Colon cleansing information

Colon cleansing
Colon cleansing
	Large enema equipment for colon cleansing
Alternative therapy
Claims	Removal of unspecified toxins

Colon cleansing, also known as colon therapy, colon hydrotherapy, a colonic, or colonic irrigation, encompasses a number of alternative medical therapies claimed to remove unspecified toxins from the colon and intestinal tract by removing supposed accumulations of feces. Colon cleansing in this context should not be confused with an enema which introduces fluid into the colon, often under mainstream medical supervision, for a limited number of purposes including severe constipation^[1] and medical imaging.^[2]

Some forms of colon hydrotherapy use tubes to inject water, sometimes mixed with herbs or with other liquids, into the colon via the rectum using special equipment. Oral cleaning regimes use dietary fiber, herbs, dietary supplements, or laxatives. Those who practice colon cleansing believe in autointoxication, that accumulations of putrefied feces line the walls of the large intestine and that these accumulations harbor parasites or pathogenic gut flora, causing nonspecific symptoms and general ill-health.

Autointoxication, a term coined in 1884 by the French physician Charles Jacques Bouchard,^[3] is a hypothesis based on medical beliefs of the ancient Egyptians and Greeks and was discredited in the early 20th century.^[4] Nonetheless, during the 2000s Internet marketing and infomercials of oral supplements supposedly for colon cleansing increased.^[5]

There is no scientific evidence for the alleged benefits of colon cleansing.^[4] Certain enema 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 enemas to defecate and some herbs may reduce the effectiveness of, or increase the risks associated with the use of prescription medications.^[6]

^ Emmanuel, A V; Krogh, K; Bazzocchi, G; Leroi, A-M; Bremers, A; Leder, D; van Kuppevelt, D; Mosiello, G; Vogel, M; Perrouin-Verbe, B; Coggrave, M; Christensen, P (20 August 2013). "Consensus review of best practice of transanal irrigation in adults" (PDF). Spinal Cord. 51 (10): 732–738. doi:10.1038/sc.2013.86. PMID 23958927.
^ "Barium enema". MedlinePlus. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services – National Institutes of Health (NIH). Retrieved 6 August 2014.
^ Cite error: The named reference Ernst was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ ^a ^b "Colon Therapy". American Cancer Society. Archived from the original on 24 April 2015.
^ "Do you really need to clean your colon?". Marketplace. CBC Television. 2009. Archived from the original on 2010-03-15. Retrieved 2010-05-03.
^ Schneider, K (2003-02-27). "How Clean Should Your Colon Be?". American Council on Science and Health. Retrieved 2014-07-19.

[Emmanuel2013-1] Emmanuel, A V; Krogh, K; Bazzocchi, G; Leroi, A-M; Bremers, A; Leder, D; van Kuppevelt, D; Mosiello, G; Vogel, M; Perrouin-Verbe, B; Coggrave, M; Christensen, P (20 August 2013). "Consensus review of best practice of transanal irrigation in adults" (PDF). Spinal Cord. 51 (10): 732–738. doi:10.1038/sc.2013.86. PMID 23958927.

[NIH_barium-2] "Barium enema". MedlinePlus. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services – National Institutes of Health (NIH). Retrieved 6 August 2014.

[Ernst-3] Cite error: The named reference Ernst was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[ACS-4] "Colon Therapy". American Cancer Society. Archived from the original on 24 April 2015.

[Marketplace2009-5] "Do you really need to clean your colon?". Marketplace. CBC Television. 2009. Archived from the original on 2010-03-15. Retrieved 2010-05-03.

[Schneider-6] Schneider, K (2003-02-27). "How Clean Should Your Colon Be?". American Council on Science and Health. Retrieved 2014-07-19.

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