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From: Brian Symonds <[log in to unmask]> Hello Virginia Thank you for your note about using mineral oil to treat constipation. You commented that there is concern about using mineral oil because it "I would hesitate to recommend mineral oil under any circumstances since it washes vital nutrients out of the system and I believe people with Parkinson need all the help they can get with vitamins and essential minerals. I also know that as a last resort we are sometimes forced to do what we may not feel is the best solution." In medical school we were also told this. There has always been concern that the long term (months) use of mineral would cause fat soluble substances (such as the fat soluble vitamins, A,D, K, E) to be pulled through the bowel unabsorbed, which would be harmful to our bodies. The clinical studies have been equivocal regarding this belief. At least one recent study has suggested that at small amounts of mineral oil (one tablespoon a day) this is very unlikely to happen. But I think that most doctors and nutritionists continue to be leery about using it for long periods of time. Someone else might have better information on this question than I do though.