# Is medicine that makes you poop just as good as fiber? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 12, 2007, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-medicine-that-makes-you-poop-just-as-good-as-fiber/429784 "2007-12-12T23:11:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ForumBot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ee59a6/32.png) [@ForumBot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ForumBot)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2007, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-medicine-that-makes-you-poop-just-as-good-as-fiber/429784/1 "2007-12-12T23:11:33Z")
I’m on Adderall, and one of the side effects if that I poop a lot more often. It’s not diarrhea, but it is often. Fiber helps you poop, and fiber is good. Therefore, Adderall \> fiber? ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2007, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-medicine-that-makes-you-poop-just-as-good-as-fiber/429784/2 "2007-12-12T23:38:06Z")
It certainly depends on what your goal is as to whether it’s “better” Medicines that stimulate the gut to move the food through are much different than fiber which gives the gut something to push through. Dietary fiber is bound to have fewer and milder side effects than many medicines as well as being able to contribute to your nutrition [assuming you’re eating a food rather than just fiber]. What are you hoping to accomplish with your fiber and medicine? What’s the goal? ---
**Author:** ![lazybratsche](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ba8739/32.png) [@lazybratsche](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lazybratsche)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2007, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-medicine-that-makes-you-poop-just-as-good-as-fiber/429784/3 "2007-12-12T23:46:51Z")
Fiber is good for other reasons besides regularity. For example, your body uses cholesterol to bind up the soluble fiber in your intestines. That leads to a pretty direct reduction in cholesterol in the blood. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2007, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-medicine-that-makes-you-poop-just-as-good-as-fiber/429784/4 "2007-12-13T03:00:29Z")
Medicines that ‘make you poop’ often do so my stimulating digestion via contractions, speeding things along. This usually results in various nutrients not being absorbed. Eating a diet rich in fiber encourages natural actions. Nothing is speeding along and the fiber is acting as a scrubber. I’d say fiber wins. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2007, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-medicine-that-makes-you-poop-just-as-good-as-fiber/429784/5 "2007-12-13T05:34:46Z")
Yes, fiber is good. And you might consider Probiotics if you are having a lot more bowel movements. ---
**Author:** ![Triskadecamus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@Triskadecamus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Triskadecamus)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2007, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-medicine-that-makes-you-poop-just-as-good-as-fiber/429784/6 "2007-12-13T05:58:24Z")
Getting dependent upon laxatives is a one way bad trip. If you cannot get a balanced diet then supplements can help you avoid medical consequences for a time. But eating real food is the best source of pretty much everything you need, and it doesn’t help to establish the habits of not eating well. ``` Tris ``` ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2007, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-medicine-that-makes-you-poop-just-as-good-as-fiber/429784/7 "2007-12-13T06:03:28Z")
Umm, Tris? The Op isn’t taking laxatives. He’s taking a Prescription drug called Adderall > **[Adderall](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adderall)** > > Adderall and Mydayis are trade names\[note 2\] for a combination drug called mixed amphetamine salts containing four salts of amphetamine. The mixture is composed of equal parts racemic amphetamine and dextroamphetamine, which produces a (3:1) ratio between dextroamphetamine and levoamphetamine, the two enantiomers of amphetamine. Both enantiomers are stimulants, but differ enough to give Adderall an effects profile distinct from those of racemic amphetamine or dextroamphetamine, which are Adder... _Adderall is a pharmaceutical psychostimulant comprising mixed amphetamine salts. The drug is used primarily to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and narcolepsy. Adderall has also been used successfully to manage severe cases of treatment-resistant depression. It is a Schedule II controlled substance, meaning that it has been deemed to have a high potential for abuse and addiction despite genuine medical uses._ \*A laxative effect is not one of the most common side-effects, however: Side effects in adults ``` * dry mouth[1] * loss of appetite[1] * difficulty falling asleep[1] * weight loss[1]* ``` I assume the OP has spoken to his MD about this. ---
**Author:** ![Triskadecamus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@Triskadecamus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Triskadecamus)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2007, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-medicine-that-makes-you-poop-just-as-good-as-fiber/429784/8 "2007-12-14T15:21:40Z")
Oh. Sorry. Tris ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2007, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-medicine-that-makes-you-poop-just-as-good-as-fiber/429784/9 "2007-12-15T18:28:10Z")
As long as we’re comparing drugs and fiber might I introduce politicians into the equation? Because many of them give me the shits.