If you develop GI symptoms — whether it’s bloating, a change in bowel habits, stools becoming harder or softer, or not feeling well after eating certain foods — you might head to your local drug store and discover products that promise a “colon cleanse.”
Cleanses often are marketed as an aid for “waste and toxin elimination,” “reduced bloating” or “more regularity.” But it’s important to understand what you’re buying, and to know about solutions you should consider instead.
No Fresh Start Required
People sometimes think impurities have to be “flushed out” of the colon. Patients will say, "I wasn't feeling well and I wanted to start fresh, so I took this cleanse." But that’s not how the colon works. There is no fresh start. It's a continuous microbiological environment where good bacteria and not-so-good bacteria compete with one another to process what comes through, as the body tries to promote its healthiest possible environment.
Your liver and kidneys filter toxins from your body and secrete them into bile, for the liver, or urine, for the kidneys. They are very effective at this, which is why these are the two most transplanted organs for humans. When these organs fail, your life is in jeopardy because of how critical these filters are.
The colon does this as well, without help from any cleanse. Fiber is important in this process because it binds those toxins and accelerates their transit out of your body.
Too Much, Too Quickly
Cleanses are not regulated by the FDA or any other agency, and the effect of all these different chemicals and agents on your body has not been well-studied.
The issue with many cleanses is that they require you to take in a large amount of a substance in a short amount of time, which is almost always a recipe for a problem.
Enemas, for example, change your natural biochemistry. Many are high in phosphate. In a hospital setting, doctors can regulate your electrolytes, replacing phosphate if needed, or witholding if there's too much. You can’t really do that at home. Regular use of any sort of enema has the potential to change your natural biochemistry. Used excessively this can be dangerous — in fact, even the “directed use” of some commercial products can be considered excessive.
What’s In That?
Any flushing required before surgery, particularly colon surgery, typically comes in the form of a laxative-type over-the-counter medication. You might be asked to combine an electrolyte-heavy sports drink with a quantity of laxative over an evening, to remove as much solid waste as possible from the colon. This allows your doctor to manipulate the colon safely during surgery. But even this kind of cleanse should be done infrequently, and under the guidance of your physician.
Laxatives might also be prescribed for patients with chronic constipation; used in moderation as prescribed, they are fairly safe and do not have a lot of serious side effects.
In contrast, many OTC colon cleanses or flushes are not solely based on laxatives. They may contain herbs and supplements as well as probiotics. Each of these taken alone in moderation may not be harmful, but what about all together, repeatedly, over a short amount of time? That's where the danger lies.
The Natural Way
People also turn to probiotics to help with the symptoms that lead them to cleanses, and there is validity to promoting the good bacteria in your digestive tract. But you don’t need a special product to do that. A daily serving of a natural or Greek yogurt from any grocery store is all the probiotic you need.
In addition to consuming enough fiber, you should drink a large amount of water daily -- at least 64 ounces. These are the most important things you can do to keep your digestive system healthy and to promote the elimination of impurities. Eating a healthy diet and staying away from fried and processed foods and grilled or barbecued foods with char in them, all will reduce inflammation within your GI tract.
If your symptoms don’t improve, talk to your doctor — it might be as simple as changing your diet. Beyond that, there are endoscopic exams that can identify whatever is causing your problems and help your doctor come up with a reasonable solution.
Don’t Strain To Poop! It Can Be Dangerous
