fbpx

The Truth About Colon Cleanses and Weight Loss

Colon cleanses have been aggressively marketed as a weight loss remedy, but do they work? Here’s the truth!

GoWellness is reader supported. If you purchase through a link mentioned in this article, we may receive a small commission.

So many of us are looking to lose weight. For some, they want to lose a substantial number of pounds; anywhere from 20 to 50 plus. Others just have a little bit of extra weight that would be nice to remove. Unfortunately, the process of losing weight becomes more and more difficult as we get older. There are also other roadblocks that can affect our weight loss goals like slow metabolism, hormone imbalances, overeating, psychological issues, etc. In our search to become the best version of ourselves that we can be, we often try different diets, supplements and cleanses to boost our results.

A colon cleanse is a process that can be done periodically to speed up weight loss. Not only can this process help you lose a few pounds in a few days, but it can also rid your body of harmful toxins, promote more energy throughout the day and improve your gut health.

There has been some controversy if cleanses are safe or not for weight loss, getting rid of toxins, producing more energy, etc. But one thought by almost everyone remains at the forefront of cleanses – they could work, and work fast. As for colon cleanses that could give you long term weight loss results? That's another subject for a different day.

As a health and wellness expert and enthusiast, I’ve done a lot of reading and research on colon cleanses. I’ve even tried them out. Based on what your diet, lifestyle, exercise routine and health look like, I’m confident you can benefit from a colon cleanse in one-way-shape-or-form, especially if you're trying to lose weight.

Colon Cleanses and Weight Loss: Will It Work?

Scale victory with a woman excited

People often come upon colon cleanses because they’re interested in losing weight. Some people want to try them out because of gut health issues or other suspected problems like pathogens and parasites, but there’s something very tempting about being able to reset the gut and lose a few pounds in a short amount of time with a colon cleanse.

While a colon cleanse isn’t going to help you achieve all of your weight loss goals in one week, it’s a way to kick start your weight loss plan or break free from a plateau that’s preventing weight loss.

Cleanses can help you lose weight in a few different ways, from reducing your calorie intake to reducing inflammation. They can also help you remove some of the built-up fecal matter that’s inside of your colon while also reducing water retention. A lot of people just feel lighter after a cleanse, even if the number they see on the scale doesn’t go down much.

How Can You Lose Weight with a Colon Cleanse?

A colon cleanse may not sound like the most pleasant experience to you, but there’s no denying the potential health benefits that it can provide you with, including weight loss. By improving your overall digestive process, you can lose anywhere from one to five pounds in a matter of a few days. Cleanses vary in their duration, so the results you experience will often be based off of that as well as the ingredients used in the cleanse.

The general concept of a colon cleanse is to change what you eat and drink for anywhere from one day up to two weeks. Reducing your calorie intake can be beneficial for losing weight, but you’re also often increasing your intake of fruits and vegetables, fiber and fluids. This helps flush toxins and fecal matter from the body which could be contributing to extra weight, especially in your middle region. Some cleanses provide you with probiotics, detox soups, protein shakes and green drinks as part of the process.

Colon Cleanses Help Regular Bowel Movements

It’s a part of our existence that we regularly make trips to the bathroom to expel waste material from the food that we eat. Many of us have experienced constipation that when it finally ends, we feel lighter, more energized and less bloated overall. Think of a cleanse that way. We’re carrying around quite a bit of weight in our bowels every single day. If we can simply get our GI system moving again how it’s designed to function, we’re getting rid of a lot of initial weight. Just keep in mind, this weight loss isn’t something you can sustain for long periods of time. You can use a colon cleanse to get started with a diet, and then utilizing healthy eating and exercise to meet the rest of your goals.

Removes Toxins

Colon cleanses provide detoxification benefits that remove some very unhealthy chemicals, heavy metals and toxins that we’ve come into contact with in our everyday life. By getting rid of the unhealthy things that slow us down, we can experience more energy for working out, we’ll be more motivated to eat healthy and our immune system will function better. Colon cleanses may also contain herbal ingredients that drive toxins out of the body by way of the liver.

Could Provide More Energy

Have you been feeling tired with a lack of motivation to get healthy? Colon cleanses increase energy by releasing toxins from your body and boosting your overall gut health. You can experience better blood circulation and better sleep, which in turn helps you wake up feeling ready to greet the day.

What Are the Key Ingredients to Look For?

There are a few different ingredients that colon cleanses will usually utilize. Though, the formulations vary quite a bit as you will see later on in this article. As a wellness enthusiast, I find these are the ingredients that you should try to make sure are used in a colon cleanse if you want optimal results.

Psyllium Husk

Psyllium husk is a bulk-forming laxative that is very high in soluble fiber. It’s frequently used for its colon cleansing properties. When used in a colon cleanse, psyllium husk can rid the colon of excess waste that has built up over time. It comes in different forms, such as powders, granules, liquids and capsules.

Milk Thistle

Milk thistle is also known as silymarin and is an herb that is native to the Mediterranean area. Having been used for centuries, milk thistle can support the liver and the production of bile. This can ease constipation and help regulate your gut. You can also use milk thistle to naturally lower your cholesterol numbers and boost your cardiovascular health. Milk thistle can boost your immune system thanks to its antioxidant properties. It tends to work best when taking long term, but it’s commonly used in colon cleanses as well.

Cascara Sagrada

Cascara Sagrada is a shrub, but its bark can be dried and used as a bulk laxative. It helps to cleanse the colon of different toxins that have accumulated as well as rid the body of waste. You can find it in various colon cleanses and detox formulas. It’s often used with psyllium husk to make your digestive system more efficient thanks to its laxative stimulating effects.

Will a Colon Cleanse Help Flatten Your Stomach?

Heart on a womans stomach

A colon cleanse can flatten your stomach, but you should try to determine what’s preventing a flat stomach in the first place. Some people have weight around their belly that they want to lose, but there are people who are unhappy with the appearance of their stomach because of bloating, flatulence or water retention. Losing weight won’t necessarily fix all of these issues, but a colon cleanse can target all of these problems.

How Much Weight Can You Lose from a Colon Cleanse?

Your average colon cleanse can help you lose a few pounds at a time. Your typical human has anywhere from five to 20 pounds worth of excess fecal matter in their colon, so the amount of weight you lose can be affected by how much waste you have to expel. If you’ve been feeling bloated or just heavy in your gut region, consider a colon cleanse to feel lighter and get things moving again.

Colon Cleanse Weight Loss Results

While this might not be the most substantial weight loss method that you’ll use to achieve the body you want, colon cleansing is a very efficient way to drop excess waste, reset your metabolism and so much more. I recommend this process as a way to jump start a diet or lifestyle shift, but you could also repeat the cleansing process periodically to keep the momentum of your weight loss going strong.

Colon Cleanser Supplements to Lose Weight

Certain products do an excellent job of helping you lose some weight and keeping you on track with your weight loss goals. Here are some of my recommendations for colon cleanse supplements for dropping pounds that could help you jump start your weight loss journey.

ColonBroom

overview colonbroom fiber supplement

The Colon Broom brand and product is made using organic ingredients that can help with weight loss, but it can also help alleviate uncomfortable constipation, reduce bloating in your stomach and prevent flatulence. Containing fiber from psyllium husk that originates from the plantago ovata plant, Colon Broom is one of my favorite supplements because of how safe, gentle and natural it is. It has helped countless people get their bowel movements on a more regular schedule, and it’s something that can be used on a more long-term basis compared to some of the other brief cleanses that are out there.

In addition to weight loss benefits and regulating your bowel movements, Colon Broom (made by Max Nutrition LLC) can balance your blood sugar levels, boost your energy and improve your mood. This is an established brand that has been producing health and wellness products since 2008.

Chef V 5-Day Cleanse

cleansing by chef v

There are a few different cleanses that you can choose from if you’re interested in the Chef V brand. The one I want to mention is their five-day cycle. Over the course of five days, you’ll consume five bottles of 64-ounce green drinks, five detoxifying soups and ten protein shakes to lose a maximum of about 20 pounds (results can vary based on your body type and health). I like this cleanse because Chef V provides you with a good deal of calories so you’re not starving throughout the process. All of the products utilize natural, whole food ingredients. In addition to weight loss, the Chef V five-day cleanse can also reset your metabolism and reduce any cravings that you have which are negatively affecting your weight loss goals.

Chef V offers a very healthy way to boost your weight loss, improve your energy and regulate your bowel movements. Since you’re not using any kind of herbal ingredients or chemicals, this is a natural process that doesn’t cause a lot of discomfort. You aren’t running to the bathroom or curling up on the couch while you ride out the process, which is something certain products can cause.

Dr. Tobias 14-Day Colon Cleanse

Colon Cleanse Dr. Tobias

The Dr. Tobias 14-day cleanse consists of 28 capsules of product, which contains ingredients like senna leaf, aloe vera gel, cascara sagrada, psyllium husk and licorice root. They are to be taken one to two times per day, providing benefits like flushing toxins out of your body, removing built up fecal material, reducing bloating and boosting your energy levels naturally without stimulants. The Dr. Tobias brand is very transparent and explains their product well on their website. The company utilizes third-party testing to confirm safety and purity of their products. It’s recommended that you wait six to eight weeks before you repeat the process again.

Umzu ZuPoo

umzu zupoo for candida cleanse

UMZU’s ZuPoo is a colon cleanse product that also aids in weight loss. It’s been around since 2015, and contains natural ingredients such as cayenne red pepper, fennel and cascara sagrada. Once you start taking this product, it will create a laxative effect that helps you drop a few pounds, but it will also aid in the removal of toxins, clear out hormone blockers that could be slowing down your weight loss process and reset your metabolism.

UMZU ZuPoo is a very gentle yet effective product that doesn’t cause any severe discomfort. It’s been very effective for people who want to lose weight, but also want to reduce the appearance of a bloated belly.

The Bottom Line: Can Colon Cleanses Help You Lose Weight?

There are many professionals and real-life users of colon cleanses that swear by their effectiveness for weight loss. There are multiple benefits that you can achieve from a versatile product like the ones I’ve mentioned above. Even if you’re just looking for a digestive reset, a colon cleanse can help you manage your weight and feel better overall.

Gone are the days of having to make an appointment for an invasive colonic irrigation to achieve relief. You can now take a gentle and natural supplement from the comfort of your home. Just use caution and speak with your doctor ahead of time if you’re taking prescription medication for a medical condition or you’re concerned about the safety of a colon cleanse for weight loss.

Photo of author

Courtney D'Angelo, MS, RD

Courtney D'Angelo, MS, RD, earned her masters degree in Nutrition and Foods from the University of Georgia. She's a Registered Dietitian at Morrison Healthcare and has a strong passion in helping people improve their wellness!

Leave a Comment