Coffee enema

Overview
Coffee enemas are the enema-related procedure of inserting coffee into the anus to cleanse the rectum and small intestines. This procedure, although well documented, is considered by most medical authorities to be unproven, rash and possibly dangerous. A Murphy drip is an example of an apparatus that may be used to administer this medical procedure.

History
While the idea of anal cleansing dates back to the Egyptians, the notion of caffeine as an enema-related substance is relatively new. It was conceived as early as 1917, and was even in the Merck Manual until 1972.

In 1920, German scientists investigated caffeine's effect on the bile duct and small intestines. Dr. Max Gerson proposed coffee enemas had a positive effect of the gastro-intestinal tract; Gerson said that coffee enemas had positive effects on patients with tuberculosis, and later even cancer. He claimed that unlike saline enemas, the caffeine traveled through the smooth muscle of the small intestine, and into the liver. This, he said, cleared even more the gastro-intestinal tract and removed more toxins and bile than a normal enema. He told his patients often that the "coffee enemas are not given for the function of the intestines but for the stimulation of the liver."

Claims of efficacy
Caffeine, theophylline and theobromine stimulate the relaxation of smooth muscles in the anus and small intestine, which cause dilatation of blood vessels and bile ducts. This, combined with the close proximity of the anal walls and veins which make the caffeine enter the blood more quickly and in greater quantity, arguably have a better cleaning effect than a regular saline enema. Coffee can cause diarrhea which believers say aids in the detoxification process.

Dangers
Coffee enemas are believed to have caused three deaths in the United States, described in the following references. Coffee enemas may cause electrolyte imbalances that, if severe enough, can cause death. Other adverse reactions that have been reported include enteric septicemia in a patient with widespread cancer, hepatic dysfunction and ascites, which the authors believed made this patient more likely to suffer from infections. If the coffee is inserted too quickly or too hot, it could cause internal burning or tearing. Because of the close proximity between veins and anal walls, caffeine finds itself in the veins in much greater quantities, and may lead to caffeine overdose, though since the coffee enema is expelled the likelihood of overdose may be less than when coffee is ingested and must remain in the body until metabolized. Excessive enemas may cause dehydration, and this is only amplified by the diuretic effect of caffeine in the coffee. Also, like all uses of coffee, it risks raising blood pressure, though not to a great extent in most individuals.