For many of us, our morning “cup of joe” is a non-negotiable. Thanks to coffee's delicious dose of caffeine and well-documented health benefits, this antioxidant-packed drink has become a staple in our culture. 

But did you know that coffee also has a slightly more unconventional use? And instead of just giving you a morning boost, it’s also a powerful way to detox your body?

I’m talking about coffee enemas – a lesser-known way to reap coffee’s incredible health-promoting benefits. Today we’re going to dive into exactly how coffee enemas are beneficial and easy-to-use, how they can help improve your body's ability to detox, and how to safely perform one.

What Exactly Is a Coffee Enema?

In case you’re not already familiar with them, an enema is an injection of fluids into your lower bowels via your rectum. A coffee enema is exactly what it sounds like – a dose of coffee is administered directly into your body through an enema. While this may sound strange, and maybe a little awkward, enemas have been used for centuries to improve digestion and treat countless ailments. 

In fact, enemas have been used since the 1800s to speed up healing after surgeries and reverse the effects of accidental poisonings. Today, enemas are usually associated with bowel cleansing before surgery or to relieve constipation. 

However, coffee enemas can actually do a whole lot more than just aid in emptying your bowels. So, let’s take a look at exactly how the benefits of coffee enemas are different from simply drinking a cup of coffee.

Why Choose a Coffee Enema Instead of Drinking Coffee?

It’s common knowledge that coffee packs a powerful punch of caffeine, but it also contains a potent dose of a few other health-promoting compounds such as:

• Cafestol
• Kahweol
• Tocopherols
• Nicotinic acid
• Heterocyclic compounds

This combination of caffeine and antioxidants is better absorbed directly through the intestines – rather than when you drink coffee and it passes through the stomach before getting to the intestines. This change in delivery method can produce some pretty impressive benefits.

What Are the Benefits of a Coffee Enema?

While more research is needed to determine all of the benefits of coffee enemas, some of the most recent notable health-boosting benefits include:

• Boosting levels of antioxidants – particularly the powerhouse antioxidant glutathione
• Reducing inflammation
• Fighting cancer and neoplasia  – by preventing the growth of abnormal tissue that can eventually lead to cancer
• Relieving constipation – by emptying the bowel
• Improving digestion and promoting a healthier digestive tract 

OBut one of the most notable uses and benefits of coffee enemas is their ability to positively affect your body's natural detoxification system. Let’s look at exactly how coffee enemas exert their detoxifying effects. 

How a Coffee Enema Can Help You Detox

Detoxification simply refers to your body's ability to process out and remove any potentially harmful compounds. Coffee enemas are used as a potent way to enhance your natural detoxification mechanisms in three ways.

Coffee Enemas Support Emptying of the Colon:

Your large intestines are responsible for storing and eliminating toxins and waste that your body needs to excrete, so . So, having regular and healthy bowel movements is essential for the proper removal of toxins. 

In addition, bowel movements help remove the old tissue lining your intestines to make room for new healthy cells. This is important because the lining of your gut plays an important role in regulating your immune system and preventing leaky gut syndrome – a condition that can “clog” your detox pathways and overwork your immune system.

During a coffee enema, your lower intestines are distended and the caffeine is absorbed through the blood vessels in the walls of your intestines. The combination of caffeine and the distention of your bowels triggers the smooth muscles in your intestines to contract – causing you to have to go. 

Coffee Enemas Increase Antioxidants:

A buildup of toxins in the body can cause an increase in free radicals – unstable atoms that cause damage to your cells known as oxidative stress. Your body relies on antioxidants to neutralize these free radicals and stop them from exerting their damaging effects.

Thanks to the compounds cafestol and kahweol found in coffee, coffee enemas have been found to increase levels of the powerful antioxidant glutathione.3,4 Glutathione is known as “the mother of antioxidants” due to its potent ability to enhance detoxification and combat oxidative damage.5   My friend, Dr. Petra at the Swiss Mountain Clinic, had said that coffee enemas increase glutathione production by 600%

Coffee Enemas Promote the Release of Bile:

Your liver is one of your primary detoxification organs – constantly filtering your blood and removing any harmful compounds. Once the liver filters out wastes are filtered out by the liver, the wastes collect in the gallbladder and are stored in bile, which eventually flows into the digestive tract to be excreted with fecal matter.

Coffee enemas are believed to dilate your blood vessels and stimulate the flow of bile. This increase in bile flow essentially speeds up your body's ability to detox and filter out unwanted wastes and toxins.

How Often Should You Do Coffee Enemas?

How often you perform a coffee enema will depend on a number of factors. If you’re struggling with constipation, have a high toxic burden, or are suffering from impaired detoxification capabilities, you may want to do coffee enemas daily for a period of time. If you’re just trying to boost your detoxification and maintain your health, you may want to do a weekly coffee enema.

How frequently you incorporate coffee enemas will be different for each individual. That’s why I highly recommend consulting with an experienced Integrative and Functional Medicine Practitioner to guide you. 

Health is not a one-size-fits-all, and an experienced clinician can help you determine what would be best for your unique situation. If you’re not sure where to start, you can learn how to choose the right doctor in my article How to Choose a Good Integrative and Functional Medicine Practitioner.

What Are the Risks of a Coffee Enemas?

In general, coffee enemas are safe;, however, there are some risks you need to be aware of. If done incorrectly, coffee enemas have the potential to be harmful. Some of the potential risks associated with coffee enemas include:

• Tears in the intestinal wall: If performed too frequently or with too large of a volume of fluid, coffee enemas can over-distend your intestines and cause damage to the tissue lining your colon.
• Dehydration or electrolyte imbalances: If performed too frequently, enemas of any kind can cause an over-excretion of fluid and electrolytes.

Coffee enemas are safe to perform at home, but it’s crucial to follow guidelines to ensure you’re performing them safely. I recommend consulting with an experienced Integrative and Functional Medicine Practitioner to get you started.

How Exactly Do I Do a Coffee Enema?

When I came back from the Liver Detox Intensive two week retreat at the Swiss Mountain Clinic where I hosted a group trip last year, I realized that no one in the US had the simple set up that we had been able to use, while in Switzerland.  So I decided to purchase them in bulk and make them available to my clients and patients here in the clinic.   Most coffee enema kits are cumbersome and bulky and require you to first brew and cool the coffee before putting it into a bag that hangs with tubing that is used to administer.  There are risks from brewing the coffee too strong, using poor quality coffee, and even the risk of internal burns if you do not properly cool the coffee before using… is it any wonder I had no interest in trying a coffee enema before?  

Coffee enemas are easy and inexpensive to assemble and perform in the comfort of your own home. All you need is one of my SMC coffee enema kits and the special instant coffee charcoal mix that is made to use with it. Once you have your kit, you may complete the following steps to administer the enema:

1. Prepare the coffee by filling the bottle (which comes in the enema kit) with warm, clean water. You want the water to be about body temperature. 
2. Add in approximately two teaspoons of the instant coffee enema powder to the warm water.
3. Ensure the enema tubing is clamped before connecting it to the enema bottle. Then hang the coffee-filled bottle above you – I recommend hanging it about 18 inches above your body so it doesn’t flow too fast.
4. Lie down in a comfortable location (like your bathroom floor) and place towels underneath you.
5. Roll onto your left side into the fetal position with your knees bent. Then gently insert the nozzle about two to four inches into your rectum – you can use coconut oil or another lubricant to make insertion easier.
6. Unclamp the tubing and slowly allow the enema solution to flow into your body.
7. After removing the nozzle, find a comfortable position, and try to hold the solution for about 15 minutes.
8. Once you’re done, simply release the solution into the toilet.

While performing a coffee enema at home is simple and straightforward, there are a couple more things you should take into consideration.

Choosing a Coffee Enema Kit

Using a prepared coffee enema kit can simplify the process. When purchasing a coffee enema kit, there are a few things I recommend looking for:

• High-quality, organic coffee: When it comes to putting anything in your body, quality matters. Look for coffee that is certified organic so you can trust that it’s free from any toxic chemical sprays. 
• An easy-to-use set up: Look for a simple kit that isn’t complicated. All you need is a bucket or bag attached to a tube or nozzle. 
• A charcoal binder: While not always used with coffee enemas, I strongly suggest looking for a kit that incorporates a charcoal binder. Activated charcoal enhances the enema’s detoxification power by binding to any toxins released so they can be more easily excreted from the body.

There are several excellent brands of kits available to choose from, but my simplified version will beat them all… my coffee enema kit imported straight from Switzerland is easier to use than anything you’ve ever seen! They source only the best organic coffee, have a simple and easy-to-use kit, and incorporate toxin binding charcoal. You can grab your own kit by clicking right here. 

Coffee Enemas: Another Tool in Detoxification

Coffee enemas may sound strange or even awkward at first, but they can be a powerful tool in giving your body a little extra help detoxing from the countless toxins we come in contact with daily. With that being said, there’s no single technique that’s going to transform your health. 

Prioritizing your health requires an all-encompassing approach and will look different for each and every person. That’s why I’m dedicated to providing my patients and readers with the resources they need to make informed decisions about their own health. 

If you want in on all my best tips and recommendations when it comes to staying healthy, I encourage you to sign up for my newsletter. All you have to do is type in your name and email address below.

Now it’s time to hear from you. Were you surprised to learn about the benefits of coffee enemas? What steps are you taking to help your body detox? Leave your questions and thoughts in the comments below!

References

1. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780124047389000039
2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10499460/
3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7059995/
4. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3612687/
5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4684116/