Curing Constipation – Chronic use of Rhubarb


One-third of the US population struggles with constipation. Chronic use of stimulant/herbal laxatives is a common approach that many use to deal with this issue. But even “natural” stimulant laxatives like rhubarb pose health questions you should consider before use. Let’s take a closer look at Rhubarb.


The first important distinction one should know is that medicinal rhubarb (Rheum officinale or (R. palmatum) is a completely different species from edible rhubarb (R. rhaponticum). Medicinal rhubarb originally comes from China & Tibet and has a variety of uses, including as a natural laxative. So what should you be aware of when considering using rhubarb to treat constipation?


Chronic Constipation and Rhubarb

  • Heavy Metals - commercially available medicinal rhubarb often interchanges different species without notifying the consumer. This is important, because research has shown that some of these species (particularly those coming from China) could be contaminated with heavy metals)

  • Rhubarb is high in tannins (5-10%). While useful for some medicinal purposes, products with higher than 10% tannins can cause kidney damage, liver cell damage, and increased risks of nose and throat cancer.

  • Rhubarb contains oxalic acid, which when combined with calcium in the blood, forms crystals that can end causing kidney stones.

  • While commonly used to treat long-term constipation, chronic use of rhubarb should be avoided due to the fact that it can deplete potassium and interfere with heart medications.

  • Rhubarb contains high levels of anthraquinones, which cause a condition that darkens or pigments the intestines – known as “Melanosis Coli”.

    • Rhubarb & Melanosis Coli

    Melanosis Coli is a darkening or staining of the colon that comes about from using laxatives containing anthraquinones like rhubarb. A study that looked at over 3000 patients who had colon surgery in the past 6 years found that the darkening of the intestines was consistently linked to anthraquinone containing laxatives like rhubarb that were used to treat constipation. Chronic users of anthraquinone containing products where then followed over the next two years, and doctors found that patients with cancer of the large bowel had a much higher incidence (18.6%) of melanosis coli as well – indicating a link between cancer and constipation treatment with herbs like senna that contain anthraquinones.


    Another study looked at the cells of colons that had been pigmented due to melanosis coli. It found that colon tissue with melanosis coli had a significantly higher rate of cell death among the epithelial cells of the tissue compared to controls.


    Options to avoid stimulant laxatives like rhubarb

    With stimulant laxatives posing so many problems, it is smart to consider other options for constipation relief. StayRegular is natural laxative that aims to cure occasional and chronic constipation without resorting to stimulant laxatives like rhubarb. It’s proprietary “quad-action” formula relieves constipation by drawing water into the colon with essential minerals, rebalancing the colon’s beneficial bacteria, providing special fiber for stool movement, and supplying the nutrients the body needs to relax into comfortable bowel movements. Why use a potentially dangerous herbal laxative containing rhubarb when a safer constipation treatment already exists and can address the long-term issues involved?