Condition
Bowel Cleansing
Bowel cleansing is the process of emptying the colon before a colonoscopy, surgery, or imaging test, usually with a clear liquid diet and a large volume of prep solution that can leave the gut dehydrated and its microbiome disrupted. Little research on supplements for it has been reviewed here so far, so there are no trial findings to report yet. Electrolytes, probiotics, and simethicone are the most discussed options, but that reflects their proposed roles rather than results.
- Supplements studied
- 1
- Graded outcomes
- 0
- Trials
- 2
- People studied
- 569
Evidence by supplement
- Strong
- Moderate
- Limited
- Very limited
| Grade | Outcome | Effect | Size | Studies | People | Studies list |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Intestinal Motility | Improves (the measure goes up) | 8 studies | 569 people | |||
Studies that measured intestinal motility
| ||||||
The Bowel Cleansing (Colonoscopy Preparation) Supportive Care protocol
2 primary supplements · 5 supporting supplements
- Probiotics20–50 billion CFU daily starting immediately after procedure and continuing for 2–4 weeks
- ElectrolytesClear electrolyte beverages or oral rehydration solution as tolerated during and after prep
Shop the evidence-backed picks
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Studies cited
10 studies from PubMed
- Efficacy of senna versus lactulose in terminal cancer patients treated with opioids
- Standardized senna in the management of constipation in the puerperium: A clinical trial
- The use of senna with docusate for postoperative constipation after pelvic reconstructive surgery: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial
- A volunteer model for the comparison of laxatives in opioid-related constipation
- Comparison of the effect of drugs upon some commonly used measures of bowel transit time
- Comparative study of two bowel preparation regimens for colonoscopy: senna tablets vs sodium phosphate solution
- Half doses of PEG-ES and senna vs. high-dose senna for bowel cleansing before colonoscopy: a randomized, investigator-blinded trial
- The bowel cleansing for colonoscopy. A randomized trial comparing three methods
- Senna vs polyethylene glycol for mechanical preparation the evening before elective colonic or rectal resection: a multicenter controlled trial. French Association for Surgical Research
- Safety and efficacy of a bulk laxative containing senna versus lactulose in the treatment of chronic constipation in geriatric patients