Laxatives are facing shortages at drugstores and supermarkets across the US — partly thanks to a questionable new TikTok weight-loss trend that casts old-school stool softeners as “budget Ozempic,” doctors told The Wall Street Journal.
Gastroenterologists told the paper that supplies of laxatives have been strained by what they called post-pandemic bowel dysfunction, likely caused by lingering effects of eating worse, exercising less and suffering with greater anxiety as COVID-19 swept the nation.
Meanwhile, a concerning trend also has emerged on TikTok where users promote taking laxatives, particularly Miralax, on a daily basis, with the hashtag #GutTok racking up over 1.1 billion views.
On the video-sharing app, a slew of videos tout colon-stimulating meds — called polyethylene glycol 3350, better known by brand names Miralax, Ex-Lax and Glycolax — as a “budget Ozempic” to feel skinnier, psychologists found, according to the news site.
Miralax in particular it touted as a miracle powder many users claim they can’t live without. In one video, a self-proclaimed “girlie with digestive health issues” films herself dumping a packet of the laxative powder into her smoothie, which she calls the “Miralax Mango Miracle.”
“This is gonna cure all my problems,” she says as she blends the powder into her fruity drink.
A slew of commenters shared that they, too, have a go-to Miralax-infused drink, including one user who enjoys it with “lemonade water enhancer,” while another “found cranberry juice masks the taste and texture perfectly” and a third opts for the powder blended with “frozen bananas, PB2 powder and chocolate almond milk.”
Another woman shared a TikTok claiming a combo of Miralax and four Dulcolax Laxative Soft Chews is her go-to method of “detoxing” her body, especially post-vacation.
“What you eat in private, you will wear in public, right?” the creator asked.
“Trying to beat the belly bloat,” another user shared using the viral — and concerning — “Girl Dinner” song where women share their ideal dinner, with many examples looking more like snacks for toddlers than meals for adult women.
In this particular TikTok, the user’s so-called “Girl Dinner” of choice was a “14-Day Slimming Tea,” Ballerina Tea — which is made with senna, a medication used to treat constipation — and Miralax.
The Post has sought comment from Miralax.
Dr. George Pavlou, who runs Gastroenterology Associates of New Jersey, told The Journal: “It’s crazy to think that our collective bowel dysfunction problems have gotten so bad that we’re literally running out of stool softeners.”
The proof is in the Amazon searches: Searches for laxative pills on Amazon have tripled in the past year alone, according to analytics firm Patter, per The Journal.
In addition, employees at Dow Chemical, a producer of polyethylene glycol, told The Journal that the demand for laxatives has gotten so high since the pandemic that the company is building new factories to boost production of the sought-after powder, which draws water into the colon or physically stimulates the colon to contract.
Historically, consumers in older age groups have routinely purchased laxatives since they’re likely to move less and be on medications that cause constipation, gastroenterologists told The Journal.
However, in recent years, the age demographic for these over-the-counter stool softeners has gotten shockingly low, the doctors said.
Benefiber manufacturer Haleon — which has reported double-digit sales growth in recent years — reports that 18- to 42-year-olds are now buying the fiber supplement at a higher rate than ever before.
“The demand has changed,” though the brand’s marketing messaging hasn’t, Jissan Cherian, who oversees marketing for Benefiber, told The Journal.
He attributed the shift to the focus on wellness and a growing awareness of the connection between gut bacteria and depression.
Representatives for Haleon didn’t immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.
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