Frequent colon cleansing can lead to dependence on enemas to defecate and some herbs may reduce the effectiveness of, or increase the risks associated with the use of prescription medications. Effectiveness and risks
The symptoms that are attributed to autointoxication—headache, fatigue, loss of appetite and irritability—may be 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 bowels normal flora, and, if done frequently, can result in electrolyte depletion with dehydration. Rare but severe adverse events have been rectal perforation, as well as amoebic infection, from poorly sterilised equipment. Others claim that colon cleansing may impede the colons shedding of dead cells.Excessive use of enemas has also been associated with heart problems, such as heart failure, as well as heart attacks related to electrolyte imbalances when performed as a coffee enema. Frequent enemas or other colon-cleansing tools may lead to dependence and inability to defecate without assistance, as well as potential withdrawal symptoms. Herbs taken orally may modulate the absorption or the activity of prescription medications.Medical doctor Harriet Hall writes that "The colon cleanses itself...
A 1919 paper entitled "Origin of the so-called auto-intoxication symptom" in the Journal of the American Medical Association marked the beginning of the rejection of the auto-intoxication hypothesis by the medical community.Despite a lack of scientific support, autointoxication persists in the public imagination. In the 1990s the practice of colon cleansing experienced a resurgence in the alternative-medical community, supported by testimonials and anecdotal evidence and promoted by manufacturers of colon-cleansing products. See also
Mucoid plaque
Whole bowel irrigation


== References ==