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“Are you looking for a way to remove toxins from your body?” – that’s the question marketers use to sell their detox supplements. But the real question is, “Do detox diets truly work, or are they just another trend?” There is no scientifically proven evidence that supplements and products for detoxification remove toxins. They will cost you nothing but an arm and a leg.
In this article, you will find answers related to detox diets, their benefits, detox diets risks, and myths about detox.
What are detox diets?
Detox diets often involve fasting, eating only fruits and vegetables, cutting out wheat, sugar, salt, alcohol, and caffeine, and taking specific detox pills or supplements.
The practice of detoxification is not a new thing; it has been done for centuries, often used in traditional medicine. During old times, people used to cleanse their bodies by fasting, bloodletting, saunas, and using leeches and laxatives (to cleanse the colon).
Cleansing/detoxification
Before the rise of the detox trend, detoxification was a medical procedure used to treat life-threatening conditions, such as drug or alcohol overdoses. Today, there is a large market for detoxes, and people have started taking pills and drinks to detox their bodies. However, there is no scientific evidence that supports this practice.
Do detox diets work?
In the market, special detoxes in all forms of powder, herbs, drinks, potions, and supplements are available. These detoxes claim that they can cleanse your body by removing harmful substances from your body and can help you lose weight, improve hair and skin health, and boost immunity and digestion.
However, in reality, they are of no help and do not effectively remove toxins from the body as claimed. The brands claim their detoxes reduce fatigue, joint pain, depression, rapid weight loss, and cramps and make you feel more energetic. According to the research, most brands do not provide legitimate information about which toxins their programs are removing.
Do our bodies need purification/detoxification?
We are constantly exposed to heavy metals through smog, water pollution, air pollution, processed food, and other environmental factors. Knowing this, many brands have jumped into the market to sell their detox products. Though our body has a natural detoxification system that effectively removes harmful substances from the body, certain substances can accumulate in our blood and body over time. However, this does not mean that detox diets are necessary for health.
How the body detoxifies itself
Our natural detox system is way more effective than we think. There are two types of toxin:
- Endotoxins: waste produced by our body in the form of urine and feces.
- Exotoxins: toxins that enter from outside the environment, such as pollutants, chemicals, pesticides, toxins from cosmetics and water.
The body does not need any external products. It can cleanse itself. Body detox includes:
- The primary organ responsible for detoxification is our liver, a detoxification machine. It neutralizes harmful chemicals like mercury and lead.
- Our skin also protects us against pathogens and chemicals.
- The kidneys also play a vital part in filtering out waste material from the body.
- The small intestine helps in the screening of parasites and other toxins.
- Our nostrils have small fine hair, which acts as a barrier and prevents dirt from entering our body.
- Our immune system also plays a crucial part in detoxification and protects us against toxins, parasites, and pathogens.
Detox diets risk
Now a question arises: are detox diets safe? The answer is no, they are not. Some detox diets are harmful to your body. Detox diets can lead to many risks, such as:
- Nutritional deficiencies: detox diets often involve restricted calorie intake, which can cause electrolyte imbalance, vitamins, minerals, and protein deficiency.
- Low energy levels: proteins are essential for diet. Insufficient protein intake can affect our energy levels and cause dizziness and fatigue.
- Low lean mass: detox diets cause a rapid decrease in weight. This rapid weight loss often results from muscle mass loss rather than fat loss. This weight loss may be short-term, as once you stop, you will gain weight quickly.
- Dehydration: Being short on electrolytes and minerals can cause dehydration.
- It can also cause diarrhea, stomach issues, nausea, and bloating.
- Research has shown that these detox diets can cause stress.
Health benefits of detox
There are a few short-term benefits of detox diets as well, like short-term fasting improves insulin sensitivity in the body, the consumption of processed food, alcohol, sugar, and salt is also reduced, water intake increases, and you may experience temporary weight loss as well.
Conclusion
Our bodies are built in such a way that they can protect themselves against harmful environmental toxins. There is no need to cleanse your body using pills and drinks to stay healthy. Just maintain a balanced diet, drink plenty of water, exercise regularly, eat foods enriched with antioxidant properties like berries, leafy greens, and apples, and consume food that contains detoxification properties like coriander and nori.
Before starting any detox diet or significant dietary change, it is crucial to always consult with your doctor, or you can book an appointment with us.
References:
- (“Detox and Cleansing Diets: More Harm Than Good?,” 2022)
https://www.health.qld.gov.au/newsroom/features/detox-and-cleansing-diets-more-harm-than-good. - Do detox diets and cleanses work? (2021). In https://newsinhealth.nih.gov.
https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2021/12/do-detox-diets-cleanses-work - Alexander, H. (2020, October 26). Should you detox your body? 4 myths about detoxing. MD Anderson Cancer Center.
https://www.mdanderson.org/cancerwise/the-facts-behind-4-detox-myths-should-you-detox-your-body.h00-159385890.html - Harvard Health. (2008, May 1). The dubious practice of detox.
https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/the-dubious-practice-of-detox - Klein, A. V., & Kiat, H. (n.d.). Detox Diets for Toxin Elimination and Weight Management: A Critical Review of the evidence. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics.
https://doi.org/10.1111/jhn.12286 - Bda. (n.d.). Detox diets. British Dietetic Association.
https://www.bda.uk.com/resource/detox-diets.html - Bjarnadottir, A. (2024, April). Do detox diets and cleanses really work? nutrition.
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/detox-diets-101#bottom-line
