Coffee enemas: A whole new way to take your coffee

Having coffee enema might not sound like the most pleasant experience, but there are many people who swear that it improves your quality of life. As genuine coffee aficionados we felt that it would be remiss not to investigate this curious craze further. Here’s what we discovered.

Like the majority of alternative health crazes, this one originates in the US. The Gerson institute, an organisation offering alternative therapy to treat cancer other diseases, started with this most peculiar of treatments way back in 1920’s Germany, originally as a cure for tuberculosis. Gerson then moved to America where his methods gained considerable attention, and soon his unconventional forms of medicine had taken the country by storm.

More and more people now swear by the treatment. The procedure is simple:  About ½ to 1 litre of room temperature coffee is put in a bag and then injected into your bottom through a tube. Once ‘inside’ the coffee is meant to detox your liver so that it is in better condition to clean out toxic materials from your body. The purpose of coffee enemas is to remove free radicals from the bloodstream whilst detoxing the liver. Once you’ve injected the whole bag, you have to lie still for 10-15 minutes before you can relieve yourself. Tip: You might want to stay within leaping distance of a loo during this time.

The procedure claims to work as treatment for cancer, depression, constipation, allergies and also as a means of reducing pain. It’s available at several alternative therapy clinics across the UK, but many are sceptical as to their actual effectiveness. Medical Director of CancerPartnersUK, Dr Karol Sikora, says there is no evidence that coffee enemas can shrink tumours, and that it in fact can be dangerous.

“I’ve had patients so obsessed with enemas they have really wasted away. It’s bizarre and can’t possibly be of any value for cancer patients other than it makes them feel better and they are doing something,” says Dr Sikora.

It’s first and foremost a treatment for the wealthy, as an average session costs around £70 here in the UK, and if you want a full Gerson therapy programme you’ll have to fork out a hefty £7000 ($11 000) for a two week stay at their clinic. You’ll find it located just over the Mexican border, where they are ideally located to avoid any complications with the US Health Authorities.

If you prefer to do this in the comfort of your own home, a self-starter kit can easily be bought online. There is even coffee specially designed for being consumed rectally. All you need is coffee, a tube and a bag (where’s the lube?).

Janet Jackson is rumoured to be a big fan of a cup of a ‘booty-coffee’, and even our very own HRH, Prince Charles, has publicly endorsed the treatment.

 Dr Lawrence Wilson, who works as a nutrition consultant, is also an advocate of coffee enemas. He says that although he doesn’t know all the reasons why he thinks it works:

“We find the coffee enema is quite remarkable and unique”

He also adds that he wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it. In fact he has recommended coffee enemas to over thirty thousand people.

But before you run out to get your coffee fix, remember there are said to be quite serious risks associated with the treatment and carries a warning that it can cause rectal damage and also lead to severe heart palpitations.

Apparently the treatment also has addictive qualities. A woman in Seattle reportedly took 10 to 12 enemas a night and then one per hour (until eventually she was asked to leave Starbucks).

But on a serious note, such extreme behaviour can affect the electrolyte balance in the body causing death from a critical depletion of potassium. This has been linked to two deaths in the US so far.

We still prefer to take our coffee orally, warm and preferably in a cup. Coffee enemas are something we definitely won’t be trying anytime soon. But if you do fancy it then please let us know how you get on (no photos please).