Doctors warn against using coffee enemas endorsed by Gwyneth Paltrow's website Goop

  • 07/01/2018
Coffee beans.
Coffee beans. Photo credit: Getty

Gwenyth Paltrow's health and wellness website Goop is being roasted after recommending readers use coffee enemas to stay well.

In a post entitled 'The Nuts and Bolts of Colonics' the Goop writer praises colonics and enemas for their help in eliminating waste products from the bowel.

The post recommends US$135 (NZ$190) 'Implant O'Rama' system, which calls itself the "clean way to do coffee enemas".

While coffee ingested through the mouth may perk you up, medical professionals are warning people looking for extra health benefits to avoid putting it anywhere else.

A 2011 report in the Journal of Family Practice called colon cleansing unwise, and suggested those with a history of inflammatory gastrointestinal diseases such as Chrohn's, ulcerative colitis or diverticulitis should avoid the practice.

Regular Goop critic Dr Jen Gunter also recommended against the practice, using her blog to call Goop's advice "a f**ked up way to make money".

"There are serious risks to colonics such as bowel perforation, damaging the intestinal bacteria, abdominal pain, vomiting, electrolyte abnormalities and renal failure," she wrote.

"There are also reports of serious infections, air emboli, colitis, and rectal perforation. If you go to a spa and the equipment is not sterilised infections can be transmitted via the tubing."

Paltrow's site is often called out by scientists and experts for its ill-advised advice on subjects including cooking, beauty and health.

Newshub.