Coffee enemas are an excellent method to support your body’s detoxification, particularly for your liver, gallbladder, or alternative cancer treatments, such as the Gerson Therapy. Learn how to prepare a coffee enema, plus get my 9 tips for coffee enema success!

After following the Nutritional Balancing protocol for 2 years, I did learned a lot about and did a lot of coffee enemas.

Coffee enemas every. single. day. for over 2 years — yes, really.

When I mention or write about coffee enemas, the #1 (practical, how-to) question I get is:

“How do I prepare the coffee enema?”

And the #2 question is: “How much coffee do I use?”

If you aren’t familiar with coffee enemas, I wrote all about them and their benefits here, Coffee Enemas: How I Take My Coffee and here, 5 Unexpected Benefits of Coffee Enemas for Women.

If you love your health but prefer to gain health benefits from something other than shooting coffee up your bum, please click away. I won’t be offended, and we can still be friends. I promise. 🙂

But if you’re looking for real answers from a real, live person who has a lot of coffee enema experience, you’ve come to the right place!

#1 How Do I Prepare A Coffee Enema?

Preparing a coffee enema is not brain surgery, so don’t feel like you need to be all precise and scientific.

Before you can do anything, however, you do need some basic supplies:

• organic, caffeinated coffee
• filtered, distilled, or pure spring water — do not use tap water without boiling it!
• a vessel to boil water in — stainless or glass is my preference
• a glass, 1-quart measuring cup, such as Pyrex
• a fine mesh sieve
• an enema kit — after trying 3 different ones, this one is definitely my pick!

How To Prepare A Coffee Enema

First, if using whole bean coffee, grind the coffee. A large to medium grind is fine. If you grind your coffee too finely, the grounds will pass through the sieve, and you’ll have grounds in your enema. This is not harmful, but I prefer a ground-free enema. 😉

I like to grind all the coffee in a bag at once and store it in a canister in my fridge to keep it super fresh.

Bring water to a boil, add the desired amount of coffee, and simmer for 10 minutes.

Then strain the coffee through the sieve, add cool, filtered water, and make sure your coffee + water mixture is at body temperature or below.

Once it’s at the right temperature, you’re ready to do your enema!

Notice I didn’t give you a precise recipe for your coffee enema?

That’s because your water : coffee ratio is entirely up to you. And that brings us to the #2 question…

#2 How Much Coffee Do I Use?

I can’t tell you how much coffee to use because that’s going to depend on a number of factors.

If you’ve never done a coffee enema before, you’ll want to start with less coffee, perhaps as little as a teaspoon.

Because coffee enemas are highly detoxifying, using less coffee to begin with will start your detoxing slowly.

If you go into it using 3 tablespoons of coffee to 4 cups of water on the first shot, you’re probably going to experience some major detox reactions, such as nausea, vomiting, or even hives. And if that doesn’t happen, you’re very likely to be jittery from so much caffeine!

Ask me how I know this…

If You’re A Newbie…

So, here’s what I’d recommend if you’re a coffee enema newbie or if you’re extremely sensitive to caffeine:

• Bring 2 cups of water to a boil, reduce the heat, and add 1 to 2 teaspoons of coffee.
• Simmer 10 minutes.
• Strain, add enough cool water to equal 4 cups (1 quart).
• Proceed with the enema by pouring half (2 cups) of your liquid into the enema bag and retaining the enema for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Once you eliminate this, see how you feel.

The first time I did a coffee enema, I had a big wave of nausea and just felt clammy for about 10 minutes. This was due to the large amount of toxins my body was eliminating at once — that’s how powerful coffee enemas are!

Over time you can add more coffee to your mix or use the full quart in the enema rather than 2 cups. Just take it slowly and pay attention to how you feel.

I had some extreme detox reactions a few times, but I have also been doing coffee enemas with my doctor’s knowledge and guidance. I wholeheartedly recommend you do the same.

Don’t use more than 2 tablespoons of coffee per quart of water — no matter how much of a pro you become at doing coffee enemas.

I’ve been doing coffee enemas for two and a half years, so I would consider myself a pretty wise coffee enema veteran.

My Coffee Enema Recipe

Boil one quart of water, reduce heat, add 3 tablespoons coffee, and simmer 10 minutes.

Pour half of the coffee concentrate into a glass, 1-quart Pyrex, add cold water to equal 1 quart. Make sure it’s not too hot. If you can’t comfortably hold your finger in the coffee enema mixture, it’s too hot to go up your bum.

Fill the enema bag with this first quart of 2 cups coffee + 2 cups water.

Lubricate the tip of the enema kit with coconut oil, insert it, release the clamp, and let the coffee slowly flow in. Retain 10 minutes and eliminate.

Pour the other half of the coffee concentrate into the glass, 1-quart Pyrex, and repeat the whole process for coffee enema #2.

If you’re trying to do the math on all this — I use 3 tablespoons of coffee to 2 quarts of water.

I worked my way up to this amount, and I find it to be very effective and safe.

I am very, very sensitive to caffeine and haven’t had a drink of coffee in five years, yet I do not get jittery or crazy from the coffee enemas. Coffee and I parted company the traditional way a long time ago.

9 Tips for Coffee Enema Success

#1 — Do your coffee enema after you’ve had a snack or meal with protein. The best time of day for me is right after I’ve had lunch, around 1:00 p.m.

#2 — Your enema liquid should be neither too hot nor too cold. Too hot, and you risk burning yourself or the inside of your colon. Ouch. Too cold, and it can be very difficult to retain and may cause cramping.

If you can’t comfortably hold your finger in the coffee + water mix, it’s too hot to go up your bum.

#3 — Remove all air from the enema hose. After you fill the enema bag with coffee, release the valve and allow the coffee to flow out and come out the end of the hose first. Then the lines are all clear and you won’t get an uncomfortable air bubble.

#4 — Lay on your right side during the enema. The coffee travels up the transverse colon (on your left side) and to the portal vein of the liver/gallbladder (on the right side). 

#5 — Massage your tummy if you feel any cramping. Cramping is almost always caused by gas built up in the large intestine or air from the enema tube. Rolling on to your back or to your left side will often alleviate the cramping, as will a light tummy massage. Alternatively, closing your eyes and doing some deep breathing can really help to calm the urges to go before your 10 minutes are up — and also for making it through waves of nausea (because they sometimes happen).

Of course, don’t force yourself to hold the enema in if you become too uncomfortable! Just get up and go!

#6 — You may hear or feel a gurgle under the upper right side of your rib cage. This is good! That is your gallbladder releasing a big squirt of bile — and a sign that the coffee enema has dilated the portal vein and is doing its job.

#7 — Get comfortable! You’re going to be on your bathroom floor for around 45 to 60 minutes. I like to read a book or watch Netflix on my iPad during my coffee enema. You may like to lay down and enjoy the quiet, listen to an audio book, or meditate. How you spend your 15-60 minutes is totally up to you!

#8 — Sometimes leaks happen; use an old towel under yourself. If I said leaks never happen, I’d be lying. So be prepared with a towel underneath you. Some folks like to lie in their bathtubs. This is fine, but it’s not for me as I am most comfortable when I can be totally flat on my right side. Just be near your toilet!

#9 — Drink plenty of water after your enema and have another light snack. Facilitate further detox by adding a pinch of salt and lemon juice to your water and also to keep your electrolytes balanced.

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More Info on Coffee Enemas

• Coffee Enemas by Dr. Lawrence Wilson
• 5 Unexpected Benefits of Coffee Enemas for Women
• Nutritional Balancing for Dummies: Detoxification
• No Way! I’m Not Doing THAT!
• One Year of Coffee Enemas
• How I Take My Coffee {it’s not what you think!}
• Fight Cancer and Detoxify With A Coffee Enema

Disclaimer: All material on this website is provided for your information only and may not be construed as medical advice or instruction. You should consult your medical doctor or alternative practitioner when making any health-related decisions or any matter related to your well-being. I am just a research-loving momma, not a medical professional. The information and opinions presented here are believed to be accurate. You are responsible for your health choices.

Have you ever done or thought about doing coffee enemas? Please share your comments and questions — and please be courteous to others.

Originally published January 14, 2016. Updated December 29, 2018.