Trendy colon cleaners may do more harm than good

Think special diets, pills, powders or enemas are needed to rid the body and colon of toxins? UT Southwestern Medical Center experts say think again.

“The lining of the gut regenerates about every seven days, so you probably don’t need colon cleansers,” says Dr. Anne Larson, associate professor of internal medicine at
UT Southwestern.

Not only are colon cleansers unnecessary, they could imbalance the body’s fluids and lead to dehydration, salt depletion and low blood pressure. Long-term dangers include anemia, malnutrition, heart failure and damaging the colon wall. Using unclean enema equipment could lead to infection.

So what is one to do if worried about a buildup of toxins because of constipation?

“Stick with what’s proven to be safe,” Dr. Larson says. “Drink plenty of water and eat food high in fiber such as fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains.”

Visit http://www.utsouthwestern.org/digestive to learn more about UT Southwestern’s clinical services for digestive diseases.

Media Contact: LaKisha Ladson

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