Working in healthcare, I’m not a big fan of non prescription medicines. Dubious claims are legion in the alternative health products marketplace – no more so than in the area] of [colon cleansing. What is strange then is that there are a large number of people out there who say they have had good results from bowel cleansing products. So are there genuine benefits to be had from colon cleansing?
The claims revolve around the assertion that large quantities of undigested food build up in the small intestines and colon, slowly decomposing and providing a home for pathogenic bacteria and other ‘parasites’. The truth is no one has ever produced evidence of this happening, despite all the clinical diagrams and pictures of people in lab coats that appear all over the manufacturers’ websites. No doctor would ever risk their registration by making these claims. In 1919 a scientific paper discredited this theory, sometimes referred to as ‘autointoxication’. In reality the bowel is a self cleansing organ – it has to be to work. Think about it for a moment – if your bowel didn’t work this way, your bowels would soon block up and you would die.
Temporary mechanical blockages are the actual cause of the symptoms attributed to decomposing food matter. Obviously, the proprietary bowel cleaners overcome this by helping things along. In other words they act as laxatives – albeit in a way less likely to be injurious with long term use. It is important though to remember that hydration is important. Take more water than recommended and you risk flushing out the active ingredients – take too little and it won’t have the desired effects. Also be aware that some of these products contain ingredients that can be harmful – one common example is Senna.
The results claimed often include the elimination of constipation and bloating, sometimes significant weight loss and higher energy levels. The claims for constipation and bloating are undisputed – simply a factor of the mixtures laxative and lubricating effects. Obviously, if you have a good clear out you are going to lose weight – albeit temporarily. Again, obviously anyone who no longer feels bloated and bunged-up all the time is going to feel a bit more energetic.
Some manufacturers justly claim their products are probiotic and reduce levels of harmful gut bacteria. This claim has some validity as food products containing ‘friendly’ bacteria have been clinically trialled against C. difficile. They work by outcompeting with the pathogenic organisms, displacing them from the gut. C. difficile is a particularly unpleasant and lethal organism associated with failures in hospital hygiene and the misuse of antibiotics.
The fact remains then that, although their clinical effectiveness is disputed at best, these cleansers can have positive results for their users, sometimes to a very great extent.
WARNING! It is a good idea to read as many user reviews of these products as you can. You also need to carefully examine their ingredients lists and discuss them with your doctor before taking any colon cleansing product.
If you want to know more about Colon cleansing you may want to check out an honest and critical review of Bowtrol Colon Cleanser at Erskine Takamoto’s website.