For the process to clean the colon before medical imaging, see Ms. Colon cleansing (also known as colon therapy) encompasses a number of alternative medical therapies claimed to remove nonspecific "toxins" from the colon and intestinal tract. Colon cleansing may be branded colon hydrotherapy, a colonic or colonic irrigation. Some forms of colon hydrotherapy use tubes to inject water, sometimes mix
ed with herbs or with other liquids, into the colon via the re**um using special equipment. Oral cleaning regimes use dietary fiber, herbs, dietary supplements, or laxatives. People who practice colon cleansing believe that accumulations of putrefied f***s line the walls of the large intestine and that these accumulations harbor parasites or pathogenic gut flora, causing nonspecific symptoms and general ill-health. This "auto-intoxication" hypothesis is based on medical beliefs of the Ancient Egyptians and Greeks and was discredited in the early 20th century. No scientific evidence supports the alleged benefits of colon cleansing,[2] and it "has no known medical value and risks damage to the re**um or bowel." The bowel itself is "not dirty” and, unless disease or medication interfere, "nature does a fine job of clearing out wastes."[3] Certain e***a preparations have been associated with heart attacks and electrolyte imbalances, and improperly prepared or used equipment can cause infection or damage to the bowel. Frequent colon cleansing can lead to dependence on e***as to defecate and some herbs may reduce the effectiveness of prescription drugs. Effectiveness and risks
The symptoms that are attributed to auto-intoxication—headache, fatigue, loss of appetite and irritability—are actually caused by mechanical distention within the bowel, such as irritable bowel syndrome, rather than toxins from putrefying food.[5][6][7] The benefits anecdotally attributed to colon cleansing are vague and the claims made by manufacturers and practitioners are based on a flawed understanding of the body.[8][9] There is little evidence of actual benefit to the procedure, and no evidence that it can alleviate the symptoms that are attributed to the theories of colon cleansing.[10]
As the colon normally expels waste, colon cleansing is generally unneeded.[3][11] Colonic irrigation can disrupt the bowel's normal flora and if done frequently can result in electrolyte depletion with dehydration.[11] Rare but severe adverse events have been re**al perforation[12] and amoebic infection from poorly sterilised equipment.[13] Another claim is that it may impede the colon's shedding of dead cells.[14]
Excessive use of e***as has also been associated with cardiac problems, such as heart failure,[11] and heart attacks related to electrolyte imbalances when performed as coffee e***a.[15] Frequent e***as or other colon-cleansing tools may lead to dependence and inability to defecate without assistance or withdrawal symptoms.[4][5] Herbs taken orally may interfere with drug absorption or activity of prescription drugs.[4]
Colon hydrotherapy
Colonic irrigation also known as colon hydrotherapy, colonic hydrotherapy, or a "colonic", is a treatment which is used "to wash out the contents of the large bowel by means of copious e***as using water or other medication."[16]
During an e***a, the water is retained in the colon for approximately 30 minutes. During a colonic, water is introduced into the colon and then it is flushed out and this is repeated until the entire colon is cleared. [17]
Colonic irrigation has been described as an "unwise" procedure as it carries the risk of serious harm and has no proven benefit.[18]
Supplement effectiveness
The consumer advocacy news program Marketplace conducted a consumer trial with three women on the effectiveness of two colon supplements versus fiber.[1] The results showed the supplements did not assist in weight loss and provided no additional benefit over a basic fiber supplement. According to the American Cancer Society, "Available scientific evidence does not support claims that colon therapy is effective in treating cancer or any other disease".[2]
by Jimymah M. Coching-CEO/Naturopathy
