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Colon cleansing (also known as colon therapy) encompasses a number of alternative medical therapies claimed to remove nonspecific "toxins" from the colon and intestinal tract. Colon cleansing may be branded colon hydrotherapy, a colonic or colonic irrigation. During the 2000s internet marketing and infomercials of oral supplements supposedly for colon cleansing increased. Some forms of colon hydrotherapy use tubes to inject water, sometimes mixed with herbs or with other liquids, into the colon via the rectum using special equipment. Oral cleaning regimens use dietary fiber, herbs, dietary supplements, or laxatives. People who practice colon cleansing believe that accumulations of putrefied feces line the walls of the large intestine and that these accumulations harbor parasites or pathogenic gut flora, causing nonspecific symptoms and general ill-health. This "auto-intoxication" hypothesis is based on medical beliefs of the Ancient Egyptians and Greeks and was discredited in the early 20th century.〔 No scientific evidence supports the alleged benefits of colon cleansing. Certain enema preparations have been associated with heart attacks and electrolyte imbalances, and improperly prepared or used equipment can cause infection or damage to the bowel. Frequent colon cleansing can lead to dependence on enemas to defecate and some herbs may reduce the effectiveness of prescription drugs. == Effectiveness and risks == The symptoms that are attributed to auto-intoxication—headache, fatigue, loss of appetite and irritability—are actually caused by mechanical distention within the bowel, such as irritable bowel syndrome, rather than toxins from putrefying food.〔〔 The benefits anecdotally attributed to colon cleansing are vague and the claims made by manufacturers and practitioners are based on a flawed understanding of the body.〔 There is little evidence of actual benefit to the procedure, and no evidence that it can alleviate the symptoms that are attributed to the theories of colon cleansing.〔 As the colon normally expels waste, colon cleansing is generally unneeded. Colonic irrigation can disrupt the bowel's normal flora and if done frequently can result in electrolyte depletion with dehydration.〔 Rare but severe adverse events have been rectal perforation and amoebic infection from poorly sterilised equipment.〔 * *〕 Another claim is that it may impede the colon's shedding of dead cells. Excessive use of enemas has also been associated with cardiac problems, such as heart failure,〔 and heart attacks related to electrolyte imbalances when performed as coffee enema. Frequent enemas or other colon-cleansing tools may lead to dependence and inability to defecate without assistance or withdrawal symptoms.〔〔 Herbs taken orally may interfere with drug absorption or activity of prescription drugs.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Colon cleansing」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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