The pharmacology industry is constantly evolving. Drug manufacturers release new medications based on the latest discoveries, causing older medications to fall into oblivion. Not too long ago, Soviet women who needed to lose weight quickly knew that they could buy Glauber salt, which cost mere kopecks at any drugstore. Today, a pharmacist would be puzzled by such a request. Indeed, the only place where this product can now be purchased is a veterinary clinic. This is because it has been replaced on the market by a more successful analogue—magnesium sulfate. Nevertheless, there is a difference between these two laxatives.
Brief Description
Full chemical name: sodium sulfate decahydrate.
Alternative names:
- Sal glauberi;
- Siberian salt;
- Mirabilite;
- Sodium sulfate;
- Gunjur.
Chemical formula: Na2SO4 · 10H2O.
Release form: white, large-crystal powder.
Description:
- large, transparent crystals;
- geometric crystal shape—prisms;
- bitter and salty taste;
- odorless;
- quickly melts in the mouth, dissolves instantly in water;
- non-flammable;
- weathers upon prolonged contact with air or when heated, losing mass;
- after complete weathering, becomes simple sodium sulfate.
Primary purpose: laxative.
Method of administration: oral, after dissolving in water.
Pharmacokinetics: not absorbed in the intestines.
Sources:
- mineral extracted in Canada, Georgia, Turkmenistan, and Western Siberia;
- seawater;
- mineral waters from the Karlovy Vary and Marianske Lazne resorts (Czech Republic);
- scale and crusts on rock salt and gypsum deposits.
From history: first discovered in winter 1626 by German alchemist, chemist, pharmacist, and doctor Johann Rudolph Glauber in the composition of mineral waters.
Origin of the name. Glauber named the substance he discovered mirabilite, as “mirabile” means “wonderful” in Latin. After all, this salt cured him of typhus when he was in extremely critical condition.
Main Problem
Glauber salt is used in medicine and veterinary medicine as an effective, fast-acting laxative. It is no wonder that it is so in demand for weight loss. The problem is that it was recently removed from the registry of medications for humans and is now only available as a treatment for animals.
Therefore, many who want to lose weight with the help of mirabilite are concerned about the main question: can humans drink a solution made from the powder sold in veterinary pharmacies and clinics?
Many sources claim that Glauber salt, which doctors used to prescribe to their patients as a laxative in Soviet times, is no different from the one used in veterinary medicine today. On one hand, it is true that both medications are released as pure powder without any impurities. On the other hand, one must keep in mind that the requirements for medications intended for treating humans and animals differ.
Glauber salt
No doctor today will officially prescribe this medication for treating their patients. However, it is possible to find a huge number of positive reviews about weight loss with its help. Therefore, if you decide to use this method of weight loss, you must keep in mind that you will be assuming all responsibility for the consequences. Are you prepared to drink a medication that is labeled: “For veterinary use,” “For animals,” and “For veterinary application”?
You can use a variety of other laxative medications for weight loss that are functional analogues but are approved by official medicine—the same magnesium sulfate, for example. Yes, mirabilite acts faster, but it also aggressively irritates the intestinal walls and has many more side effects.
Furthermore, one should not order brightly colored jars with labels such as “Glauber Salt for Humans” or “Glauber Salt for Weight Loss,” etc., from questionable internet resources. This is a scam.
Effect
Health benefits:
- relieves constipation;
- improves digestion;
- normalizes metabolism;
- stimulates bile production;
- eases symptoms of poisoning;
- blocks toxic substances that enter the gastrointestinal tract with food, preventing them from being absorbed into the blood.
Main indications for using Glauber salt in Soviet medicine were constipation and severe forms of poisoning.
Effect on weight loss:
- activates intestinal peristalsis, having a laxative effect;
- this frees the gastrointestinal tract from stagnant fecal matter;
- binds to toxic substances in the stomach and removes them from the body;
- improves lymph flow;
- rids the body of excess fluid, having diuretic properties (not as strong as laxative properties);
- cleanses the body.
Mirabilite promotes weight loss by removing fecal matter, toxins, waste products, and other garbage, as well as excess fluid. However, fat deposits do not disappear in the process.
This is interesting. Paustovsky’s novel “Kara-Bugaz” tells the story of Glauber salt extraction in Turkmenistan. After its publication, Paustovsky’s colleagues began calling him the “mirabilite of our literature.”
Possible Harm
It is usually recommended to undergo a medical examination and consult with a doctor and nutritionist before losing weight with any medications. However, such advice is completely useless with Glauber salt: no professional doctor will prescribe a veterinary product for humans. Therefore, if you decide on such an extreme method of weight loss, you will have to rely only on yourself. At the very least, you should familiarize yourself with the contraindications and side effects.
Contraindications:
- individual intolerance;
- avitaminosis;
- anemia;
- dehydration;
- serious gastrointestinal diseases, any intestinal disorders (especially diarrhea);
- cholecystitis;
- exacerbation of any chronic illness;
- pregnancy, lactation;
- childhood and old age.
Side effects:
- dehydration;
- deficiency of minerals, vitamins, and other nutrients that are not absorbed by the body due to mirabilite and are actively removed from it as soon as they enter the gastrointestinal tract;
- prolonged, uncontrolled diarrhea;
- vomiting (rare, but possible);
- worsening health;
- excessive paleness of the skin;
- bags and dark circles under the eyes;
- weakness, lethargy, drowsiness;
- sudden mood swings, irritability;
- allergic reaction.
Given the rather long list of side effects, it is no wonder that Glauber salt was replaced by magnesium sulfate. It acts less aggressively on the stomach lining.
Application
Self-administering Glauber salt as a laxative for weight loss is problematic because the instructions for the medication are written for animals. They provide dosages for horses, cattle, deer, sheep, etc. None of this is relevant to humans. Therefore, one has to use the medication according to the recommendations of people who have managed to lose weight with its help.
First, you can learn recipes for weight loss using Glauber salt from them. Here are a few of the most common and effective ones (based on reviews). All of them must be prepared fresh each time and used immediately.
Solution
Dissolve 1 tbsp. of Glauber salt in 200 ml of boiled water that has been cooled to room temperature.
