What happens if you eat castor oil

If you continue to have constipation, see your doctor. It can also lower the amount of potassium in your body. In addition to having what many consider to be an unpleasant taste, castor oil has a few side effects. Like other stimulant laxatives, it can cause cramping and diarrhea. It can also reduce the absorption of nutrients in your intestines.

The cause of constipation is often related to diet. Some people find that they occasionally get constipated. Pregnant women may get constipated as a result of hormonal changes. Bowel movements also slow with age, leaving some older adults chronically constipated. Often, the best way to prevent constipation is with diet and exercise. Get more fiber by adding fruits, vegetables, and whole grains to your meals. Fiber softens your stools and helps them pass more easily through your intestines.

Aim to eat 14 grams of fiber for every 1, calories you consume. Also, drink more fluids to make your stool softer. Stay active on most days of the week. Just as exercise works the muscles in your arms and legs, it also strengthens the muscles in your intestines.

Try to go to the bathroom at the same time each day. Sit and give yourself time to have a bowel movement. There are several different types of laxatives used to treat constipation. The following are a few options:. These include brands like Metamucil , FiberCon , and Citrucel. These help keep fluid in the stool to soften it. Stool softeners , like Colace and Surfak, add fluid to the stool to soften it and prevent straining during bowel movements.

Stimulants push out stool by contracting the intestines. These types of laxatives are effective, but they can cause side effects such as diarrhea. Common brands include Dulcolax , Senokot, and Purge. Castor oil is one option for getting relief from constipation. It causes the muscles in your intestines to contract and push out stool.

Castor oil is also not recommended as a long-term treatment for constipation. Castor oil is rich in ricinoleic acid, a monounsaturated fatty acid.

Humectants retain moisture by preventing water loss through the outer layer of the skin 5. Castor oil is often used in cosmetics to promote hydration and often added to products like lotions, makeup and cleansers. You can also use this rich oil on its own as a natural alternative to store-bought moisturizers and lotions. Many popular moisturizing products found in stores contain potentially harmful ingredients like preservatives, perfumes and dyes, which could irritate the skin and harm overall health 5.

Though applying castor oil to the skin is considered safe for most, it can cause an allergic reaction in some people 6. Summary Castor oil can help lock moisture in the skin. Though this natural alternative to store-bought products is considered safe for most, it can cause allergic reactions in some.

Applying castor oil to wounds creates a moist environment that promotes healing and prevents sores from drying out. Venelex, a popular ointment used in clinical settings to treat wounds, contains a mixture of castor oil and Peru balsam, a balm derived from the Myroxylon tree 7. Castor oil stimulates tissue growth so that a barrier can be formed between the wound and the environment, decreasing the risk of infection.

It also reduces dryness and cornification, the buildup of dead skin cells that can delay wound healing 8. Studies have found that ointments containing castor oil may be especially helpful in healing pressure ulcers, a type wound that develops from prolonged pressure on the skin.

One study looked at the wound-healing effects of an ointment containing castor oil in nursing home residents with pressure ulcers. Those whose wounds were treated with castor oil experienced higher healing rates and shorter healing times than those treated with other methods 9. Summary Castor oil helps heal wounds by stimulating the growth of new tissue, reducing dryness and preventing the buildup of dead skin cells.

Ricinoleic acid, the main fatty acid found in castor oil, has impressive anti-inflammatory properties. Studies have shown that when castor oil is applied topically, it reduces inflammation and relieves pain. The pain-reducing and anti-inflammatory qualities of castor oil may be particularly helpful to those with an inflammatory disease such as rheumatoid arthritis or psoriasis. Animal and test-tube studies have found that ricinoleic acid reduces pain and swelling One study demonstrated that treatment with a gel containing ricinoleic acid led to a significant reduction in pain and inflammation when applied to the skin, compared to other treatment methods A test-tube component of the same study showed that ricinoleic acid helped reduce inflammation caused by human rheumatoid arthritis cells more than another treatment.

Although these results are promising, more human studies are needed to determine the effects of castor oil on inflammatory conditions. Summary Castor oil is high in ricinoleic acid, a fatty acid that has been shown to help reduce pain and inflammation in test-tube and animal studies.

Acne is a skin condition that can cause blackheads, pus-filled pimples and large, painful bumps on the face and body. Castor oil has several qualities that may help reduce acne symptoms. Inflammation is thought to be a factor in the development and severity of acne, so applying castor oil to the skin may help reduce inflammation-related symptoms Acne is also associated with an imbalance of certain types of bacteria normally found on the skin, including Staphylococcus aureus Castor oil has antimicrobial properties that may help fight bacterial overgrowth when applied to the skin.

One test-tube study found that castor oil extract showed considerable antibacterial power, inhibiting the growth of several bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus Poisoning from eating the seed itself is rare.

The most famous is probably the assassination of Georgi Markov in Markov was a Bulgarian novelist, playwright, journalist, and dissident, and was murdered by the Bulgarian secret service, with assistance from the KGB, by ricin injection. He was crossing a bridge when he was jabbed in the leg with an umbrella, which delivered a ricin pellet into his bloodstream. He died three days later of ricin poisoning.

The envelope strategy has more to do with potential ease of getting the poison close to targets than its strength as a delivery system.

Inhalation as a weapon is best accomplished through a mist, ideally delivered through an aerosol. The Waze-like system is hundreds of millions of years old. Sign up to receive Popular Science's emails and get the highlights.

How poisonous is it? The seeds of the castor plant, from which castor oil and ricin are extracted. Wikimedia Commons How does it work?