Q. I take exception to your advice to a fourteen-year-old having trouble with constipation. You suggested chewing sugarless gum. That is terrible advice for a teenager.
Our seventeen-year-old granddaughter had a stressful situation in school and her mom advised her to chew sugarless gum when she felt stressed. Soon she had many gastrointestinal issues and underwent medical tests, including an endoscopy and colonoscopy for continued weight loss.
Chewing Sugarless Gum for Stress Relief Caused Trouble:
While visiting them, I fixed her breakfast and walked her to the car. When she got her keys out of her purse she also pulled out a pack of sugarless gum. She said she chewed several pieces during the day.
I knew of the laxative effect of sorbitol because I had experienced this myself when sugarless candy was popular during the 1970s. I told my daughter about it and we looked up the hazards of sugarless gum. I think this product is much too dangerous for a fourteen-year-old.
A. You are right that excess sugarless gum can cause severe diarrhea, cramping and bloating. These products usually contain mannitol, maltitol or sorbitol along with an artificial sweetener such as aspartame. The compounds ending in “-tol” are not well absorbed from the digestive tract and attract fluid into it. This explains their laxative action.
We urged the teen who wrote us to be cautious with the dose of sugarless gum to avoid such symptoms. With the appropriate amount of gum, it is possible to overcome constipation without triggering severe adverse reactions or creating dependence as some laxatives do.
We doubt that you could keep sugarless gum away from teenagers, but it makes sense for them to be aware that too much can cause digestive distress. Those who are interested in other approaches to managing this problem may wish to read our Guide to Constipation.
