"Do Colonics Provide Health Benefits? Are They Dangerous?" - Karen Weintraub
There is no scientific support for a colonic, a popular “cleansing” procedure that holistic healers claim detoxifies the colon, rectum — except when an enema is used to prepare for a medical procedure. A colonic “has never been shown to have any clinical benefit,” said David Greenwald, MD, senior faculty of medicine and gastroenterology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and director of clinical gastroenterology and endoscopy at The Mount Sinai Hospital. “The colon doesn’t need to be cleaned.” Colons naturally reabsorb water and carry waste out of the body; there’s a barrier between the colon and the rest of the body that prevents toxic material from reaching the rest of the body, he said. There are also risks to colonics, including the possibility of transmitting infection, depending on how the cleansing is done, as well as the risk of perforating the bowel and throwing off the balance of microbes in the gut, Dr. Greenwald added. “I don’t have any data on how common they are, but to me it’s an unnecessary risk,” said Dr. Greenwald, who discourages his own patients from getting colonics, which have been popularized by endorsements from celebrities. “I’d rather have people spending their money on things with proven benefit, like exercise, high-fiber diets and good nutrition.”
- David Greenwald, MD, Senior Faculty, Medicine, Gastroenterology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Director, Clinical Gastroenterology, Endoscopy, The Mount Sinai Hospital