Do laxatives help with weight loss?

They are not a permanent or healthy way to lose weight, and overuse or misuse can lead to health problems, doctors warn

- Akshita Nanda

Feeling bloated and constipated because of festive feasting? Perhaps you are thinking of looking for an over-the-counter laxative to help relieve the discomfort.

While they declined to provide figures, some retailers say sales of laxatives spike during festive periods.

Health and beauty chain Watsons sees demand increase in the months of March, June, September and December – during holidays and festivities – which a spokesman attributes to "changes in diet and daily routine that may lead to constipation".

A spokesman for FairPrice Group, which runs the Unity chain of pharmacies, says sales remain stable in 2024, with no spikes. But health supplements retailer Nature's Farm says its sales of "probiotics and detox products" – which include laxatives – go up after major holidays such as Christmas and Chinese New Year.

Digestive woes account for much of these sales, but doctors have also seen patients who take laxatives in the hope of preventing weight gain, or to lose weight.

Advertisements and reviews for some products containing laxatives, seen by The Straits Times on Instagram, contain phrases such as "I pooped so much backed up fat (after consuming the product)", suggesting that laxatives can help with weight loss.

Global demand for laxatives is also increasing, in part because of interest in the weight-loss potential of such products, according to market research company Market Research Future.

The firm, which is headquartered in the US and India, projects that the size of the laxatives market will grow from US$7.3 billion (S$9.8 billion) in 2024 to US$12.4 billion by 2032.

The "increasing prevalence of eating disorders will fuel industry growth", states the company's market research report, issued in December.

Overuse or misuse of laxatives can lead to health problems, doctors warn, and laxatives are not a permanent or healthy way to lose weight.

HOW LAXATIVES WORK