Pharmacology doesn’t stand still. Pharmaceutical companies launch new drugs based on the latest discoveries, pushing old ones to the background. So, quite recently, Soviet women who intended to lose weight urgently knew that they had Glauber’s salt, which was sold for mere kopecks in every pharmacy. Today, a pharmacist will shrug their shoulders in response to such a request. After all, the only place where this drug can be bought now is a veterinary clinic. And all because a more fortunate analogue has replaced it — magnesium sulfate. However, these laxatives have differences.
Brief description
Full chemical name: sodium sulfate decahydrate.
Alternative names:
- Sal glauberi;
- Siberian salt;
- mirabilite;
- sodium sulfate;
- gujjar.
Chemical formula: Na2SO4 · 10H2O.
Release form: coarsely crystalline white powder.
Description:
- large transparent crystals;
- crystals have a geometric shape — prism;
- taste — bitter-salty;
- odor — absent;
- melts quickly in the mouth, dissolves instantly in water;
- does not burn;
- erodes upon prolonged contact with air and when heated, losing weight;
- after complete erosion, it becomes simple sodium sulfate.
Main purpose: laxative.
Method of administration: oral, after dissolving in water.
Pharmacokinetics: not absorbed in the intestine.
Sources:
- it is a mineral mined in Canada, Georgia, Turkmenistan, Western Siberia;
- seawater;
- mineral waters of the resorts of Karlovy Vary, Marienbad (Czech Republic);
- plaque and crusts on rock salt and gypsum deposits.
From history: first discovered in the winter of 1626 by the German alchemist, chemist, pharmacist and physician Johann Rudolf Glauber in mineral waters.
Origin of the name. Glauber named the substance he discovered mirabilite, since translated from Latin as “mirabile” — wonderful. After all, this salt cured him of typhus when he was in an extremely serious condition.
Main problem
In medicine and veterinary, Glauber’s salt is used as an effective, fast-acting laxative. It is not surprising that it is so in demand for weight loss. The problem is that not so long ago it was removed from the register of medicines for humans and left only as a means for treating animals.
Therefore, many who want to lose weight with the help of mirabilite are concerned with the main question: is it possible for a person to drink a solution from a powder sold in veterinary pharmacies and clinics.
Many sources claim that Glauber’s salt, which in Soviet times doctors prescribed to their patients as a laxative, is no different from that used in veterinary medicine today. On the one hand, it is true that both drugs are available as a pure powder, without impurities. On the other hand, it should be borne in mind that the requirements for drugs intended for the treatment of humans and animals are different.
Glauber’s salt
No doctor today will officially prescribe this drug for the treatment of their patient. Although there are a huge number of positive reviews about losing weight with its help. Therefore, deciding on such a method of losing weight, it must be borne in mind that all responsibility for the consequences will have to be taken upon yourself. Are you ready to drink a drug that is labeled “For veterinary use”, “For animals”, “For veterinary use”?
To lose weight with the same success, you can use a lot of other laxatives, which are functional analogues, but are approved by official medicine — the same magnesium sulfate. Yes, mirabilite acts faster, but at the same time aggressively irritates the intestinal walls and has much more side effects.
Moreover, you should not order bright jars with the label “Glauber’s Salt for Humans” or “Glauber’s Salt for Weight Loss”, etc. from dubious Internet resources. This is a fraud.
Action
Health benefits:
- helps with constipation;
- improves digestion;
- normalizes metabolism;
- stimulates bile production;
- alleviates symptoms in case of poisoning;
- blocks toxic substances that enter the gastrointestinal tract together with food, preventing them from being absorbed into the blood.
The main indications for the use of Glauber’s salt in Soviet medicine are constipation and severe forms of poisoning.
Effect on weight loss:
- activates intestinal motility, having a laxative effect;
- it frees the gastrointestinal tract from stagnant fecal masses;
- binds to toxic substances in the stomach and removes them from the body;
- improves lymph flow;
- eliminates excess fluid, having diuretic properties (not as powerful as laxatives);
- cleanses the body.
Mirabilite promotes weight loss by removing fecal matter, toxins, waste, and other waste, as well as excess fluid. However, body fat does not disappear anywhere.
It is interesting. Paustovsky’s story “Kara-Bugaz” tells about the extraction of Glauber’s salt in Turkmenistan. After its publication, colleagues began to call the writer “the mirabilite of our literature”.
Possible harm
Usually, before losing weight with the help of any drugs, it is recommended to undergo a medical examination and get consultations from a doctor and a nutritionist. However, with Glauber’s salt, such advice is completely useless: no professional doctor will prescribe a veterinary drug for a person. Therefore, deciding on such an extreme way to lose weight, you will have to rely only on yourself. At the very least, it is worth familiarizing yourself with contraindications and side effects.
Contraindications:
- individual intolerance;
- avitaminosis;
- anemia;
- dehydration;
- serious diseases of the digestive tract, any intestinal disorders (especially diarrhea);
- cholecystitis;
- exacerbation of any chronic diseases;
- pregnancy, lactation;
- infancy and old age.
Side effects:
- dehydration;
- deficiency of minerals, vitamins and other beneficial substances, which, due to mirabilite, are not absorbed by the body and are actively excreted from it, as soon as they enter the gastrointestinal tract;
- prolonged, uncontrolled diarrhea;
- vomiting (rare, but possible);
- deterioration of well-being;
- excessive pallor of the skin;
- bags and bruises under the eyes;
- weakness, lethargy, drowsiness;
- sudden mood swings, irritability;
- allergic reaction.
Given the rather large list of side effects, it is not surprising that Glauber’s salt has been replaced by magnesium sulfate. It acts on the gastric mucosa less aggressively.
Application
Self-use of Glauber’s salt as a laxative for weight loss is problematic because the instructions for the drug are prescribed for animals. In it you will find dosages for horses, cattle, deer, sheep, etc. All this is not relevant to humans. Therefore, you have to use the drug in accordance with the recommendations given by people who have managed to lose weight with its help.
Firstly, from them you can find out recipes for losing weight with Glauber’s salt. Here are a few of the most common and effective (judging by the reviews).
