Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis & Miles, P.C.

Companies who push sales of colon cleansing products are quick to make claims that the products will rid the body of toxic sludge that weighs us down and makes us feel fatigued, bloated and sick overall. But do colon cleansing products really do us good? Joan Endyke with GateHouse New Service says buyer beware.

Many colon cleansing products claim to produce rapid weight loss, but studies have shown that the weight loss from colon cleansing is from fasting and water loss, not the melting away of fat that would be most beneficial. Along with water loss, Endyke says, “is a risk of electrolyte imbalances, dehydration, and a weakening of the colon muscle from stimulant laxatives, resulting in a dependence on the product for regular bowel movements.”

In some cases, use of colon cleansing products can be dangerous to your health. Earlier this year the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued its sternest safety warning for prescription oral phosphate drugs used to cleanse the bowel before procedures such as colonoscopies after receiving numerous reports of a rare but serious form of kidney failure, known as acute phosphate nephropathy or nephrocalcinosis, among patients who used the drugs. The prescription drugs that fell under the warning include Visicol and OsmoPrep.

That warning translated to a concern about over-the-counter laxatives such as Fleet Phospha-soda made by C.B. Fleet. While considered safe for use in low doses to treat occasional constipation, the products have been recommended for use in larger doses by doctors for patients prior to procedures. Colon cleansing enthusiasts have also turned to the products, and the FDA has raised concerns about the safety of those products. As a result, C.B. Fleet has pulled those products from store shelves and has made them available by prescription only.

Endyke says the body has an elaborate defense and removal system that involves not only the gastrointestinal system but also the skin, immune system, kidneys and liver that work to ride the body of natural and synthetic chemicals we ingest daily. Her suggestion for keeping your colon clean – “eating several fruits and good portions of vegetables, as well as cereal fibers, and whole grains daily.”

Source: Taunton Daily Gazette

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