Why do stimulants make me poop

There are five basic types of laxatives: Stimulant. Stimulant laxatives trigger the intestines to contract and push out the stool. Osmotic laxatives draw water into the bowel from the surrounding tissues to soften stools and increase bowel movement frequency.

These laxatives contain fiber which soaks up the water in your intestines and produces bulkier stool. Larger stool makes the bowel contract and push out the stool. Stool softeners.

These mild laxatives soften dry, hard stool with water that they pull into the stool from the intestine, making it easier to push out the stool. These oily laxatives coat the surface of the stool to retain stool fluid and make it easier to push out the stool. Can stimulant laxatives be used for constipation? What are the side effects of using stimulant laxatives? When to avoid stimulant laxatives. Warnings about stimulant laxatives.

What are some brand names of stimulant laxatives? The takeaway. Read this next. Stool Softeners vs. What Are Bulk-Forming Laxatives? Medically reviewed by Nancy Choi, MD. Over-the-Counter and Prescription Constipation Medications. Stool softeners are gentle medications with a relatively mild effect. They soften the stool, making it easier to pass.

Over-the-counter stool softeners are useful when a person experiences mild occasional or chronic constipation. Doctors may prescribe stool softeners after major surgeries, such as heart surgery or hernia repair. If straining to have a bowel movement might be harmful during recovery, people can take stool softeners to avoid complications. Osmotic laxatives work by drawing water into the intestines.

They may not be the best option for people experiencing constipation from dehydration. Anyone using osmotic laxatives should also drink more water throughout the day. When used correctly, doctors may recommend osmotic laxatives for long-term use. Doctors may recommend a bulk-forming laxative containing soluble fiber if a person does not get a lot of fiber in their regular diet.

Doctors may also recommend fiber-based laxatives for people who have chronic, long-lasting constipation. Bulk-forming laxatives may be safer for long-term use than other options, as they have little risk of long-term side effects when taken correctly.

Like osmotic laxatives, saline laxatives pull water into the stool. Saline laxatives do this using mineral salts, such as magnesium citrate or magnesium oxide.

Saline laxatives are not right for everyone. For instance, people who are on medication to lower their sodium levels or are taking other mineral-based medications, such as medicines to reduce calcium in the kidneys, should avoid saline laxatives. Saline laxatives are useful for short-term constipation.

Using them for extended periods may lead to dehydration or cause an imbalance in other minerals. Doctors may recommend laxatives containing oils, such as mineral oil for difficult short-term constipation, but they are not suitable for regular use. The oils in these laxatives may stick to fat-soluble vitamins and make them impossible to digest. The stimulating effect in these laxatives makes the stool move faster through the colon while increasing the liquid in the stool.

Many popular over-the-counter brand names contain stimulant laxatives. Stimulant laxatives are not safe for regular use. Using them regularly may cause the body to become dependent on the laxative to have a bowel movement. Doctors may prescribe guanylate cyclase-C agonist laxatives in cases of chronic constipation that has no known cause.

These laxatives, along with lifestyle changes, may offer a solution for people who suffer from chronic constipation. Young children should not use them. Stool softeners may be best when a person does not need immediate relief but is looking to regulate their bowel movements within the next few days. The type of laxative the doctor recommends may also change based on how quickly the person needs relief. Individual result times may vary, but in general:.

According to a study looking at constipation in older adults:. Serotonin, dopamine and adrenaline are the chemicals in your brain that make you happy and they're released when you do something you love favorite sport, seeing your favorite band, whatever floats your boat.

These chemicals are stored in your brain for use when you do what you love, but Adderall breaks them free and sends them to your synapses. That's when you feel charged. When dopamine is released it usually moves from one neuron to the next. When it's done, it goes back to neuron number one to rest before it starts again in a process called reuptake. Adderall prevents reuptake, and the dopamine just kind of disappears.

That's when you feel like you should take more Adderall. Adderall inhibits the production of saliva in your mouth, which effects your hydration in general.

According to the FDA , you should not take Adderall if you have heart problems. Here's why:. Stimulant medications cause a modest increase in average blood pressure about mmHg and average heart rate about bpm While the mean changes alone would not be expected to have short-term consequences, all patients should be monitored for larger changes in heart rate and blood pressure.

Caution is indicated in treating patients whose underlying medical conditions might be compromised by increases in blood pressure or heart rate, e.

More from the FDA:. Treatment emergent psychotic or manic symptoms, e. If such symptoms occur, consideration should be given to a possible causal role of the stimulant, and discontinuation of treatment may be appropriate.