评论
打印
Everybody poops. It's one of those facts of life.
每个人都会排便。这是生活常识之一。
The average person does it anywhere between three times a week and three times a day
平均每人每天排便三次，每周三天
so by the time you're an adult, you're a very experienced pooper.
所以当你成年时，你就是一名超有经验的排便者啦。
But sometimes, even with the right diet and exercise, you need a little help with your number two.
但有时即使你的饮食健康且经常运动，你仍需要在排便时借助些许帮忙。
And that's where laxatives come in.
所以泻药就出现了。
Constipation is pretty common, with anywhere between 2 and 30% of people experiencing symptoms at any given time.
便秘相当常见，在任何特定的时间都有2-30%的人正在经历便秘。
It can be caused by lack of exercise, many medications, or certain diets.
便秘可由缺乏锻炼、服用药物或是饮食所引起。
Changing your habits might solve the problem,
改变你的习惯也许能够解决问题，
but if not, there are a whole bunch of laxatives to make your pooping experience more enjoyable.
但如果不能，还有一大堆泻药能够让你的排便体验更加享受。
The most common type are called bulk-formers, and they're basically concentrated doses of dietary fiber.
最常见的就是纤维质，它们主要是膳食纤维的浓缩剂。
Dietary fiber is a broad term for the parts of plants we eat, but that our bodies can't digest,
膳食纤维是我们所食部分植物的广义术语，只是这些植物是我们的身体无法消化的，
and you'll find it in things like whole wheat breads and vegetables.
你可以在全麦面包和蔬菜中发现它们。
There are two kinds of it: soluble fiber,
膳食纤维有两种类型：可溶性纤维
which can dissolve in water and form gels, and insoluble fiber, which doesn't.
可在水中溶解并形成凝胶，还有一种是不溶性纤维，不可溶于水。
Bulk-forming laxatives add soluble fiber to your intestines, which makes your stool full of soft, squishy fiber-gel.
容积性泻药将可溶性纤维加入你的肠道中，这让你的便便中满是软软湿乎乎的纤维凝胶。
That makes them larger and heavier, while keeping them soft and easy to pass.
这使便便更大更重，同时还能保持柔软且容易排泄。
These are some of the safest laxatives to take long-term, which makes them popular.
从长远的观点看，还有一些最安全的泻药，更加流行。
But if fiber-gels aren't your style, you have some other options.
但如果不喜欢纤维凝胶，还有其他选择。
Another kind, osmotic laxatives,
另一种是渗透性泻药，
work by making the concentration of certain salts or sugars higher in your intestines than outside them.
通过制造某种盐或糖的浓缩物，让它们高于肠道之外的浓度而起作用。
To equalize the concentrations and get things back to normal,
为了使浓度平衡并让一切回归正常，
water from the rest of your body is pulled into your intestines.
身体剩余部分中的水被拉入你的肠道内。
And that creates a waterslide for anything inside your colon.
这为你结肠内的任何物质创造了一个水滑道。
If you've ever had to hit the bathroom after eating sugar-free gummy bears, this is why.
如果在吃完无糖小熊软糖后，你迫不及待地跑去厕所，这就是其中原因了。
They're sweetened using sugar alcohols like maltitol, which is a potent osmotic laxative.
由于使用了麦芽糖醇这样的糖醇而变得更甜，这是一种有效的容积性泻药。
There are also stimulant laxatives,
还有刺激性泻药，
which increase the number of contractions in your intestinal walls by stimulating the nerves controlling them.
通过刺激控制肠道的神经增加肠壁收缩次数。
The contractions cause stool to travel faster through your digestive tract,
收缩让便便更加快速地划过消化道，
so this kind of laxative tends to act the fastest.
因此这种泻药效果更快。
Now, most laxatives are known for helping out with constipation,
现在，大部分泻药都以帮助缓解便秘而知名，
but they can be helpful for other things, too -- like,
但它们也有助于其他事情——比如，
if you've just had surgery and shouldn't be straining your muscles in the bathroom.
如果你刚做了外科手术就不应该在厕所太用力。
To make regular bowel movements easier to pass, there are lubricant laxatives,
要更容易地正常排便，就用润滑性泻药，
like mineral oil, that coat your intestinal walls to make them slippery,
比如矿物油，覆盖在你的肠壁上让它们光滑，
and emollient laxatives, also called stool softeners.
润滑性泻药，也被称为湿润性泻药。
Those decrease the surface tension of fatty stools, allowing them to absorb water and become soft
这种泻药降低多脂便便的表面张力，让它们吸收水分变得柔软
like how soaps and detergents let water and oils mix when you're washing your hands.
比如，当你洗手时，香皂和清洁剂是如何让水和油相混合。
So no matter your poop situation, there's a laxative for you.
因此，不论是怎样的便便情况，总有一款泻药适合你。
At the end of the day, a healthy diet and exercise go a long way in keeping your body running smoothly.
最后，健康的饮食和锻炼是保持身体顺畅运行的长期有效方法。
But the next time you're feeling bloated and wishing for a visit from the poop fairy,
但下次你感觉胀胀的，想要便便小仙女的拜访时，
you have options for helping nature along.
你就有自然促进便便的选择了。
Just maybe don't choose that bag of gummy bears.
只要选择小熊软糖就行啦。
Thanks for asking, and thanks to all of our patrons on Patreon who keep the answers coming!
感谢提问，谢谢Patreon的观众的提问！
If you'd like to submit a question, you can go to patreon.com/scishow.
如果你想提问，请登录patreon.com/scishow
