Colon Broom is a fiber-based dietary supplement that claims to not only improve bowel regularity, but also to cause weight loss and reduce bloating. The company makes the bold claim that their product was formulated “thanks to modern breakthroughs in gastrointestinal science.”
But is Colon Broom actually superior to regular fiber or are these just marketing claims? Is the fiber dose effective? Are there questionable additive ingredients in Colon Broom?
In this article we'll answer all of these questions by reviewing every ingredient in Colon Broom based on medical studies. We'll explain whether we recommend the product or consider it a waste of money, and also share a real, unsponsored user's review of Colon Broom.
Ingredient Review
The only active ingredient in Colon Broom is psyllium husk powder at a dose of 3.6 grams (g). Psyllium husk is a well-studied and effective type of fiber, but this is a relatively low dose.
A clinical trial published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences found that psyllium husk supplementation improved gut health, but the daily dose used was 21 g, or 5.83x the amount in Colon Broom.
Another medical study found that psyllium husk supplementation improved bowel regularity, but the dose used was 10 g, or 2.78x the amount in Colon Broom.
We are unable to locate any medical studies suggesting that a fiber dose as low as that in Colon Broom has statistically significant effects on any health outcome, and Colon Broom does not appear to cite any on their website, so we will consider this supplement likely ineffective.
There is certainly no "breakthrough in gastrointestinal science" here: Colon Broom provides a small dose of fiber with added flavoring ingredients.
On the topic of added flavoring ingredients, Colon Broom contains two that we recommend avoiding: citric acid and natural flavor.
Citric acid is a commonly-used flavor enhancer that causes whole-body inflammation in a small subset of patients according to a series of case reports published in the Toxicology Reports journal.
Natural flavor is a broad descriptor that encompasses a wide range of flavoring agents. As we documented in our Nu Biome reviews article, there exists medical research suggesting that some natural flavor compounds may be suboptimal for human health.
Overall we are underwhelmed by this formulation especially relative to the high price (which we'll discuss later). Colon Broom may improve gut function somewhat, because increasing fiber intake in the context of a low-fiber diet is a good thing. However we disagree with any specific health claims made by Colon Broom because we cannot identify any medical studies showing that this low of a fiber dose causes any beneficial health outcomes.
Questionable Health Claims
Colon Broom’s website has a quiz that diagnoses health problems based on factors like weight and bowel regularity. We completed the quiz with random answers and got a result showing a “45% chance of candida albicans growth,” shown above.
This is unscientific and dangerous in our opinion. It's impossible to diagnose specific medical conditions based on bowel regularity quizzes, and we urge the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to look into this practice by Colon Broom.
Colon Boom also states that the “unique complex of essential ingredients” in their formulation “works to improve your body’s detoxification processes...and eliminating accumulated toxins.”
First of all, there is no unique complex of ingredients. The only single active ingredient in this product is fiber. We have not come across any medical evidence that fiber supplementation eliminates toxins beyond what standard digestion accomplishes, and these health claims on Colon Broom's website are entirely uncited.
We recommend that consumers avoid supplement brands that make uncited health claims.
Colon Broom Real User Review
One of the only Colon Broom reviews on YouTube that we identified as likely unsponsored is published by a channel called "Chyna M Little." The creator shares her experience after using Colon Broom and explains whether the supplement caused weight loss:
Does Colon Broom Cause Side Effects?
Increasing fiber intake can cause digestive side effects, whether that added fiber comes from a supplement or from high-fiber food like beans. These side effects can range from bloating, increased gas, stomach discomfort and irregular bowel movements.
We do not believe that Colon Broom is likely to cause any significant side effects, given that the fiber dose in their supplement is relatively low.
The potential for side effects from increased fiber supplementation is why it's logical to slowly increase fiber intake to minimize digestive discomfort. Increasing fiber can be a healthy decision for many Americans that fail to consume enough from diet, but it seems logical to increase fiber by a few grams per week rather than adding 20 g or so all at once.
Colon Broom Vs. Metamucil
Metamucil is the most popular fiber brand, so consumers are often curious about which product is better.
Both Colon Broom and Metamucil contain the exact same type of fiber (psyllium husk) at a similar dosage, so the distinction comes down to added ingredients.
Metamucil contains more questionable additive ingredients than Colon Broom, such as artificial flavor and artificial food dye. We would recommend Colon Broom over Metamucil (though we don't recommend either supplement).
Our Fiber Supplement Recommendation
The fiber supplement we recommend is Supergut Fiber Mix. This supplement provides 8 g fiber per serving (versus the 3.6 g in Colon Broom) and contains no questionable additive ingredients. The only ingredients are a blend of fiber powders including green banana powder resistant starch and resistant potato starch.
A medical review published in the Advances in Nutrition journal analyzed data from various clinical trials and concluded that resistant starch intake was associated with improved gut health, weight loss in overweight and obese individuals, and improved insulin resistance.
Supergut costs $59 and provides 28 servings of 8 g fiber. This equates to a cost-per-gram of fiber of $0.26. Colon Broom costs $64.35 at the time of updating this article and provides 60 servings of 3.6 g fiber. This equates to a cost-per-gram of fiber of $0.30.
Interested consumers can check out Supergut Fiber Mix at this link.
Colon Broom Customer Reviews
Colon Broom has been reviewed over 2,000 times on Amazon, which is a more objective source of customer reviews than a brand's website in our opinion.
The average review rating is 3.8 out of 5 stars, which is relatively unimpressive. The product does receive a "B" score on Fakespot, which is a software tool that detects potentially fake Amazon reviews. This is a good sign that Colon Broom's reviews are legitimate.
The top positive review from a verified purchaser comes from a user named "Stephanie" who claims that the supplement increased energy:
"i take medication and it states to take it at least 2 hours after (which i did as well). this gave me natural energy not like the crash and burn kind of energy from coffee. make sure to drink a lot of water with it or you will get dry mouth. it helped me have a lot more energy when working out and made me feel less bloated."
The top negative review from a verified purchaser is written by a user named "Mariah E." who claims that the product caused side effects:
"So I drank this for like 2 weeks and didn't have really anything dramatic happen. Then I drink it one day and I ended up having to leave work early because I threw up three times. Then when I finally got home had explosive diarrhea. So I stopped drinking it for 2 weeks. After 2 weeks I tried drinking it again, nope, within 2 hours of drinking this realized I had to leave work cuz I was going to throw up again and I didn't even make it home before I started throwing up in my car"
