Constant Constipation: Miralax vs. Metamucil. Which Over the Counter Product Better Treats Chronic Constipation?

Overview

Objectives/Goals The objectives of my project are to see which one of the medications, Miralax or Metamucil, is better for treating chronic constipation by comparing which has fewer side effects and works faster. Before I carried out my project, I hypothesized that Metamucil will work faster than Miralax because according to research Miralax should take 1-3 days to produce a bowel movement in your body while Metamucil only should take 12-72 hours. I also read online reviews about people complaining that taking Miralax causes too many side effects, therefore Metamucil was a plausible medication to believe is better of the two. Methods/Materials I conducted this project by creating a survey filled with questions regarding recent past experiences with either of the medication. The surveys were given to sixty people, males and females, ranging from ages thirty to eighty years old. Surveys were distributed at different places such as, La Palma Nursing Center, C.V.S Pharmacies, and local clinics. Results After finishing my project, I realized that Miralax turned out to have lesser side effects and worked faster for the participants than Metamucil did. Except for one side effect, which was diarrhea. The group that took Miralax, had a slightly higher percentage of participants who claimed they experienced diarrhea. For my second objective, I found out that Miralax worked in 4-8 hours while Metamucil took 8-12 hours. Conclusions/Discussion This means that the best way for constipation to be treated is using the osmotic laxative which draws water into your colon from surrounding body tissues and increases the frequency of bowel movements and softens stool. Metamucil works by absorbing liquid from the gastrointestinal tract which causes expansion of the stool and the resultant bulk facilitates peristalsis and bowel motility. From my data, I concluded that my hypothesis was incorrect. Even though, both sound like beneficial processes, Metamucil will take a longer time and may lead to worsening of constipation if not taken with enough water.

Awards (1)

• Honorable Mention

Competition history

• CSEF 2015 Product Science (Biological) (Junior Division Only) · Entry J1922

Resources

• CSEF project summary ↗

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