A laxative that works at both ends  Last Modified: Monday, March
18, 2013 at 3:41 p.m.  Q: I heard you recommend a drug called
Lactulose as a laxative, but you said it helped with brain fog,
too. How can it work at both ends?  J.C., Decatur, Illinois  A:
It's true. The prescription medication called Lactulose is
classified as an osmotic laxative, which means that it pulls
water into the bowel, and it also affects brain function by
removing ammonia, a potent neurotoxin that is more common than
you think. Mira Lax is another good laxative in this drug
category.  Lactulose is not naturally occurring like psyllium;
it is synthetic. Lactulose is a non-digestible sugar, which
treats both constipation and hepatic encephalopathy. That last
one is a complication of liver disease that causes neurological
problems by increasing ammonia in the body.  Lactulose is tasty,
inexpensive and carried by pharmacies. The dosage varies based
upon your response, and what you're treating (i.e. constipation
or encephalopathy). Start