HOW MUCH WEIGHT CAN I EXPECT TO LOSE WITH A
COLON CLEANSE?
Colon cleansing (also called colonic or colon hydrotherapy) is being used worldwide for weight loss and other health benefits. During a colon cleanse most of the fecal matter is flushed out of your colon, which naturally makes you lighter almost instantly. The advocates of colon cleansing claim that up to 40 pounds of fecal waste can accumulate as a thick layer on the wall of your colon over time. All this extra weight can supposedly be flushed out with colonics. Let’s take a closer look at such claims and how much weight can you realistically expect to lose with a colon cleanse?
How to cleanse your colon?
There are many different ways of performing a colonic. You can cleanse your colon with the help of various liquid or powdered substances called colon cleansers. These products can be taken orally (through your mouth) or even rectally (through your anus). If you are anything like me, you will feel a strong preference towards the oral version. Colon hydrotherapy refers to a colon cleanse that is usually done with water alone. You can also buy a do-it-yourself kit and perform it right in the comfort of your home. Or you can have a therapist perform a colon cleanse for you, which is probably a better option for most (inexperienced) people.
How much weight can I expect to lose?
I have managed to find a study that focused on how colon cleansing affects weight loss. The average weight loss after colon cleansing was 2.6 pounds (1.2 kilograms). I also found another study that compared different methods of colon cleansing and the most effective colon cleanse one resulted in an immediate 6.6 pound (3 kilograms) weight loss.
By now most of my readers already know that weight loss does not equal fat loss. A colonic will only affect your bowel movement, which means that you will not actually be losing any body fat (which should be your primary weight loss goal). Even though you can almost immediately decrease the number on your scale by as much as 6 pounds, this will only mean that you lost your stool. As soon as you start eating again, your colon will fill back up and you all that weight will be back. This makes a colon cleanse an equivalent of taking off your clothes and your shoes before stepping on the scale. While it can help paint a prettier short-term picture, it does virtually nothing in terms of actual weight loss. But what about the up to 40 pounds of accumulated old fecal matter?
Have the benefits of a colon cleanse ever been confirmed?
What does the science have to say about the colonics? I have found a great article that looks at many claims made by the proponents of colon cleansing. As far as the up to 40 pounds of accumulated old fecal waste claim is concerned, no colorectal surgeon has ever been able to confirm anything even remotely resembling a thick layer of matter forming on the colon wall. While the supposed health benefits (including weight loss) have yet to be confirmed, quite a few adverse side effects have been linked to colon cleansing (vomiting, bloating, cramping, renal failure and even death).
The safest way of cleaning out your colon and also achieving weight loss results is by doing it the natural way. This includes switching to a diet that help clean out your colon (lots of water or watery foods rich in fiber) while avoiding things that put the brakes on your digestion (dry, fiber depleted foods). Regular exercise can also help move things along. The combination of both can produce long term results both for your colon and your weight without the possibility of negative side-effects.
Actionables
In absence of evidence that supports the weight loss benefits of colon cleansing I have to advise against this practice. It seems that only the risks of colon cleansing have been confirmed so far. If you want my advice, clean out your diet by eating lots of watery and fiber-rich foods, start moving around and both your colon health and your weight should start turning in the right direction. But I know, changing one’s diet is easier said than done, but if I were you, I’d definitely start with learning about how to correctly approach changing your bad eating habits without having to go through the struggles usually involved.
-- Author: (Rok Sprogar)
How to cleanse your colon?
There are many different ways of performing a colonic. You can cleanse your colon with the help of various liquid or powdered substances called colon cleansers. These products can be taken orally (through your mouth) or even rectally (through your anus). If you are anything like me, you will feel a strong preference towards the oral version. Colon hydrotherapy refers to a colon cleanse that is usually done with water alone. You can also buy a do-it-yourself kit and perform it right in the comfort of your home. Or you can have a therapist perform a colon cleanse for you, which is probably a better option for most (inexperienced) people.
How much weight can I expect to lose?
I have managed to find a study that focused on how colon cleansing affects weight loss. The average weight loss after colon cleansing was 2.6 pounds (1.2 kilograms). I also found another study that compared different methods of colon cleansing and the most effective colon cleanse one resulted in an immediate 6.6 pound (3 kilograms) weight loss.
By now most of my readers already know that weight loss does not equal fat loss. A colonic will only affect your bowel movement, which means that you will not actually be losing any body fat (which should be your primary weight loss goal). Even though you can almost immediately decrease the number on your scale by as much as 6 pounds, this will only mean that you lost your stool. As soon as you start eating again, your colon will fill back up and you all that weight will be back. This makes a colon cleanse an equivalent of taking off your clothes and your shoes before stepping on the scale. While it can help paint a prettier short-term picture, it does virtually nothing in terms of actual weight loss. But what about the up to 40 pounds of accumulated old fecal matter?
Have the benefits of a colon cleanse ever been confirmed?
What does the science have to say about the colonics? I have found a great article that looks at many claims made by the proponents of colon cleansing. As far as the up to 40 pounds of accumulated old fecal waste claim is concerned, no colorectal surgeon has ever been able to confirm anything even remotely resembling a thick layer of matter forming on the colon wall. While the supposed health benefits (including weight loss) have yet to be confirmed, quite a few adverse side effects have been linked to colon cleansing (vomiting, bloating, cramping, renal failure and even death).
The safest way of cleaning out your colon and also achieving weight loss results is by doing it the natural way. This includes switching to a diet that help clean out your colon (lots of water or watery foods rich in fiber) while avoiding things that put the brakes on your digestion (dry, fiber depleted foods). Regular exercise can also help move things along. The combination of both can produce long term results both for your colon and your weight without the possibility of negative side-effects.
Actionables
In absence of evidence that supports the weight loss benefits of colon cleansing I have to advise against this practice. It seems that only the risks of colon cleansing have been confirmed so far. If you want my advice, clean out your diet by eating lots of watery and fiber-rich foods, start moving around and both your colon health and your weight should start turning in the right direction. But I know, changing one’s diet is easier said than done, but if I were you, I’d definitely start with learning about how to correctly approach changing your bad eating habits without having to go through the struggles usually involved.
-- Author: (Rok Sprogar)