Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Politics
Arwa Mahdawi

The US has such a love affair with laxatives that there is now a national shortage. This is not normal

If you’re worried about your bowel movements go to the doctor. Trust your gut, not TikTok.
If you’re worried about your bowel movements go to the doctor. Trust your gut, not TikTok. Photograph: stefanamer/Getty Images/iStockphoto

American exceptionalism strikes again, this time in the pharmaceutical aisle. According to a recent article in the Wall Street Journal, the US is having a love affair with laxatives; Americans of all ages are ingesting so much of the stuff that there are now shortages nationwide.

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

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.