, blood vessels, tendons, ligaments, skin and scar tissue. It also functions as an antioxidant. Your body cannot make vitamin C, so you...
Although people don't often talk about it, doctors report that many of their patients complain of constipation. Constipated people go to the bathroom only a few times a week and may have difficulty when they do go. They strain to have a bowel...
The most frequently used laxatives around the world are made from herbs, and senna extract is the most popular one. Senna, also known by the botanical names Cassia angustifolia and Cassia senna, has been used as a laxative for centuries. Side...
Individuals affected by eating disorders take dieting to the extreme in attempts to control their weight and shape. Many engage in dangerous practices, including severe caloric restriction, compulsive exercise and self-induced vomiting. Subtle...
The health benefits of eating fiber are many. Fiber decreases the amount of dietary fat you absorb, lowers your blood cholesterol levels, keeps your bowel movements regular and helps you stay full longer so you'll eat less and lose weight....
Bulimia nervosa, also known as bulimia, is an eating disorder characterized by eating, often in excessive amounts, followed by purging--a means of "un-eating" ingested food, usually with laxatives or induced vomiting. Many people with bulimia are...
After digestion and absorption are complete, waste products make their way through the large intestine to be excreted from the body. Fluid continues to be absorbed from this waste matter through the length of the organ. When too much fluid is...
Diarrhea is a condition characterized by frequent and loose, watery stools. Generally, diarrhea will go away on its own in a few days, but prolonged diarrhea lasting longer can lead to more severe complications or indicate an underlying disease....
Sodium and potassium are electrolytes, or minerals with an electric charge. The cells in the body have to keep a balance between the number of electrolytes with a negative charge and the number of electrolytes with a positive charge within the...
Some people may abuse diet pills because they desire to be thin or if they have an eating disorder. Different diet pills work in different ways; some work to make you feel full so you eat less, while others block dietary fat absorption. If you...
Anorexia is an eating disorder that typically involves the loss of a significant portion of body weight, and phobia about gaining weight and becoming fat. While anorexia typically strikes adolescent women, males and females of any age can develop...
Regardless of whether weight loss is intentional or unintentional, a sore throat is not a common side effect. While the two could be unrelated, the combination of weight loss and sore throat could be the result of a medical condition....
Bulimia Nervosa can be a life threatening condition. Learn about Bulimia and what it is like to live with the condition in this video.
