The majority of the population understand natural laxatives either through having tried some themselves or knowing someone who has. Natural laxatives are defined as therapeutic agents derived from natural sources that fight constipation. The natural sources vary from herbal elements to grain husks. In general, they fit into either one of two groups: high fiber substances, and herbal laxatives. For entrepreneurs and consumers of laxatives, an understanding of the natural laxative market is helpful for business decisions as well as product purchasing.
For starters, statistics indicate that approximately 5-15% of all people suffer from constipation at one time or another. Given that the population fo the U.S. is around 300 million, that means anywhere from 15 million to 45 million people suffer from constipation. Most people don’t seek treatment, but a substantial number will spend close to $700 million on OTC laxatives. Therefore, one might estimate that the potential market is approximately half a billion dollars or more.
The first kind of natural laxative considered here is fiber-based, often suggested as a first line therapy for idiopathic constipation. Fiber is a polymeric sugar-like molecule that is indigestible to humans. It also soaks up moisture easily, thus retaining fluid in the gut which makes the stool bulkier, softer and more mobile. Most people know of high fiber products like bran grains and psyllium seeds.
