9 Best Colon Cleansers [2023 Update]
How do we vet brands and products? Learn more.
Is your digestive system causing you grief?
Gastrointestinal problems can be a constant nuisance during your day-to-day activities. It can leave you feeling out of sorts as you battle bloating, constipation, diarrhea, and stomach pains.
Many brands supply colon cleansing supplements to alleviate the frustrations of poor digestion. There are several approaches to try, ranging from fiber supplements to laxatives.
A thorough detox is a solution to removing waste and toxins from the colon.
As there are so many formulas, you might feel a little apprehensive over purchasing such products.
This article talks about top colon cleanse brands that can give you the relief you crave. Keep reading for a detailed description of the supplements we’ve selected, including pros, cons, and the primary features of each formula.
The 9 Best Colon Cleansers
We’ve hand-picked 9 of the most popular colon-cleansing products in the health market today. Keep reading for a description of each, plus pros and cons.
#1 ColonBroom – Best Overall
A safe and effective way to relieve constipation
- Contains the goodness of natural ingredients
- Includes psyllium husk as a star ingredient
- Might help to combat constipation
- Boosts energy and cleanses the gut
- Easy to consume and can be used twice a day
ColonBroom is a dietary fiber supplement designed to support gut health.
It’s a popular choice as it eases bloating, regulates bowel movements, and helps improve overall gut health.
The star ingredient is psyllium husk, a rich fiber derived from the husks (outer coating) of the Plantago psyllium seed.
It is well-known for its gut health benefits. Psyllium works by traveling through the digestive system, retaining more water in the bowel, and increasing the amount of liquid absorbed by the intestines. You’re then able to pass stool easier.
Unlike most of the brands in this article, ColonBroom is not a laxative.
It comes in powder form to be mixed with water twice a day, before or after meals.
Prices may vary, but it is currently offered at $54.99 for a 1-month supply.
To keep it simple at a glance, let’s look at the pros and cons of ColonBroom.
#2 Metamucil
Digestive wellness supplements
- Helps support digestive health
- Can help you feel more energetic
- Can improve bowel movement regularity
Metamucil is a fiber supplement and laxative designed to improve your bathroom habits. It is also advertised to support heart health by lowering cholesterol, balancing blood sugar levels, and managing appetite when used as part of a balanced diet.
Like ColonBroom, it also contains natural psyllium as a key ingredient to treat constipation and irregular bowel movements.
Metamucil is available to buy in various forms. You can opt for powder, capsules, thins, and gummies for your preference. The formula you choose determines when and how to take it.
Compare top choices: ColonBroom vs Metamucil Comparison.
#3 ZuPoo
ZuPoo is marketed as a colon cleanse and gut support supplement. It flushes the intestines of waste buildup to relieve bloating and constipation. It regulates bowel movements, supporting a healthy digestive tract.
The main ingredients are cascara sagrada and senna leaf powder, which serve as natural laxatives.
While senna is an active laxative ingredient that successfully clears the bowel, it does have some adverse side effects. Some commonly reported problems include stomach cramping and diarrhea.
Generally, ZuPoo is not recommended for daily use. It is intended for short-term use, with the brand instructing users to take it consistently for 15 days, every 90 days for a complete cleanse.
It comes in capsule form.
#4 Benefiber
Benefiber is a plant-based, prebiotic fiber supplement.
It helps support and maintains good digestive health, ensuring that you consume the daily recommended amount of fiber.
Prebiotic fiber is not digestible by the human body and instead travels through to promote the growth of the good bacteria that live in your gut.
The active ingredient is wheat dextrin, a soluble fiber source. Although marketed as gluten-free, wheat dextrin may not be suitable if you are gluten intolerant or have celiac disease.
Benefiber has products available in powder form, gummies, and chewable tablets.
#5 MiraLAX
The brand behind MiraLAX advertises it as a gentle laxative to relieve occasional constipation.
It claims to work by cooperating with your body’s natural process, mitigating unpleasant side effects. It’s considered a gentler approach, rather than forcing a harsh reaction in the colon.
However, some side effects are linked to MiraLAX, including gas, bloating, abdominal cramps, and nausea.
The active ingredient is polyethylene glycol 3350, an osmotic laxative medication that retains water in the bowel to produce softer stool and more regular bowel movements.
It comes as a powder in a bottle or single-dose packets. You should not use it for more than seven days at a time.
#6 Bye-Bye Bloat
Bye-Bye Bloat is described as a bloating solution that provides relief from stomach discomfort.
The formula is not created to work as a laxative. Instead, it promotes good digestive health by removing excess water weight that can cause bloating.
The blend consists of digestive enzymes, including amylase, protease, and lipase. Digestive enzymes break down food into smaller blocks for the body to absorb.
It also includes a range of herbs such as dandelion root powder, fenugreek seed powder, and ginger root powder. While some have properties that aid digestion, many of the ingredients are not explicitly backed by scientific research.
2 capsules can be taken daily before bed, after a meal, or when needed.
#7 Docusate
Docusate is a laxative used for the treatment of constipation.
It increases the water in the stool, making it softer and easier to pass while stimulating the gut muscles.
It’s available as capsules, a liquid, or an enema and comes under many different brand names. You should take the dosage following the instructions label.
#8 Viome
Viome or Viome Life Sciences is a US-based health company offering supplements and other products and conducting research into chronic diseases.
It is different from the other products discussed here, as Viome uses blood and stool tests to identify health issues before recommending supplements.
This type of testing is called microbiome testing. It’s a method used to measure microbes, such as bacteria present in your gut.
Home test kits are shipped out for customers to provide their samples. Once the assessment is complete, the supplements are intended to optimize gut health.
#9 Dulcolax
Dulcolax or bisacodyl is a stimulant laxative drug offering fast constipation relief. It works with the intestines to stimulate movement, making it easier to empty your bowels.
Dulcolax has magnesium hydroxide, an active ingredient that increases water in the colon to induce bowel movements.
It’s known for delivering effects relatively quickly, usually under 6 hours, and as little as 30 minutes in some cases.
Available as chewable tablets, suppositories, or liquid form.
How to Choose the Best Colon Cleanser
To find the best colon cleansing products, we researched the popular brand names circulating in the health and wellness market.
There are several ways to assess products for review. When deciding if we think a product is a worthy recommendation, we consider the following factors.
The key ingredients and what they do
Dietary supplements usually contain multiple ingredients, but you can get a sense of how well they work by looking at the primary active ingredients. We selected products with ingredients clinically proven to have health benefits for the digestive system and whether they are safe for regular consumption.
The price point
As there are many colon cleansers to choose from, pricing varies greatly. The price point is a fair place to start to compare products to their competitors, assess value for money, and whether the price matches the results.
The team behind it
If you’re going to put something into your body, it’s important to be able to trust the makers of a particular product. We gather answers to questions such as: are there experts involved in making the product? Is the product proven to be safe?
Ease of use
The convenience of adding dietary supplements to a daily routine is important for many people. We checked out the dosage of each product to discover how easy it is to use and keep up with.
Comparing Products
The table below shows an overall comparison of the 9 colon cleansers discussed in this article:
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Natural ingredients
Fiber supplement
Contains psyllium husk
Combats constipation
Detoxes
Fiber supplement
Contains psyllium husk
Might relieve constipation
Helps lower cholesterol and balance blood sugar
Supports the gut
Cleanses the colon
Relieves constipation and bloating
Prebiotic fiber supplement
Improves gut health
Gentle laxative
Relieves occasional constipation
Bloat management
Eases stomach discomfort
Laxative properties
Treats constipation
Uses microbiome testing
Personalized supplementation
A stimulant laxative drug
Provides relief from constipation
Natural ingredients
Fiber supplement
Contains psyllium husk
Combats constipation
Detoxes
Fiber supplement
Contains psyllium husk
Might relieve constipation
Helps lower cholesterol and balance blood sugar
Supports the gut
Cleanses the colon
Relieves constipation and bloating
Prebiotic fiber supplement
Improves gut health
Gentle laxative
Relieves occasional constipation
Bloat management
Eases stomach discomfort
Laxative properties
Treats constipation
Uses microbiome testing
Personalized supplementation
A stimulant laxative drug
Provides relief from constipation
A Word From Our RD
Colon cleansers can be a beneficial and practical response to bloating, constipation, and other digestive health problems.
They work by flushing the bowel to eliminate the buildup of waste and toxins that can lead to problems with digestion and bowel movements.
While supplements may seem like a quick fix to frustrating bathroom habits, there are other natural ways to treat and prevent the symptoms.
In many cases, increasing your fiber intake through a fiber-rich diet, exercising, and drinking plenty of water is enough to help you on your way. Excellent food sources of fiber include whole grains, legumes, vegetables, fruit, nuts, and seeds.
Depending on your personal needs, you may need to increase your fiber through supplements. With different lifestyles, it’s not always possible to get enough from your daily meals. In this case, the addition of supplements can be highly beneficial.
If you are considering colon cleansing medications to relieve constipation, it’s good to take advice from your doctor or healthcare professional first.
Supplements are not always suitable, especially if the cause of your problem is an underlying medical condition. Certain ingredients may irritate or worsen your digestive tract.
A conversation with your doctor will determine the most suitable cleansers for you, mitigating the risk of making things worse.
FAQs
There is no guarantee for weight loss.
In some cases, a colon cleansing supplement may cause bloating as your body adjusts to the effects.
Most colon cleansing supplements are not recommended for pregnant women. You should check with the manufacturer and consult your doctor.
Conclusion
After looking at 9 brands of colon cleansers, we’ve found positives and negatives for each. The main similarity is the use of fiber-based ingredients and laxative properties to trigger the removal of waste in your body.
Based on the pros, cons, and overall claimed performance, we think ColonBroom ticks all the right boxes. While slightly dearer than some of the others, it contributes to a range of health benefits.
Just remember to check in with your doctor before adding supplements to your lifestyle, whether as a temporary or long-term measure.
Edibel Quintero is a medical doctor who graduated in 2013 from the University of Zulia and has been working in her profession since then. She specializes in obesity and nutrition, physical rehabilitation, sports massage and post-operative rehabilitation. Edibel's goal is to help people live healthier lives by educating them about food, exercise, mental wellness and other lifestyle choices that can improve their quality of life.
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