Recommended frequency of enemas for a healthy person

Hello everybody. I am wondering if there's any research/general consensus on recommended frequency of enemas for a healthy person. I do enemas mostly because I enjoy them, but also to keep my bowels clean and be healthy. I usually take 3 litres (plain water with 3 tablespoons of sea salt) as I feel that's the maximum I can take without overstretching my bowels and try to hold it for 20 minutes. I think there's no point in discussing the volume as everyone's bowels are different, but I am wondering how often it should be performed for it to be healthy and how long you should hold it if you take the maximum volume you can comfortably take. Last question, it usually takes me 10 to 15 minutes for the 3 litres to get in, is this too quick or is it all right?

Thank you for your answers.

As you mentioned everybody's bowels are different with respect to how much volume they can take. It will be interesting to see the responses as they are posted but you will likely see a wide range of answers as to a recommended frequency. But I will kick things off based on my experience since doing enemas starting at age 13.

My rule of thumb is that when I do extensive cleaning that goes well up into the high colon I will do those types of enemas about once a week at most. It usually takes my system a couple of days to reset and get to back to normal which is 1 or 2 BMs per day. So I give myself plenty of time between these type of cleanings.

If I am doing enemas to get ready for anal play, then the enemas don't go up as high and really don't affect my daily BMs. I can do several of these types of enemas several days in a row and not have any affect on my regular BMs.

So I don't want my body to become dependent on enemas to be able to have a BM and this type of approach I just described allows me the flexibility to do them in varying degrees and still let my system function on its own.

Dunno--I regularly put in 4 qts and it can take 20--30 minutes, so my feeling is that you are not putting it in too fast. If you start cramping and involuntarily expelling, you need to stop the flow for a while until your muscles settle down and then resume at a slower rate. I have a flow meter from Klystra and a screw clamp on my hose, so I can control the rate rather finely.

hankb

Dunno, Sorry to say you won't find any research on this. At least not well documented peer reviewed medical research. The reason is simple. There's no money to be made. Therefore nobody is going to put out the substantial funds to conduct the research.

And I should have put this first. Welcome to Zity. It is a great place.

Depends on the type of enema and the purpose, but every 60 days or so is a good place to start.

Yup, I'm afraid double-blind placebo-controlled research on this subject will be very hard to find. However, I kinda take anecdotal evidence serious, especially when the "market feedback" i.e. either direct observable consequences (or the lack of it), supports the notion. And for this the Zity offers plenty. I especially regard the experiences shared by old-timers who have been "at it" for long periods of time, as a fairly reliable source of information which we can learn from. I can share with you what I have found for me, personally. Compare it to other members' accounts and see where others agree or differ.

I've been doing daily enemas for many years. For me it was primarily for managing IBS, but the pleasure aspect was never too far in the background. 😁 I have found mineral (electrolyte) depletion to be the main observable problem with daily enemas for me. Especially Magnesium. It became very evident with my rigorous gym training regime, and resulting muscle cramping combined with elevated blood pressure - a very clear indication of Magnesium deficiency. So I started taking Mg supplements, which helped, but were also fairly expensive. I then incorporated a weekly Epsom salts enema (Mg sulphate) into my schedule. Hey, presto! It worked - and still does. And it's dead cheap.

Many people are not affected by electrolyte imbalance due to enemas at all, so mine is probably a worst-case scenario in this respect. You just have to listen to your body, do as much of your own research (here at the Zity and elsewhere) as you can, and employ that knowledge as best as you can. My daily enema routine has profoundly improved my own health, of that there is no doubt in my mind.

How much magnesium is actually absorbed though? Epsom salt enemas are hypertonic and pull water into the gut. I wonder how much is actually absorbed?

Magnesium is a very poorly absorbed ion under the best of circumstances. In solution it is a fairly large ion compared to Sodium or Chlorine, and as a result it just does not diffuse across the semi-permeable membrane that is the bowel very well.

Even ingestion of literally grams of magnesium usually results in very little change in serum levels. However you can expect significant laxative effects from ingestion of large amounts of magnesium.

I have heard that frequent enemas may prevent some minerals from being absorbed by the lower bowel. But I have been doing daily plain water enemas for years and have never had a problem. I also have not been able to find additional information so it is an interesting question.

I have to agree with Amy K. I also have been doing daily enemas for over 40yrs now with no side affects. I believe the volume has a lot to do with it though. I only take about a pint or so to get that empty feeling and it brightens my day as well. A good cleaning out consists of a much larger volume which is done once a week.

Most of the absorption of nutrients occurs higher up in the gut, the small intestine. Once the residue reaches the transverse and descending colon, water is mainly absorbed. That is its function, to draw water out of the waste before it is dumped out the anus. I'm not saying the lower colon can't absorb anything other than water, it can, but that isn't its main purpose.

There is no "recommended frequency of enemas for a healthy person" & it's highly unlikely there ever will be -- key words "healthy person", so physiologically enemas per se logically suggests there would be no reason whatsoever to do so....But that's not to say there's no reason why a person cannot be an active participant either.

Theres numerous interpretations right across every medium available, both in the present & of times gone by....In fact even 50+ years ago there is ample documentary evidence that does solicit caution & from a medical standpoint discourages constant reliance upon enemas, because in the authors words said reliance upon creates an "Enema Habit"....a bit like a self fulfilling prophecy....Well gee golly gosh some sure discovered that.

What I had found amusing amongst these articles was that to correct this "Habit" the solution was ??...Administer enemas daily over 10 consecutive days !!....So in essence even back then enemas could become habitual

I'm with Quincy. The colon mostly absorbs water. I was surprised to see upon reviewing the subject it also absorbs vitamin K, B12, thiamin and riboflavin. This was news to me. The K is produced by bacteria in the lumen of gut.

Just to clarify flburst58's post, he said he started taking magnesium supplements. It's safe to assume that he took these vitamins orally and did not, as some other commenters appear to have interpreted, put magnesium into his enemas.

To address another comment, I do not see how anyone can recommend taking an enema no more frequently than every 60 days, or every 30 days, as I have read elsewhere. Try taking an enema, or a session of enemas, and you will have a normal bowel movement again in a day or two. Your electrolytes and gut bacteria will recover very rapidly, assuming that you have decent nutrition. There is no part of a reasonably functioning body that could take more than a couple days, let alone 30 or 60 days, to recover from an enema or even a thorough series of enemas. You know what they say, if it doesn't kill you...

It seems to me that the most significant, and perhaps reliable, collection of anecdotal evidence lies within the pages of this forum. To the extent that members are reasonably honest in their own accounts and experiences, one would likely never find a more broad based account of enema use and experiences.

When coupled with the plethora of documented, or medical text based information available in Google Books, or other resources, one might be able to make some reasonably informed decisions or suggestions, regarding enema use. Solutions, frequency, positions, and equipment are covered quite extensively.

While many utilize an enema with almost daily frequency, others may actually restrict their use to weekly. Even others may choose a monthly cleanse or only use them with a seasonal change. The wonderful thing is that we each have the choice for ourselves. Those choices may be influenced by our upbringing, personal success or lack thereof, psychological factors, sexual proclivities, or physical limitations.

I've taken, or received enemas, for over 60 years. While I haven't kept a tally on a calendar or in a journal, I've speculated that I've had many thousands of enemas in my lifetime. All were effective and most were very enjoyable. I've always returned to my "normal" bowel/elimination habits and haven't seemed to suffer any negative medical conditions as a result. I've tried to keep solutions and quantities within reason and have enjoyed most of the different types of equipment available.

I suppose there are those times when I've "binged" and enjoyed daily enemas as well as multiple enema sessions. While I enjoy a daily dose of enema related review and participation here and elsewhere, I often will go for days or even weeks without actually taking or receiving an enema. Those small quickie enemas or injections with a bulb syringe, can hardly be lumped in with a larger volume enema even though they are enemas in their own right.

The point is, I'm sure that the medical professionals of today, would not recommend enemas as a regular treatment of digestive distress or issues. Even in cases of more chronic disease, the enemas are small volume injections of a medicine to be absorbed or retained.

If you enjoy enemas, and feel a need to use them, determine your own recommended frequency, solution, position, and type of equipment. Be safe and sane and enjoy this simple pleasure and procedure for as long and often as you desire. If you're fortunate, or lucky, you may even find someone compatible to share your "hobby", or aphrodisiac with. Whether solo, with a partner, or even in a group setting, enemas can be quite an enjoyable indulgence.

RECOMMENDED BY WHOM???????

There is NO medically recommended frequency for normal healthy because enemas are not recommended.

Of course the fringe alternative community aka quacks and people who do colon irrigation for a living will have various frequencies or time intervals they recommend for enemas or colonics because like everybody else, they have mortgages and car payments to make.

The originator of this discussion uses more salt than I am comfortable with. Others recommend a third that much for their happiness.

On the frequency side of the experience, I try to keep my E-fun to less than 1 big one per week. I like to work out a few real turds every week. That makes my gut happy. It likes showing off as much as possible too, see, and makes the best of whatever comes its way. With that in view, I have found my gut like aloe Vera. So a quart of half water and half aloe is fun for both of us, my gut and me. If my gut then seems to be sad, one of these quart quickies really lets it sing.

Salt--weight it. 9 grams per liter/quart.

1 1/2 MEASURING teaspoons is about 9 grams--not tableware "teaspoons"