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| Colon hydrotherapy uses ]s to inject ], sometimes mixed with herbs, or other liquids, into the colon using special equipment. Oral cleaning uses ], herbs, ]s or ]s.<ref name="Newbie">{{cite web |url=http://cleansecolonnow.info/colon-cleansing-for-the-newbie/ |title=Colon Cleansing For the Newbie | Cleansing Your Colon |format= |work= |accessdate=2008-12-07}}</ref> Practitioners believe colon cleansing removes accumulations of ] from the walls of the ] which are believed to putrefy, harbour ]s or pathogenic ] to cause nonspecific ]s and general ill-health (referred to as "autointoxication"), a hypothesis based on medical beliefs of the ]ians and ] that was discredited in the early 20th century.<ref name="ACS"/> | Colon hydrotherapy uses ]s to inject ], sometimes mixed with herbs, or other liquids, into the colon using special equipment. Oral cleaning uses ], herbs, ]s or ]s.<ref name="Newbie">{{cite web |url=http://cleansecolonnow.info/colon-cleansing-for-the-newbie/ |title=Colon Cleansing For the Newbie | Cleansing Your Colon |format= |work= |accessdate=2008-12-07}}</ref> Practitioners believe colon cleansing removes accumulations of ] from the walls of the ] which are believed to putrefy, harbour ]s or pathogenic ] to cause nonspecific ]s and general ill-health (referred to as "autointoxication"), a hypothesis based on medical beliefs of the ]ians and ] that was discredited in the early 20th century.<ref name="ACS"/> | ||
| Colon cleansing is not supported scientific evidence and may even be dangerous. The bowel itself is not dirty and barring drugs or disease, cleans itself naturally without need for assistance.<ref name = NYT>{{cite news | url = http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/22/health/22brod.html?_r=2&scp=2&sq=colon%20cleansing&st=cse&oref=slogin&oref=slogin | accessdate = 2008-11-08 | date = 2008-07-22 | last = Brody | first = J | publisher = ] | title = Health 'Facts' You Only Thought You Knew }}</ref> Colon cleansing lacks scientifically validated medical benefit for the claims made by alternative medicine practitioners.<ref name="ACS">{{cite web |url=http://www.cancer.org/docroot/ETO/content/ETO_5_3x_Colon_Therapy.asp |title=ACS :: Colon Therapy |format= |work= |accessdate=2008-12-07}}</ref> Colon cleansing has in a small number of cases resulted in damage to the ] or colon and certain enema preparations have been associated with ]s and ] imbalance. Frequent colon cleansing may also interfere with the proper functioning of the colon and can lead to dependence on laxatives or enemas to ]. Some herbs used may ] with and reduce the effectiveness of ]s.<ref name = Schneider>{{cite web | url = http://www.acsh.org/factsfears/newsID.194/news_detail.asp | publisher = ] | last = Schneider | first= K | title = How Clean Should Your Colon Be? | date = 2003-02-27 | accessdate = 2008-09-02 }}</ref> | |||
| == History == | == History == | ||
Revision as of 13:40, 29 December 2008
This article is about the alternative medicine technique. For the process to clean the colon before medical imaging, see enema.
Colon cleansing (colon therapy) encompasses a number of alternative medical therapies intended to remove fecal waste and unidentified toxins from the colon and intestinal tract. Colon cleansing may take the form of colon hydrotherapy (also called colonics or colonic irrigation) or oral cleansing regimens.
Colon hydrotherapy uses enemas to inject water, sometimes mixed with herbs, or other liquids, into the colon using special equipment. Oral cleaning uses dietary fiber, herbs, dietary supplements or laxatives. Practitioners believe colon cleansing removes accumulations of feces from the walls of the large intestine which are believed to putrefy, harbour parasites or pathogenic gut flora to cause nonspecific symptoms and general ill-health (referred to as "autointoxication"), a hypothesis based on medical beliefs of the Ancient Egyptians and Greeks that was discredited in the early 20th century.
Colon cleansing is not supported scientific evidence and may even be dangerous. The bowel itself is not dirty and barring drugs or disease, cleans itself naturally without need for assistance. Colon cleansing lacks scientifically validated medical benefit for the claims made by alternative medicine practitioners. Colon cleansing has in a small number of cases resulted in damage to the rectum or colon and certain enema preparations have been associated with heart attacks and electrolyte imbalance. Frequent colon cleansing may also interfere with the proper functioning of the colon and can lead to dependence on laxatives or enemas to defecate. Some herbs used may interact with and reduce the effectiveness of prescription drugs.
History
The efficacy of colon cleansing is based on the concept of "auto-intoxication", the idea that food enters the intestine and rots, an idea that originated in Ancient Egypt. The ancient Egyptians believed that toxins formed as a result of decomposition within the intestines, and moved from there into the circulatory system causing fever and the development of pus. The Ancient Greeks adopted and expanded the idea, applying their belief in the four humours. In the 19th century, studies in biochemistry and microbiology seemed to support the autointoxication hypothesis, and mainstream physicians promoted the idea. The idea was promoted most strongly by Ilya Ilyich Mechnikov, who thought that these toxins could shorten the lifespan. Over time, the concept broadened to "auto-intoxication" where the body cannot fully dispose of its waste products and toxins, which accumulate in the intestine. This was part of orthodox medical doctrine up to the end of the 19th century, as were the purported benefits of colon cleansing. In some cases, the concept led to radical surgeries to remove the colon for unrelated symptoms.
A 1919 article in the Journal of the American Medical Association marked the beginning of the rejection of the autointoxication hypothesis by the medical community. In the early 20th century, the auto-intoxication hypothesis was discredited as advances in science failed to support its claims. Despite this, the discredited idea still persists in the public imagination, and colon cleansing has undergone a resurgence in the alternative medical community, supported by beliefs about autointoxication and promoted by manufacturers of colon cleansing products. The health claims of colon cleansing advocates have been criticized as relying on the discredited science of the previous century, as well as testimonials and anecdotal rather than scientific evidence.
Relationship to medical symptoms
The symptoms that are attributed to autointoxication—headache, fatigue, loss of appetite and irritability—are actually caused by mechanical distention within the bowel rather than toxins from putrefying food. The benefits anecdotally attributed to colon cleansing are vague and the claims made by manufacturers and practitioners, in addition to being based on a flawed understanding of the body, have never been scientifically validated. 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. No surgeries, autopsies or other observations of colons have discovered any evidence of compacted feces or other evidence to support the theory of autointoxication or the need for colon cleansing. There is no evidence that frequent bowel movements result in better health or longer life.
Complications and risks
Colon cleansing is generally unnecessary as the body naturally removes waste material. Colon cleansing may disrupt the balance between bacteria and natural chemicals in the bowel, and may interfere with the colon's ability to shed dead cells. Other rare but serious complications have included a number of cases of gastrointestinal perforation, and a well documented case of amoebic infection from poorly sterilised equipment. Some colon cleansing programs disrupt fluid and electrolyte balance which may lead to dehydration and salt depletion, whilst prolonged or excessive cleansing programs can lead to anemia and malnutrition. Excessive use of enemas have also been associated with cardiac problems such as heart failure, and heart attacks related to electrolyte imbalances when combined with coffee as an ingredient. The frequent use of enemas or other colon cleansing tools may lead to dependence and an inability to defecate without assistance or withdrawal symptoms. Herbs that are consumed for colon cleansing and taken as oral preparations may also interfere with drug absorption and effectiveness.
Food and Drug Administration
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates the production of equipment used in colon hydrotherapy in the USA but does not regulate their use, or the supplements used in oral colon cleansing regimens and manufacturer claims do not require verification or supporting evidence. The contents of the products are also not verified or tested. The FDA has issued several letters warning manufacturers and suppliers of colon hydrotherapy equipment about making false claims of effectiveness, safety issues and quality control violations.
See also
References
- "Colon Cleansing For the Newbie | Cleansing Your Colon". Retrieved 2008-12-07.
- ^ "ACS :: Colon Therapy". Retrieved 2008-12-07.
- ^ Brody, J (2008-07-22). "Health 'Facts' You Only Thought You Knew". The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-11-08.
- ^ Schneider, K (2003-02-27). "How Clean Should Your Colon Be?". American Council on Science and Health. Retrieved 2008-09-02.
- ^ Barrett, S (2008-03-09). "Gastrointestinal Quackery: Colonics, Laxatives, and More". Quackwatch. Retrieved 2008-09-02.
- ^ Chen TS, Chen PS (1989). "Intestinal autointoxication: a medical leitmotif". J. Clin. Gastroenterol. 11 (4): 434–41. PMID 2668399.
- ^ Wanjek, C (2006-08-08). "Colon Cleansing: Money Down the Toilet". LiveScience. Retrieved 2008-11-10.
- Smith JL (1982). "Sir William Arbuthnot-Lane, 1st Baronet, chronic intestinal stasis, and autointoxication". Annals of Internal Medicine. 96 (3): 365–9. PMID 7036818.
{{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help) - Alvarez, WC (1919). "Origin of the so-called auto-intoxication symptom". JAMA.
- ^ Ernst E (1997). "Colonic irrigation and the theory of autointoxication: a triumph of ignorance over science". Journal of clinical gastroenterology. 24 (4): 196–8. PMID 9252839.
{{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help) - ^ Adams, C. "Does colonic irrigation do you any good?". The Straight Dope. Retrieved 2008-09-02.
- Donaldson, AN (1922). "Relation of constipation to intestinal intoxication". JAMA. 78: 884–888.
- ^ Lindner, L (2008-01-01). "Colon Cleansing: Don't Be Misled By the Claims". Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Retrieved 2008-10-30.
- ^ Picco, M (2007-03-21). "Colon cleansing: Is it helpful or harmful?". The Mayo Clinic. Retrieved 2008-11-09.
- ^ Tennen M (June 2007). "The Dangers of Colon Cleansing". HealthAtoZ.com. Retrieved 2008-09-01.
- Handley DV, Rieger NA, Rodda DJ (2004). "Rectal perforation from colonic irrigation administered by alternative practitioners". Med. J. Aust. 181 (10): 575–6. PMID 15540974.
{{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - "Amebiasis associated with colonic irrigation--Colorado". MMWR Morb. Mortal. Wkly. Rep. 30 (9): 101–2. 1981. PMID 6789134.
{{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help) - Istre GR, Kreiss K, Hopkins RS; et al. (1982). "An outbreak of amebiasis spread by colonic irrigation at a chiropractic clinic". N. Engl. J. Med. 307 (6): 339–42. PMID 6283354.
{{cite journal}}: Explicit use of et al. in:|author=(help); Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - Eisele JW, Reay DT (1980). "Deaths related to coffee enemas". JAMA. 244 (14): 1608–9. PMID 7420666.
{{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help)