Expansion In The Constipation Remedy Market

According to surveyors from both academia and the pharmaceutical industry, the general population experiences a 10% incidence rate of constipation. Such a high incidence means that there is a large market for medications and supplements targeted toward constipation, and that the number of players in the market that supply these treatment agents is correspondingly large.

New entrants into the market may feel some intimidation by the large number of companies already supplying constipation treatments. The underlying situation suggests there’s no need to worry. The reason is that constipation remains an “idiopathic” disease, meaning that there is no clear indicator of its cause. As a result, most people don’t know a priori the most effective treatment and must try a few before hitting upon one that works.

The current state of affairs in the constipation treatment market is that products can be categorized into 4 divisions. The four can be summarized as the following: over-the-counter medications or ones requiring prescriptions, nutritional supplements available to most consumers without prescription, natural herbal agents not in the purview of the FDA, and finally a novel but handful of molecular therapeutics that target root biological causes of constipation.

The market for nutrient supplements is dominated by players such as Metamucil. The nutrients are derived from natural foods or grains that have lots of fiber. To take as an example, Metamucil comes in a powdered drink form which contains ground psyllium seeds that are extremely rich in fiber. People who take it simply mix it with fluids and drink it for a powerful daily dose.

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For constipation remedies based on herbs, one will likely find that senna is the biggest contender on the block. There actually are a number of other herbal agents which exert a propulsive effect on intestinal contents such as aloe and cascara. However, safety concerns in recent years mean that manufacturers can no longer indicate on labeling that aloe and cascara are meant for constipation. Many people adhere to FDA guidelines.

By far the most active segment of the constipation treatment market is the over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medication category. The medicines are all quite different in their mode of action, individual efficacy and cost. It’s likely that a patient will have to try out a few before finding one that works well. Some examples of these include stimulant laxatives and lubricant laxatives.

The newest entrants to the market for constipation treatments are the compounds with molecular specificity. This means that these medicines were designed specifically to hit chemical “signalers” or “nerve centers” in the gut. The drug Amitiza (or lubiprostone) is thought to physically interact with a ClC2 receptor that allows passage of calcium ions in and out of the intestinal space. This likely affects water balance which in turn affects how foods move through the colon.

This and related topics on remedies for constipation are accessible to all. Drop by our site on constipation natural remedies to discover the most up-to-date ideas.

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