This article discusses whether colon cleansing is necessary or beneficial. While colon cleansing has been used for centuries, there is no evidence that it promotes better health or reduces colon cancer risk. The body already has natural mechanisms like the liver and kidneys to flush toxins without need for colon cleansing procedures, which carry risks like dehydration, electrolyte imbalances, and perforation of the rectum. A healthier alternative is to follow a nutritious diet high in fruits and vegetables.

1. Is Colon Cleansing Necessary?
By Diana Rodriguez Reviewed by LindseyMarcellin,MD, MPH
Although this procedure is popular, there are
safer, more natural ways to cleanse your system.
Thanks to the liver and kidneys, the body is
equipped to flush out toxins on its own.
Colon cleansing has been used for centuries, but
there's no evidence that it promotes better health.
The body has its own system of filters to flush out
so-called “toxins.”
If digestive health problems like constipation,
diarrhea, gas, or heartburn put a damper on your
day-to-day, you may have considered trying a
colon cleanse. But before you sign up for one, take
a look at these facts to see if the benefits really
outweigh the risks.
What Is Colon Cleansing, Anyway?
The theory behind colon cleansing goes something
like this: Poisonous "toxins" get into the body from
the food you eat, the water you drink, and the
environment you live and work in. Toxins of
particular concern include lead from toys, mercury

2. in fish, pesticides used to grow food, and
bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical often used in
plastics – from water bottles to food packaging.
Proponents of colon cleanses believe that
removing those toxins, normal bacteria, and stool
from the colon can help you feel better and
improve your body function.
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Colon cleansing has many names, including colon
therapy, colonic hydrotherapy, colonic irrigation,
and high colonic. It’s similar to an enema, but
much more liquid is used. As many as 20 gallons of
fluids are pumped into the colon through a tube
that's inserted into the rectum. Probiotics, herbs,
enzymes, and other additives can be used in the
solution. Once inside the colon, the fluids – along
with waste – are then released like a normal bowel
movement, and then the process may be
repeated. The whole procedure takes about an
hour.
Colon cleansing is nothing new: Ancient
civilizations are rumored to have used it, and 19th-

3. century European spas made it a popular health
remedy thousands of years later.
Are There Benefits to Colon Cleansing?
People may consider colon cleansing because they
think that it reduces their risk for colon cancer.
However, no studies have shown that colon
cleansings have any benefit at all.
Francisco J. Marrero, MD, a gastroenterologist
with the Digestive Health Center at Lake Charles
Memorial Health System in Lake Charles,
Louisiana, says there are no large, randomized
trials that show any benefits of colon cleansing
and few studies on the effects of colon cleansing
overall.
What’s more, Dr. Marrero notes that colon
cleansing isn't the thorough purification that many
people may think it is because the procedure
flushes out only the colon, not the smallbowel.
"The only way to clean out the small bowel is
eating a healthy diet of fruits and veggies,"
Marrero says.
But while he’s never recommended it to any of his
patients, Marrero says there has been success
with some individual cases, and he doesn't

4. discourage the procedure if it makes a patient feel
better.
What Are the Risks of Colon Cleansing?
But Marrero also says that there can be
complications when pumping a large amount of
water into the colon, such as worsening existing
hemorrhoids or creating a puncture wound in the
rectum.
This excessive amount of fluids could also
potentially lead to:
Dehydration
Vomiting and nausea
Electrolyte (salt) imbalances
Disrupting beneficial intestinal bacteria
Fluid in the lungs
Heart problems, including abnormal heart rhythms
and death
Coma
Another big concern is that many colon cleansing
practices aren't regulated or monitored and not all
practitioners are knowledgeable or well-trained,
which may increase risks. Unless all equipment is
clean and sterile, colonic irrigation could bring
infection into the body.

5. Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, do not
undergo colon cleansing if you have:
Crohn’s disease
Severe or internal hemorrhoids
Diverticulitis
Ulcerative colitis
Colon or rectal tumors
Heart disease
Kidney disease
A Healthier Alternative to Colon Cleansing
Eating the right foods and following a healthy
lifestyle can accomplish the same goal as colon
cleansing. Your body is designed to get rid of
substances it doesn’t need, including toxins you
ingest. The liver acts as a filter for the body,
handling any metals that pass through your
system, such as lead and mercury, and getting
them ready to be eliminated from the body,
according to the Harvard Medical School. Enzymes
metabolize chemicals, drugs, and other toxins as
part of the process of ridding them from your
system.
The kidneys are also excellent natural filters,
expelling toxins such as drugs from the body. Each
day, your kidneys continually filter your blood,
purging toxins that are excreted through urine,

6. according to the National Institute of Diabetes and
Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
So why do people turn to colon cleansing? "I think
the reason [people] get it is for more of a
detoxification," Marrero says. "But if you don’t
'toxify,' you don't need to detoxify."
If you want to rid your body of dietary toxins and
get a clean start, it might be a better bet to just
change your dietary habits. Your body will
naturally work out the bad foods, especially with
the help of fruits and vegetables to clean out your
small bowel. Just be sure that these foods are
washed well so that you don’t introduce other
types of toxins — chemicals such as pesticides and
fertilizer residues — into your body. Focusing on
eating healthy foods poses no risks and is proven
to aid digestive and overall health.
Last Updated: 6/19/2015