The only time you should clean your colon is to prepare for a colonoscopy. A clean colon helps your doctor detect polyps that can become cancer. Polyps are small growths on the lining of your colon. “Otherwise, colon cleansing is not necessary and, in fact, may harm you,” Stroehlein says.
They believe that colon cleansing improves health by removing toxins, boosting your energy and enhancing your immune system. However, there's no evidence that colon cleansing produces these effects or is beneficial at all. And colon cleansing can sometimes be harmful.
The frequency of colon cleanses can vary depending on the individual's needs and health status. It is generally not recommended to do a colon cleanse more than once every few months.
What comes out during a colonic? Fecal matter and the water used during the cleanse is flushed back out of your body after the procedure. Proponents also say the procedure can help rid you of parasites, microbes, and toxins.
Your stool is clear yellow liquid without dark particles. This means you are ready. If you have not finished your bowel cleansing agent, you should still finish it as instructed. The intestine continues to produce fecal material so rinse out the colon with the remaining bowel cleansing agent.
Colon cleansing has the potential to aid weight loss; some people claim to have lost up to 20 pounds over the course of a month. The average human colon weighs about four pounds empty and can hold up to eight meals' worth of food before digestion finally occurs.
Drinking more water throughout the day helps to keep the colon clean, increase overall function and improve regularity (Source: LIVESTRONG).
After you eat, it takes about six to eight hours for food to pass through your stomach and small intestine. Food then enters your large intestine (colon) for further digestion, absorption of water and, finally, elimination of undigested food. It takes about 36 hours for food to move through the entire colon.
Colon cleansing has the potential to aid weight loss; some people claim to have lost up to 20 pounds over the course of a month. The average human colon weighs about four pounds empty and can hold up to eight meals' worth of food before digestion finally occurs.
Toxic megacolon is characterized by extreme inflammation and distention of the colon. Common symptoms are pain, distention of the abdomen, fever, rapid heart rate, and dehydration. This is a life-threatening complication that requires immediate medical treatment.
After your colonic treatment you can expect to feel lighter, brighter , less bloated , cleansed and have more energy. It is not unusual sometimes after a really good evacuation to feel tired for about a day or two post-treatment.
It upsets the sodium and electrolyte balance which may further lead to nausea, vomiting, cramps, and fatigue. If you experience nausea or vomiting after drinking water on an empty stomach, it may be because this balance has been upset. Cease drinking water and the symptoms should subside shortly.
Many people will experience a slight increase in frequency and “softer” bowel movement than normal during a cleanse. A juice cleanse can help your body purge itself of waste, toxins and in some cases, colon plaque, so there might be a sight change in color and consistency while cleansing.
 In addition, frequent use of some types of laxatives can have a boomerang effect, so that cleaning your colon could leave it less able to do its job the way nature intended. Another pitfall of colon cleansers is that they can lead to dehydration, Johnson says.
The average person's colon can often hold 8 to 25 lbs of accumulated fecal matter.
Bloating is a common gastrointestinal concern that can be uncomfortable, especially in tight-fitting clothing. By stimulating the release of both waste and water from the body, a colon cleanse can provide powerful bloating relief.
Some people actually gain weight from juice cleanses because of that — and if they do happen to lose some weight at first, there's a good chance it will come back (and then some!) after they return to their normal eating habits.
Excess belly fat cannot be reduced by simply following a 3-day cleanse. However, it can be tackled by maintaining a healthy lifestyle for a prolonged period of time.
The procedure may cause abdominal pressure or discomfort but usually no pain. You do not smell anything while undergoing a colonic.