The thought of a coffee enema might leave you in shock, but it’s actually a practice that has been used therapeutically for thousands of years.
I’ve actually seen the implementation of coffee enemas truly transform energy, gut health, antioxidant status and more in both myself and my clients.
While you should definitely get the go-ahead from a trusted provider, coffee enema benefits can be profound.
Since the idea of doing something with your coffee other than drinking it probably leaves you scratching your head, this article dives deeper into what a coffee enema is, its astounding health benefits and other important information to consider when deciding whether or not this practice is right for you.
What Is a Coffee Enema, Exactly?
A coffee enema is just what it sounds like: coffee entering the colon via the rectum and being expelled shortly after in the form of a bowel movement. While this might sound a little out-there, the antioxidants and caffeine content of a high quality organic coffee enema can provide many unique enema benefits.
Coffee enema history: Enemas themselves date back hundreds of thousands of years. Hippocrates touted their benefits and some scholars have suggested that enemas were detailed as a form of bodily purification and cleansing in the dead sea scrolls. The use of coffee enemas gained popularity during World War I as a way of reducing pain in the absence of adequate pain medications, and then went on to become a medical treatment and detoxification method used by doctors and other practitioners.
Top 8 Health Benefits of Coffee Enemas
While more research is needed, practitioners have been using coffee enemas with their patients for the following reasons, and with great success in many cases. In my own practice, I’ve found coffee enemas especially effective for increasing energy and improving antioxidant status, among the following coffee enema benefits.
1) Enemas for Improved Gallbladder Function
Studies show that drinking coffee increases production of a hormone called cholecystokinin that stimulates the flow of bile. (1) Researchers have hypothesized that coffee enemas work to clear bile obstructions in the gallbladder and bile ducts. Clearing these types of obstructions and improving flow is likely to reduce your risk of inflammation and blockages, and might even help to flush toxins and release gallstones.
2) Enemas for Liver Detoxification Support
The most common reason for using a coffee enema these days is for detoxification support. The liver and gallbladder are closely connected and are both detoxification organs. Once toxins are released from the liver via the body’s natural detox processes and pathways, it’s then up to a healthy gut microbiome to ensure that those toxins are released, instead of being reabsorbed by the colon back into the bloodstream.
When coffee enemas stimulate bile production, toxins are naturally moved to the colon where the enema has softened stool, allowing toxins to more easily exit the body.
Furthermore, coffee has been shown to contain certain compounds, kahweol palmitate and cafestol palmitate, both of which can increase glutathione production. (2) Glutathione is considered the body’s “master antioxidant” and is absolutely essential for optimal detoxification and mitigating free radical damage.
3) Enemas for Candida Control
While a coffee enema is unlikely to be sufficient as the primary method of treating Candida, enemas can certainly help. Candida is a fungal infection rampant in today’s society, largely thanks to an influx of dietary sugar, an abundance of chronic stress and overuse of antibiotics.
Enemas in general can help to get rid of harmful bacterias and other compounds (like fungal overgrowth) and set the stage for a balanced and beneficial gut microbiome.
4) Enemas for Parasite Cleansing
We tend to only consider parasites if traveling abroad, but many people end up with a parasitic infection right here at home. Coffee enemas might help to loosen and flush impacted feces in the colon, which is where parasites can reside. Caffeine is also potentially harmful to these critters, which could also be beneficial in targeting a parasitic infection.
5) Enemas for Improved Digestive and Gut Health
Coffee also contains a compound called theophylline, which can help to reduce inflammation in both the intestines and liver. Studies show it could be helpful for those suffering from ulcerative colitis. (3)
Proponents of the GAPS diet for gut-healing recommend coffee enemas in order to clear out the types of pathogenic bacteria and infections discussed above, namely parasites, fungus and other types of infections that damage the gut.
Check out this article to learn more about other important methods for repairing the gut lining.
6) Enemas for Healthier Skin
The skin is a direct reflection of the body’s inner landscape, so often skin problems like acne, rosacea, eczema and other conditions point to something happening on a deeper level. In the majority of cases skin problems stem from a damaged gut and gut microbiome, which is why it makes sense that coffee enemas can support healthier skin.
Simply put, practices like coffee enemas that support gut health and proper detoxification also support clear, radiant skin.
7) Enemas for Potential Cancer Support
Dr. Max Gerson’s well known and highly respected cancer treatment protocols utilize daily coffee enemas along with dietary and supplement protocols. The main mechanisms of these therapies is to restore electrolyte balance and boost immunity in cancer patients, and often coffee enemas were used up to six times per day.
8) Enemas for Constipation Relief
Coffee enemas can offer immediate relief for those that suffer from constipation. Using a coffee enema for constipation is another common reason that many people begin this practice, as it will usually bring on several bowel movements right away. Of course, if you suffer from chronic constipation, it’s important to work with your provider to uncover the root of the problem, not just relieve symptoms.
How to do a Coffee Enema
Once you get the go-ahead and guidance from your doctor or healthcare practitioner, coffee enemas are fairly simple to do from the comfort of your own home. I typically recommend a weekly enema for maintenance and three times a week for an acute illness.
See this video (also linked above) for detailed directions on how to prepare your coffee enema. You can also read below for an outline.
Where to Get Enema Supplies
Enema kit: Here’s an example on Amazon.
Gloves: I bought vinyl gloves locally at Target.
Coffee: I buy my coffee locally at a health food store and buy organic, light roast, which contains the most palmitates that stimulate the glutathione production. We also carry Purity coffee in our shop- there’s a light roast perfect for this job.
Purified water: You must brew your coffee and clean your kit with pure water. You can run it through a water filter, or buy distilled water.
Binders: I always recommend that you take a good binder right before you begin your enema, as it will escort out toxins as they are released in the process. A good choice is G.I. Detox.
How to Prepare Your Coffee
Choose a light roast, organic coffee. Purchase whole beans and grind enough to yield four tablespoons of freshly ground coffee.
Boil two and a half cups of purified water, and add both your coffee grounds and hot water to a blender or water pitcher.
Allow the grinds and hot water to sit for 15 minutes in the blender.
After 15 minutes, add two more cups of cool or room temperature purified water to the blender.
Using a glass jar or other container and a mesh wire filter (important for preserving the coffee’s compounds), slowly pour the coffee and water mixture through the strainer. This yields about four cups of coffee, which is enough for one enema.
The coffee should be just slightly warm, and is now ready to be put into your enema bag.
How to Do the Enema
When to do it: Ideally, you will do an enema first thing in the morning before you have eaten for the day. Please do go ahead and drink, however, so you don’t get dehydrated. You’ll want to perform this immediately after a bowel movement if possible, as this ensures your experience to be more comfortable and effective.
Where to do it: You can perform this practice wherever you feel comfortable, but most people choose the bathroom or on the floor where you can lay towels down in another room. It’s recommended to be near the bathroom for when you need it.
Setting up: Rinse out the kit with purified water before filling it with coffee. The enema bag should be placed about three feet above you. If you’re in the bathroom, this means you might hang the bag from a towel rack, for example. Get some old towels or the like and spread them out on the floor so that you can lie down on them. I recommend applying a natural lubricant (such as coconut oil) around the nozzle of the hose.
What to do: Begin by taking a good binder, such as GI Detox, to help draw out toxins.
Lie down on your right side curled up in a fetal position, and insert the nozzle directly into your rectum, slowly moving it in about one inch.
Once you’re comfortable, open the valve that begins the flow of coffee and leave it open until the bag is emptied (or until you feel full; you can also leave some coffee in the kit and do a second round immediately following the first).
In terms of how long to hold a coffee enema, shoot for around 15 minutes. For the first round, sometimes I just hold for about five minutes, and then ‘graduate’ to a 15 minute round or two later. I also usually retain less fluid the first time and more the following rounds too.
You’ll need to squeeze your pelvic floor muscles to keep the liquid inside, as if you were performing a kegel exercise. You can also think of this as if you were tensing the same muscles you would use to stop the flow of urine.
After about 15 minutes, you can sit on the toilet and let the water flow out freely.
If you have more coffee left in the kit and/or had planned on a second round, repeat these steps once more.
When you’re done: Make sure to clean out your enema kit to avoid infection. You will first run a bit of hydrogen peroxide through your kit to rinse out the coffee. You can also run hydrogen peroxide over the tip. Then fasten the clamp at the bottom to hold the liquid that you’re about to add in the kit. Fill the kit with 2 cups of hydrogen peroxide. Let it sit for 15 minutes, then drain and rinse with purified water.
A coffee enema can leave you dehydrated so drink water with electrolytes or make my green juice for some delicious, nutritious hydration!
Precautions of a Coffee Enema
Even though coffee enema bad side effects or complications are rare, it bears repeating that it is important to work with your practitioner to be sure that they are safe for you. This is of particular importance if you deal with a chronic disease and are considering coffee enemas as a therapeutic support. Initial studies suggest that side effects and complications don’t typically occur, but more research is needed. (4)
When weighing a coffee enema benefits and risks, keep in mind that any sort of enema isn’t necessarily safe for everyone.
Avoiding Common Risks of Coffee Enemas
Electrolyte imbalances and dehydration: A coffee enema can leave you dehydrated and drained of electrolytes. Be sure to drink plenty of water, and you might also want to have some electrolytes and minerals like pure coconut water and bone broth or vegetable broth.
Anal tearing: To guard against this, always use a lubricant (as outlined above).
Infection: If your enema kit is not cleaned properly, you run the risk of developing an infection. So make sure to clean it, as outlined above.
Burning: Ensure that your water has cooled down to room temperature (or almost room temperature) before beginning the enema.
Move slowly and listen to your body’s signals. Consider the first time a personal experiment to see how this practice feels.
Special Situations
Missing a gallbladder? You should still be able to do an enema. Watch this video for details.
Caffeine sensitive? I am caffeine sensitive as well and I still like doing them. You can start with a ½ dose of coffee as a trial, but it is recommended to later increase to the full dose.
Situations that require great caution: If you are in any of the following categories, you should not do an enema unless you are working with a medical professional and they give you careful advice. There are complications that can arise from a coffee enema in these situations.
Elderly people
Pregnant women
Children
Those with heart or respiratory failure
Anyone with gallstones
Anyone undergoing chemotherapy
Those with a prolapsed anus
Those with chronic bowel issues
Anyone with severe hemorrhoids or rectal fissures
What’s the Verdict on Coffee Enemas?
Like everything in the field of functional and personalized medicine, coffee enemas are another potentially valuable tool in your wellness toolbox.
Everyone’s toolbox is filled with different strategies, practices, foods, types of movement and more, since we are all biochemically unique. What’s more, even your body’s own needs can shift from day to day, so learning to tap into its innate wisdom and communication is key. Coffee enema benefits can be immediately noticeable and powerful, just be sure to go slow and seek professional guidance to ensure your safety.
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Bridgit Danner, LAc, FDNP, is trained in functional health coaching and has worked with thousands of women over her career since 2004. She is the founder of Women’s Wellness Collaborative llc and FunctionalDetoxProducts.com.
Check out her easy 5-Day DIY Detox Guide here!