Colon Cleansers & Weight Loss

The largest health concern in America today is obesity. The number of obese Americans is growing each year, and our overall health is beginning to suffer. People who decide to lose the weight often find it is not nearly as easy to take off as it was to put on, and quick fixes and fad diets do not work. One popular method is to "cleanse the colon" as a solution to losing large chunks of weight.

What They Are

• Colon cleansers are basically high-powered laxatives and/or enemas. They can come in pills, liquids, enemas, powders and even food items. The idea is to ingest them, or have them administered, and the chemicals--whether man-made or natural--within the product will cause the body to cleanse itself by flushing out waste and toxins that normally would not void on their own. They cause the body to rush water to flood the colon and the intestines, washing out feces and waste that may be adhering to the walls of the digestive tract. This flooding of fluids is accompanied by powerful cramps, which forces the waste out of the body through the rectum.

Using Them for Weight Loss

• Colon cleansers, while an effective tool for removing waste, are not the best tool for losing weight on a permanent basis. While it is true that using them will flush water weight and some waste weight off the scale, this is temporary. Unless a more permanent lifestyle change is made, the weight will come back in short order. The simple fact is that it is not realistic to think that 30 or more pounds can be lost through the use of colon cleansers. People will often use colon cleansers to try and flush food from their systems before total digestion takes place, thinking they can cheat themselves out of some calories. But this is akin to abusing laxatives, which is discussed in the next section.

Be Careful

• Using colon cleansers on a too-frequent basis can be dangerous for your health. Most colon cleansers recommend use once or twice a week at most. When people use them daily, they are training their digestive tracts to grow accustomed to the use of the chemicals to initiate bowel function. This is similar to laxative abuse, which can cause dependence, dehydration, mineral imbalance and poor nutrition. As with any supplement or drug, it is best to consult with a medical professional before using the product.