You may have heard Gwenyth Paltrow or other celebrity influencers mention coffee enema benefits, but did you know your favorite morning beverage can truly be a powerful healing agent when consumed up the other end? It might sound strange to inject coffee directly into your body via your rectum, but this unconventional health hack has been making a resurgence recently due to celebrity claims and all the internet “detox” buzz. While coffee enemas are still not exactly a mainstream way to fight illness, coffee enemas benefits are also nothing new; enemas have been used for thousands of years to help restore digestive function and general health, and the research is quickly catching up, albeit often shielded from mainstream media and news sources.
Coffee Enema Benefits: The Backstory
Enemas have been around for thousands of years: Ancient Egyptians recorded enema protocol on their papyrus sheets, and Hippocrates, known as the “Father of Modern Medicine,” also allegedly strongly encouraged them. There are even mentions of enemas on the Dead Sea scrolls to purify the body and soul.
The clinical use of coffee enemas dates back to the mid-1800s. In one report, a doctor described using the treatment for a child whose survival seemed hopeless from accidental poisoning. Historical studies show that, in addition to cases of poisoning, coffee enemas were also used starting in the 1800s to help speed up a patient’s healing post-surgery.
Coffee enema benefits became more accepted in the 1950s when the Gerson Institute began using the protocol as part of its natural cancer treatments. Now, many more people are turning to this procedure for various ailments, especially those who don’t respond well to traditional therapies or prescription medications. However, coffee enemas also benefit those who aren’t necessarily suffering or sick, and it is a means to keep the body optimally functioning.
How It Works
Coffee flows into the colon via the rectum and is then expelled in a bowel movement a few minutes later. The caffeine and antioxidants in the coffee have a highly effective detoxing effect on the body that is hard to replicate with other methods. A coffee enema stimulates the liver to increase its detoxification of the blood and decrease the toxic load on the liver. This includes removing a variety of toxins and free radicals from the bloodstream. Research shows that coffee enemas can effectively clean out the lower intestines, reduce inflammation, and improve your overall health in many ways.
Butt Brew|| Mixed Messages In The Media
A simple online search might lead you to believe at first glance that coffee enemas are unsafe or even dangerous; and that there is not enough research proving their efficacy and safety. As the scientific evidence supporting coffee enema benefits is somewhat limited, we also must consider the sources of funding backing the studies and research that does exist thus far, and use discernment to decipher where the truth actually lies.
“I think there is an operation to keep coffee enemas away from the people,” says HoneyColony Founder Maryam Henein aka The BeeLady. “If I were to point to one thing that helped me reverse Lupus, it would be the coffee enemas I did for two years, twice a week.” Henein has had a profound personal journey with coffee enemas, which she’s written about. The Beelady swears by the innumerable health benefits she receives from her own ritual with coffee enemas, which she maintains to this day to keep her highly functioning and detoxed.
We always encourage everyone to do their research, talk to their primary care physician or licensed medical professional, and use their discretion and reasoning when choosing a new health protocol. Just because it worked for someone else doesn’t necessarily mean it’s right for you (please see further contraindications below).
Despite often being degraded as new age quackery online, today, many doctors of functional and alternative medicines use coffee enemas to help manage their patients’ conditions, including:
- cancer
- parasites
- overdoses
- constipation
- liver dysfunction
- Candida
- IBS
- and other digestive disorders
Here are the Top 8 Coffee Enemas Benefits You Need to Know:
- Constipation Relief / Digestive Function
Obviously, this treatment will almost immediately evacuate the bowels, ridding the pain and discomfort of constipation. Coffee enemas can also help relieve other digestive issues, such as frequent bloating, cramping, and nausea. While laxatives and prescriptions fail to address the underlying cause of many digestive disorders, coffee enemas naturally restore and optimize your digestive function, improve overall gut health, and even help repair digestive tissue. - Improved Immunity
By flooding your system with antioxidants, supporting and cleansing your liver, and reducing inflammation, coffee enemas are a great way to boost your overall immune system. - Mood Boost
Coffee enemas make you feel better. When you feel better in your body, your mood improves, things look a little brighter, and you are less prone to depression and anxiety (which can be symptoms of a sluggish GI tract or liver). People who use coffee enemas also report having increased energy…and no, it’s not the caffeine! Studies show that the bioavailability of caffeine obtained from coffee enemas is about 3.5 times less than when you drink coffee. That said, Henein suggests doing it in the morning as it is energizing. And some people are more sensitive than others. Listen to your body. - Detoxification
According to the Gerson Institute, coffee enemas effectively ” remove toxins accumulated in the liver and free radicals from the bloodstream”…toxins like heavy metals or excess fatty acids. Research has shown that caffeine and other compounds travel via the hemorrhoidal vein to the liver during a coffee enema detox. Coffee opens up blood vessels, relaxes smooth muscles that help with bowel movements, and improves circulation. Once it makes its way to the liver, coffee is also believed to help open up bile ducts and increase bile production needed for proper elimination. - Blood Cleanse + Improved Circulation
Coffee enemas remove a variety of toxins and free radicals from the bloodstream. Researchers from the University of Minnesota also demonstrated that coffee enema benefits might include being able to help stimulate the production of a beneficial enzyme created in the liver called glutathione S-transferase, which acts like an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and natural blood cleanser. Some research shows that coffee enemas increase glutathione S-transferase production by as much as 600 percent in the liver and 700 percent in the small bowel! You can read more about this here. It’s the potent compounds, including caffeine, palmites, theobromine, and theophylline, that dilate blood vessels and bile ducts and relax smooth muscles, increasing the flow of bile and also improving circulation. - Liver + Gallbladder Cleanse
During a coffee enema protocol, the coffee solution enters the vessels in the lower part of the descending colon and rectum carrying the solution to the liver. The potent compounds in coffee are absorbed by the hemorrhoidal and mesenteric veins that route to the liver. This stimulates the liver to increase its detoxification of the blood, and decrease the toxic load on the liver and gallbladder. - Cellular Regeneration
Coffee enemas lower blood serum toxin levels, therefore increasing cell energy production, enhancing tissue health, and improving blood circulation, immunity, tissue repair, and cellular regeneration. - Mental Health
Coffee enema benefits also encompass mental health improvements. This protocol can promote a sense of relaxation, significantly reduce pain, and enhance well-being by stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system.
In the age of instant and infinite information, it can be easy for vital details about this procedure to get lost in the mix. Your body is your temple, so you don’t want to hastily try things without sound advice and proper protocols in place. If you have a chronic disease or cancer, additional contraindications may exist.
Important Things to Note
- Hydration: Electrolytes are lost during the evacuation process, so make sure you balance your coffee enema protocol with hydration, including adding electrolytes and juice intake. The typical ratio is 3:1 (three 8 oz. juices for each coffee enema). Try supplementing with HYDRA Plus+ and/or Quinton Hypertonic, which has a rich amount of nutrient marine fluid to keep you hydrated when you’re on the go.
- Type of Coffee: A variety of coffee is appropriate for use, ranging from gold, green and white, to light and medium roasts. Coffee must be organic and we recommend fair-trade, sustainable coffee. HoneyColony’s PureLife Coffee Enema Kit W/ Organic Medium Roast has a high palmitate content. Dark roasts are not appropriate because the potent compounds have been roasted out. Gold, green, or white beans are potent, with light to medium roasts typically well-tolerated by most. If you are new to coffee enemas, start with a medium or light roast.
- Contraindications: Coffee enemas are not recommended if you are currently undergoing chemotherapy, have renal, cardiac or respiratory failure, bleeding and ulceration in the colon tract, ulcerative Colitis, Crohn’s disease, Ileostomy (no colon), hypertension or tachycardia, if you are pregnant (consult with your primary care professional), acute or ongoing chronic diarrhea (until investigated by a physician), or if you are in the first 6-8 weeks post-surgery.
- Allergic Response: According to Healthline, coffee enemas can be particularly dangerous if you are sensitive or allergic to caffeine or take medications that may have negative interactions with it.
Before embarking on your coffee enema journey, HoneyColony suggests consulting with a professional first and ensuring that the colon-cleansing equipment is disposable and has never been used. If you have any questions or need guidance, HoneyColony Founder Maryam Henein is a functional medical consultant and you can book a session with her for support.
¹Coffee enemas have long been in use. In a case report in the Pacific Medical and Surgical Journal in December 1866, M.A. Cachot, MD, described the successful use of a coffee enema to treat a child dying from accidental poisoning. (Cachot, 1866) Articles from the late 1800s reported that coffee enemas were helpful in post-operative care. (Allison, 1896; “The Medicinal Employment of Coffee,” 1897) At a medical meeting in 1896, Dr. W.J. Mayo, one of the founders of the Mayo Clinic, mentioned coffee enemas as a routine part of care for patients after abdominal surgery. (“Mississippi Valley Medical Association Society Proceedings,” 1896) In an extensive 1941 article in the Uruguayan Medical, Surgical and Specialization Archives, Dr. Carlos Stajano described immediate improvement in near-terminal patients after coffee enemas, including a patient with cocaine intoxication and a patient with postoperative shock. (Stajano, 1941) His extensive experience with coffee enemas in post-operative management made him plead for their continued use (https://www.drlindai.com/detox.html).
