People Rely on Laxatives So Much, There Aren’t Enough to Go Around

A surge in demand from an aging population and extra interest from younger consumers has created shortages

Americans have developed a laxative habit. 

Surging demand is contributing to a shortage of polyethylene glycol 3350, the generic name for laxatives like Miralax and Glycolax,

gastroenterologists and suppliers say. Consumers are noticing emptier shelves in drugstores across the country as a result.

Gastrological and behavioral experts point to an aging population and that most Americans don’t consume enough fiber, which can lead to constipation.

They also cite the lingering physical and psychological effects of the pandemic as a culprit behind consumers’ growing reliance on the products.

People ate worse, exercised less and experienced more anxiety during quarantine, doctors say, all of which are major causes of bowel dysfunction.

Now, a surge in travel and hybrid work schedules are disrupting routines and mealtimes, likely leading to irregularity. Though certain laxatives and supplements are safe to take regularly, health providers say growing overuse concerns them.

“It’s crazy to think that our collective bowel dysfunction problems have gotten so bad that we’re literally running out of stool softeners,” says Dr. George Pavlou, who runs Gastroenterology Associates of New Jersey. 

Some people are treating laxatives like a budget Ozempic to feel skinnier, psychologists say. And social media, including TikTok’s popular #GutTok, spreads misinformation around what healthy bathroom behavior looks like, doctors say. 

Searches for laxative pills on Amazon have more than tripled in the past year, according to analytics company Pattern. Manufacturers of fiber supplements Metamucil and Benefiber, meanwhile, report double-digit sales growth in recent years. Bayer, which owns Miralax, declined to comment. 

Dow Chemical is building new factories in part to boost production of polyethylene glycol—the medication that’s been in short supply since the pandemic—employees say. The product also has nonmedical applications.

More young buyers

Older people exercise and move less, and are more likely to take medication that causes constipation, gastroenterologists say. Doctors commonly advise them to take fiber supplements or laxatives. (A fiber supplement is a bulking agent that helps to form stools that are easier to pass. Laxatives draw in water or physically stimulate the colon to contract.) 

More surprising, suppliers say, are the numbers of younger customers now relying on the products. Benefiber manufacturer Haleon reports that 18- to 42-year-olds are buying the fiber supplement faster than ever.  

“The demand has changed,” says Jissan Cherian, who oversees marketing for the brand and notes that its messaging hasn’t shifted. He attributes the shift to the focus on wellness and to a growing awareness of the connection between gut bacteria and depression. 

TikTok’s #GutTok hashtag has amassed 1.1 billion views. PHOTO: WSJ

Haleon started selling a gummy version of the product, which traditionally comes in powder form, earlier this year to appeal to young adults. 

Sophie Spiers, a 30-year-old fashion copywriter in Los Angeles, dissolves a serving of Miralax into a glass of water every morning. She used to feel “old” for taking a daily laxative in her 20s. She says her perception of the behavior has changed as the topic becomes less taboo. 

On a recent trip to Las Vegas for a Beyoncé concert, Spiers and her friends casually discussed their constipation. “One of our friends was like, ‘Can we not talk about this over lunch?’ But the rest of us were being pretty open about it,” Spiers says, adding she offered her Miralax to everyone. 

Carly Goldberg Black, 28, an advertising professional in Washington, D.C., has been surprised by the number of people around her age complaining of problems going to the bathroom. 

Because she’s long been open about her laxative use, Black says that friends call her all the time for advice when they’re backed up. “I’m like the Miralax speed-dial consultant,” she said. 

She says she worries about the recent shortages she’s noticed in her local drugstores. “I’m a brand loyalist, but I’ve found myself reaching for the Wal-lax or CVS-lax, because they’re selling out,” Black says of the name-brand shortages. 

Unneeded purchases

As people struggle with real bowel dysfunction, they are also confused about what healthy bathroom habits look like, doctors say. This makes them more likely to rely too much on supplements and laxatives. 

Mayo Clinic gastroenterology professor Dr. Brian Lacy says many people think they need to have a bowel movement every day. “That’s a misconception,” he says, explaining that the healthy range is between three a day and three a week. 

He always recommends his patients start by upping their intake of fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains before turning to fiber powders and gummies. 

Lacy sees increased laxative use as part of a growing reliance on quick fixes over long-term behavioral change. 

Eating disorder specialist Dr. Jenna DiLossi says she’s seen a sharp rise in teenage patients abusing laxatives over the past two years. Some view laxatives as a budget, over-the-counter Ozempic, she says, despite the fact that the products don’t help with weight loss. 

Overuse can also lead to chronic dehydration and loss of electrolytes. In some cases, users can become dependent on laxatives, where they can no longer have bowel movements without taking them. 

Before the pandemic, DiLossi says new clients rarely responded “yes” to laxative use in intake surveys. Now, the Ardmore, Pa., clinical psychologist says at least three of the five or so new teens she sees a week admit to having tried a laxative for weight loss. 

“When people have an excessive bowel movement and they feel completely empty inside, that gets wrapped up in thinness and health,” says DiLossi. 

Teens tell her they get the idea from TikTok, where videos with the #GutTok hashtag have amassed 1.1 billion views. Even the videos that don’t directly promote stool softeners for weight loss support the notion that going to the bathroom more is better, she says. 

Spiers, the fashion copywriter, is familiar with the appeal of feeling “light” after taking a laxative. She says she’s learned to differentiate healthy from unhealthy reliance, now only taking the medication under the direction of a doctor to treat constipation. But she empathizes with those who struggle with overuse. 

“I had periods in my early 20s where I really struggled with disordered eating, and it became tied to a mental thing of having to take my Miralax or I’m going to feel fat today,” she says. 

Source