Coffee Enemas as a "Cure" for Cancer

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motheroffoursons
motheroffoursons Member Posts: 333
edited June 2014 in Complementary and Holistic Medicine and Treatment

I probably should have entitled this thread differently.

 Please explain to me why coffee enemas are used for treatment of cancer?  Is there any evidence? 

Just thought this would make an interesting discussion.

http://www.princeton.edu/~ota/disk2/1990/9044/904405.PDF

Box 3-B--Coffee EnemasSeveral of the current unconventional cancer treatments, e.g., the Gerson treatment and the Kelley regimen,include a recommendation that patients take coffee enemas several times a day. Proponents believe that coffeeenemas stimulate the secretion of bile and the action of the liver, helping to "detoxify" the body of waste productsand poisons accumulated in the gastrointestinal tract (337,472). "Colonic irrigation' and ‘high colonies" are termsreferring to a related procedure that involves flushing a larger portion of the colon with water. Colonic irrigationis used in the context of physical cleansing and general detoxification in many unconventional settings (450,959),but is usually distinct from the use of enemas in cancer treatment.A few studies examining the theory of self-poisoning through the accumulation of toxins and waste productsin the body were published in the 1920s (21,259) as a result of a belief common at the turn of the century thatimpacted feces in the colon produced pathogenic toxins. The specific causative toxins have apparently never beenidentified or measured and possible physiologic effects of the "detoxifying" enemas have not been studiedsystematically. In general, there is no scientific evidence to support the claim that coffee enemas detoxify the bloodor liver. It has been suggested, however, that coffee taken by this route is a strong stimulant and can be at least asaddictive as coffee taken regularly by mouth (947).The occasional use of enemas, usually consisting of plain water, is conventional practice for a number ofmedical purposes, e.g., to prepare for x-rays of the intestines, surgery, or childbirth (649), or to relieve constipation(613c). The enema procedure is reportedly not without certain risks, however (970). Case reports of serious adverseeffects associated with enemas used in conventional and unconventional treatment have appeared in the medicalliterature. Coffee enemas have been associated occasionally with fatal electrolyte imbalances. Transmission ofenteric pathogens (835), fatal bowel perforation and necrosis (1%,454), and toxic colitis (478,727,793) have beenassociated with various other types of enema (soapsuds, water, barium, herbal, etc.). Colonic irrigation has beenlinked with fatal amebiasis resulting from contaminated equipment (450).Proponents often point to the recommendation of coffee enemas in relatively recent editions of the MerckManual of Diagnosis and Therapy, a general health care guide, as evidence of the medical appropriateness andconventionality of coffee enemas (355). Up to and including its 1972 edition, the Merck Manual did recommendcoffee as one type of ingredient for occasional use as a retention enema, the purpose of which was to "soothe orlubricate rectal mucosa, to apply absorbable or local medications, or to soften feces" (613). No mention was madeof the use of coffee enemas to remove toxins from the body. In addition to coffee, other agents mentioned for thesame purposes were starch, olive oil, cottonseed oil, mineral oil, and whiskey in isotonic saline. Retention enemasusing coffee or any of these other substances were not being recommended for frequent use, however (76), andcoffee enemas were not recommended for use as a part of treatment for cancer or any other serious illness-onlyfor temporary, specific problems such as constipation. In the 1977 and later editions of the Merck Manual, themention of Coffee enemas was dropped. In the three most recent editions, enemas using olive Oil, mineral oil, or, isotonic saline are recommended for constipation and fecal impaction (613a,613b,613c). PLEASE NOTE EDIT:

I edited the above as some posters felt I was a proponent of this procedure.  I find it ludicrous as a cancer treatment, and was hoping an alternative gal would give SCIENTIFIC DATA regarding its validity.
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  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited January 2010

    These kind of articles get my dander up.

    First it says have a coffee enema 3 times a day. Duh. Who has time for that? 

    Then it says we have toxins in our bowels. Duh, what research grant figured that out? Of COURSE we do!! That's why we have bowel movements; to rid out bodies of those very toxins.

    Not anywhere does it say "Coffee enemas as a cure for cancer".

    Then is says don't do it too often as you can die from a ruptured bowel.

    Oh, and water will do the same thing and have the same results.

    Enemas are one-time situations as mentioned above. If you don't allow your body to use the bowel muscles on their own, they will forget how and you will be on enemas for the rest of your life.

    My Dad did colonics for years. Then he moved on to chelation (same concept) therapy that was supposed to "cleanse the blood" of toxins. After all those years he developed lung cancer and died.

    So shove your "addictive" coffee up your a$$ if you want, but I'm hoping a newbie doesn't read this and avoid conventional treatment! Yell

    Edited to spell ass with dollar signs so I don't offend anyone.

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  • thenewme
    thenewme Member Posts: 1,611
    edited January 2010

    Hi Barbe,

    Apparently there are quite a few people who actually believe in the health benefits of coffee enemas for breast cancer treatment.  I know - hard to believe, but I honestly hope we can discuss some of the facts.  May be my personal slant, but I understood the OP to be attempting to discuss evidence and research about coffee enemas. 

    The Sloan Kettering site http://www.mskcc.org/mskcc/html/69299.cfm says

    Warnings:
    The American Cancer Society strongly urges cancer patients not to seek treatment with potentially hazardous metabolic/nutritional therapies, including the Gerson, Manner, and Contreras regimens, in Mexican border clinics.
    Excessive use of coffee enemas can cause infections, dangerous electrolyte deficiencies, and death, especially when combined with fasting.

    Adverse Reactions
    Common: Flu-like symptoms, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, dizziness, intestinal cramping, fever, muscle aches and pains, rashes. Nutrient deficiencies (calcium, vitamins D and B12, protein), anemia, and malabsorption may result from metabolic diets (5).

    Reported (Coffee enemas): Electrolyte imbalance, which has resulted in serious infections (e.g., Campylobacter sepsis and amebiasis), dehydration, colitis, constipation, and death. Perforation or rupture of the colon from hard insertion devices and transfer of pathogenic microorganisms by contaminated devices are also reported (4).

    Case Reports (Coffee enemas): Case 1: Multiple seizures and hypokalemia leading to cardiorespiratory arrest, coma, and death were reported after excessive use of coffee enemas (1-4 per hour) for a number of days. Case 2: Death attributable to fluid and electrolyte imbalance causing pleural and pericardial effusions after use of coffee enemas, 4 per day for 8 weeks (2).

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  • Bren-2007
    Bren-2007 Member Posts: 6,241
    edited January 2010

    The article posted does NOT recommend coffee enemas.  The article is basically a research paper done at Princeton re Max Gerson's reported dietary cures for cancer.

    If you take the time to read the post and the very lengthy link, you will find that the NCI and ACS strongly recommend against this procedure.

    Bren

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  • barbe1958
    barbe1958 Member Posts: 19,757
    edited January 2010

    Thanks Bren, I did read the post and wondered why it flipped from "do it" to "don't do it". Now I get it!

    So Thenewme's post above is also against it? With all those negatives? Getting confused here....

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  • thenewme
    thenewme Member Posts: 1,611
    edited January 2010

    Hi Barbe,

    OhmigoshYES I'm against it!  I think it's absolutely a quack treatment.  As always, I'm interested in FACTS, so I posted some of the facts I've found.  I have yet to find any facts that support coffee enemas for breast cancer treatment.  Yet, people here in this very forum and lots of others recommend this quackery - it's mind boggling!

    Here's another interesting link about it (warning: it's disgusting)

     http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/?p=93

    In the spirit of fact finding and research that alternative-minded people claim, is there anyone with any facts to support coffee enemas?   Please come forward with facts......

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