Buyer's Guide To
Colon Cleanser Products
What Everyone Needs to Know About Colon Health

• Gentle Fibers

• Rating: C
• Company: Jarrow Formulas
• Specs: Lab Report
• Site: www.jarrow.com

Created by Jarrow Formulas, Gentle Fibers is a soluble, easy-to-mix powdered beverage that claims to alleviate constipation by promoting peristalsis, or an increase of motion in the intestines, which has been shown to decrease a person's risk for chronic constipation. It also claims to promote the growth of healthy bacteria in the digestive tract, further reducing a person's risk for constipation. Just one catch: this beverage doesn't contain senna or cascara sagrada, which have been purported as effective colon cleansing aids. In fact, it doesn't contain a single laxative--or any substances shown to detoxify the colon.

What ingredients does Gentle Fibers contain? Gentle Fibers contains flaxseed meal, defatted chia bran, orange pulp and peel, gum arabic and inulin-FOS.

Do the ingredients in Gentle Fibers help cleanse the colon? While it may promote regularity--which can combat the symptoms of constipation--there simply isn't any evidence it can help cleanse the colon. Take flaxseed meal, for example--although the Mayo Clinic says its high dietary fiber content can promote better digestion, there has never been any proof it can aid in the detoxification in the colon.

Chia bran is also rich in dietary fiber, which also aids in healthy digestion. As for any proof of its "detoxification" capabilities, studies suggest there is none--some experts say that any detoxification claims are totally "bogus", with "little evidence to suggest its use for colon cleansing".

Bottom Line? It works if you have a sluggish digestive system--not so much if you're suffering from a toxic colon.

Is Gentle Fibers safe? Most reports show that all of its key ingredients are safe for short term and long term use. It may cause some increased gas production.

Verdict: If you suffer from a sluggish digestive system, Gentle Fibers may help optimize its function. Otherwise, this product does not appear to be effective for the cleansing of the colon.