“Detoxes” and “Cleanses”: What You Need To Know

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What are “detoxes” and “cleanses”?

A variety of “detoxification” diets, regimens, and therapies—sometimes called “detoxes” or “cleanses”—have been suggested as ways to remove toxins from your body, lose weight, or promote health.

“Detoxification” programs may involve a single process or a variety of approaches. These include:

• Fasting
• Drinking only juices or similar beverages
• Eating only certain foods
• Using dietary supplements or other commercial products
• Using herbs
• Cleansing the colon (lower intestinal tract) with enemas, laxatives, or colon hydrotherapy (also called “colonic irrigation” or “colonics”)
• Reducing environmental exposures
• Using a sauna.

These programs may be advertised commercially, offered at health centers, or part of naturopathic treatment.

Some “detoxification” programs can be unsafe and falsely advertised. For more information on safety, see the “What about safety?” section below.

(The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends chelation therapy, a type of chemical detoxification procedure, for removing toxic metals from the body in some specific serious cases. This page does not address that type of detoxification.)

What does the research say about “detoxes” and “cleanses”?

There have been only a small number of studies on “detoxification” programs in people. While some have had positive results on weight and fat loss, insulin resistance, and blood pressure, the studies themselves have been of low quality—with study design problems, few participants, or lack of peer review (evaluation by other experts to ensure quality).

A 2015 review concluded that there was no compelling research to support the use of “detox” diets for weight management or eliminating toxins from the body. A 2017 review said that juicing and “detox” diets can cause initial weight loss because of low intake of calories but that they tend to lead to weight gain once a person resumes a normal diet. There have been no studies on long-term effects of “detoxification” programs.

What about safety?

• The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) have taken action against several companies selling detox/cleansing products because they (1) contained illegal, potentially harmful ingredients; (2) were marketed using false claims that they could treat serious diseases; or (3) in the case of medical devices used for colon cleansing, were marketed for unapproved uses.
• Some juices used in “detoxes” and “cleanses” that haven’t been pasteurized or treated in other ways to kill harmful bacteria can make people sick. The illnesses can be serious in children, elderly people, and those with weakened immune systems.
• Some juices are made from foods that are high in oxalate, a naturally occurring substance. Two examples of high-oxalate foods are spinach and beets. Drinking large quantities of high-oxalate juice can increase the risk for kidney problems.
• People with diabetes should follow the eating plan recommended by their health care team. If you have diabetes, consult your health care providers before making major changes in your eating habits, such as going on a “detox” diet or changing your eating patterns.
• Diets that severely restrict calories or the types of food you eat usually don’t lead to lasting weight loss and may not provide all the nutrients you need.
• Colon cleansing procedures may have side effects, some of which can be serious. Harmful effects are more likely in people with a history of gastrointestinal disease, colon surgery, severe hemorrhoids, kidney disease, or heart disease.
• “Detoxification” programs may include laxatives, which can cause diarrhea severe enough to lead to dehydration and electrolyte imbalances.
• Drinking large quantities of water and herbal tea and not eating any food for days in a row could lead to dangerous electrolyte imbalances.

Take charge of your health—talk with your health care providers about any complementary health approaches you use, including any “detoxes” or “cleanses. ” Together, you and your health care providers can make shared, well-informed decisions.

Are all fasting programs considered “detoxes” and “cleanses”?

Although some fasting programs are advertised with “detoxification” claims, other fasting programs—including intermittent fasting and periodic fasting—are being researched for health promotion, disease prevention, improved aging, and in some cases weight loss. But there are no firm conclusions about their effects on human health. Also, fasting can cause headaches, fainting, weakness, and dehydration.

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Last Updated: September 2019

9 Ways to Rejuvenate Your Body

A full-body detox typically involves following a diet to remove toxins from the body. However, your body is well-equipped to eliminate these harmful substances without dietary intervention or supplementation.

The term toxin can refer to pollutants, synthetic chemicals, heavy metals, and processed foods, which can negatively affect health.

Many diets and supplements claim to ‘detoxify’ the body from these substances, but they are typically unsupported by research. A full-body detox is part of regular organ function., with the body naturally eliminating harmful substances through the kidneys, liver, digestive system, skin, and lungs.

This article discusses the many misconceptions around detox diets, and notes ways that you can support the body’s natural detoxification processes.

Detoxification — or a full-body detox — is a popular buzzword. It typically implies following a specific diet or using special products that claim to rid your body of toxins, thereby improving health and promoting weight loss.

However, the body ‘detoxifies’ itself naturally and doesn’t actually require special diets or expensive supplements to eliminate toxins.

Detox diets often involve the use of laxatives, diuretics, vitamins, minerals, teas, and other foods thought to have detoxing properties.

The term “toxin” in the context of detox diets is loosely defined. It typically includes pollutants, synthetic chemicals, heavy metals, and processed foods, which can negatively affect health.

However, popular detox diets rarely identify the specific toxins they aim to remove or the mechanism by which they supposedly eliminate them.

Moreover, no evidence supports the use of these diets for toxin elimination or sustainable weight loss (1, 2).

Your body has a sophisticated way of eliminating toxins that involves the liver, kidneys, digestive system, skin, and lungs.

Still, only when these organs are healthy can they effectively eliminate unwanted substances.

So while detox diets don’t do anything that your body can’t naturally do on its own, you can optimize your body’s natural detoxification system.

Summary

While detox diets have a seductive appeal, your body is fully equipped to handle toxins and other unwanted substances.

Your liver metabolizes more than 90% of the alcohol you consume (3).

Liver enzymes metabolize alcohol to acetaldehyde, a known cancer-causing chemical (4, 5).

Recognizing acetaldehyde as a toxin, your liver converts it to a harmless substance called acetate, which it eliminates from your body (3).

While observational studies have shown that low to moderate alcohol consumption benefits heart health, excessive drinking can cause many health problems (6, 7, 8).

Excessive drinking can severely damage your liver function by causing fat buildup, inflammation, and scarring (9).

When this happens, your liver cannot function adequately and perform its necessary tasks — including filtering waste and other toxins from your body.

Limiting or abstaining entirely from alcohol is one of the best ways to keep your body’s detoxification system running strong.

Health authorities recommend limiting alcohol intake to one drink per day for women and two for men. If you currently do not drink, it is recommended not to start as the risk outweigh any health benefits that come with drinking. (10).

Summary

Drinking too much alcohol reduces your liver’s ability to carry out its normal functions, such as detoxifying.

Ensuring adequate quality sleep each night is a must to support your body’s health and natural detoxification system.

Sleeping allows your brain to reorganize and recharge itself, as well as remove toxic waste byproducts that accumulate throughout the day (11, 12).

One of those waste products is a protein called beta-amyloid, which contributes to the development of Alzheimer’s disease (13, 14).

With sleep deprivation, your body does not have time to perform those functions, so toxins can build up and affect several aspects of health (15).

Poor sleep has links to short- and long-term health consequences, such as stress, anxiety, high blood pressure, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity (16, 17).

You should regularly sleep 7 to 9 hours per night to help promote good health (18).

If you have difficulties staying or falling asleep at night, lifestyle changes like sticking to a sleep schedule and limiting blue light before bed are useful for improving sleep (19, 20, 21).

Summary

Adequate sleep allows your brain to reorganize, recharge, and eliminate toxins that accumulate throughout the day.

Water does so much more than quench your thirst. It regulates your body temperature, lubricates joints, aids digestion and nutrient absorption, and detoxifies your body by removing waste products (22).

Your body’s cells must continuously repair themselves to function optimally and break down nutrients for your body to use as energy.

However, these processes release wastes in the form of urea and carbon dioxide, which can cause harm if they build up in your blood (23).

Water transports these waste products, efficiently removing them through urination, breathing, or sweating. So staying properly hydrated is important for detoxification (24).

The adequate daily water intake is 125 ounces (3.7 liters) for men and 91 ounces (2.7 liters) for women. You may need more or less depending on your diet, where you live, and your activity level (25).

Summary

In addition to its many roles in your body, water allows your body’s detoxification system to remove waste products from your blood.

People often attribute sugar and processed foods to many of today’s public health crises (26).

Research links high consumption of sugary and highly processed foods to obesity and other chronic diseases, such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes (27, 28, 29).

These diseases hinder your body’s ability to naturally detoxify by harming organs that play an important role, such as your liver and kidneys.

For example, high consumption of sugary beverages can cause fatty liver, a condition that negatively impacts liver function (30, 31, 32).

You can keep your body’s detoxification system healthy by consuming less junk food.

You can limit junk food by leaving it on the store shelf. Not having it in your kitchen takes away the temptation altogether.

Replacing junk food with healthier choices like fruits and vegetables is also a healthy way to reduce consumption.

Summary

Excess junk food consumption is linked to chronic diseases like obesity and diabetes. These conditions can cause harm to organs important to detoxifying, such as your liver and kidneys.

Antioxidants protect your cells against damage caused by molecules called free radicals. Oxidative stress is a condition that results from the excessive production of free radicals.

Your body naturally produces these molecules for cellular processes, such as digestion. However, alcohol, tobacco smoke, a low nutrient diet, and exposure to pollutants can produce excessive free radicals (33).

These molecules cause damage to a range of cells. Research suggests that free radical damage plays a role in conditions such as dementia, heart disease, liver disease, asthma, and certain types of cancer (34, 35).

Eating a diet rich in antioxidants can help your body counter oxidative stress caused by excess free radicals and other toxins that increase your disease risk.

Focus on getting antioxidants from food and not supplements. Taking too many antioxidant supplements may increase your risk of certain diseases. (36, 37, 38).

Examples of antioxidants include vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, selenium, lycopene, lutein, and zeaxanthin.

Berries, fruits, nuts, cocoa, vegetables, spices, and beverages like coffee and green tea have some of the highest amounts of antioxidants (39).

Summary

Consuming a diet rich in antioxidants helps your body reduce damage caused by free radicals and may lower your risk of diseases that can impact detoxification.

Gut health is important for keeping your detoxification system healthy. Your intestinal cells have a detoxification and excretion system that protects your gut and body from harmful toxins, such as chemicals (40).

Good gut health starts with prebiotics, a type of fiber that feeds the good bacteria in your gut called probiotics. With prebiotics, your good bacteria can produce nutrients called short-chain fatty acids that are beneficial for health (41, 42).

Antibiotic use, poor dental hygiene, and diet quality can all alter the bacterial balance in your gut (43, 44, 45).

Consequently, this unhealthy shift in bacteria can weaken your immune and detoxification systems and increase your risk of disease and inflammation (46).

Eating foods rich in prebiotics can keep your immune and detoxification systems healthy. Good food sources of prebiotics include tomatoes, artichokes, bananas, asparagus, onions, garlic, and oats (47).

Summary

Eating a diet rich in prebiotics keeps your digestive system healthy, which is important for proper detoxification and immune health.

For some people, detoxing is a means of eliminating excess water.

Consuming too much salt can cause your body to retain excess fluid, especially if you have a condition that affects your kidneys or liver — or if you don’t drink enough water.

This excess fluid buildup can cause bloating and make clothing uncomfortable. If you consume too much salt, you can detox yourself of the extra water weight.

While it may sound counterintuitive, increasing your water intake is one of the best ways to eliminate excess water weight from consuming too much salt.

That’s because when you consume too much salt and not enough water, your body releases an antidiuretic hormone that prevents you from urinating and therefore, detoxifying (48).

By increasing your water intake, your body reduces the secretion of the antidiuretic hormone and increases urination, eliminating more water and waste products (49, 50).

Increasing your intake of potassium-rich foods — which counterbalance some of sodium’s effects — also helps. Foods rich in potassium include potatoes, squash, kidney beans, bananas, and spinach (51).

Summary

Consuming too much salt can increase water retention. You can eliminate excess water — and waste — by increasing your intake of water and potassium-rich foods.

Regular exercise — regardless of body weight — is associated with a longer life and a reduced risk of many conditions and diseases, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and certain cancers (52, 53, 54).

While there are several mechanisms behind the health benefits of exercise, reduced inflammation is a key point (55, 56).

While some inflammation is necessary for recovering from infection or healing wounds, too much of it weakens your body’s systems and promotes disease.

By reducing inflammation, exercise can help your body’s systems — including its detoxification system — function properly and protect against disease.

You should aim to do at least 150–300 minutes a week of moderate intensity exercise — such as brisk walking — or 75–150 minutes a week of vigorous intensity physical activity — such as running (57).

Summary

Regular physical activity lowers inflammation and allows your body’s detoxification system to work properly.

Although no current evidence supports the use of detox diets for removing toxins from your body, certain dietary changes and lifestyle practices may help reduce toxin load and support your body’s detoxification system.

• Eat sulfur-containing foods. Foods high in sulfur, such as onions, broccoli, and garlic, enhance the excretion of heavy metals like cadmium (58).
• Try out chlorella. Chlorella is a type of algae that has many nutritional benefits and may enhance the elimination of toxins like heavy metals, according to animal studies (59).
• Flavor dishes with cilantro. Cilantro enhances the excretion of certain toxins, such as heavy metals like lead and chemicals, including phthalates and insecticides (60, 61).
• Support glutathione. Eating sulfur-rich foods like eggs, broccoli, and garlic helps enhance the function of glutathione, a major antioxidant produced by your body that is heavily involved in detoxification (62).
• Switch to natural cleaning products. Choosing natural cleaning products like vinegar and baking soda over commercial cleaning agents can reduce your exposure to potentially toxic chemicals (63).
• Choose natural body care. Using natural deodorants, makeups, moisturizers, shampoos, and other personal care products can also reduce your exposure to chemicals.

While promising, many of these effects are only evident in animal studies. Therefore, studies in humans are needed to confirm these findings.

Summary

Some lifestyle and dietary modifications may enhance your body’s natural detoxification system.

Detox diets are said to eliminate toxins, which supports improving health and promoting weight loss.

While these diets are popular, they are not necessary. Your body has its own highly efficient detoxification system.

That said, you can enhance your body’s natural detoxification system and improve your overall health by staying hydrated, consuming less salt, staying active, and following an antioxidant-rich diet.

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Body cleansing or detox

The human digestive system is a living nutrient processing station. But with them, toxins enter the body. And some hazardous substances are a direct result of metabolism. Detox helps the body get rid of them. This is a cleansing method that includes several stages and helps not only to get rid of toxins, but also to lose weight.

What does a detox cleansing of the body give

The body is a self-cleansing system, especially in childhood and youth. The main role in this belongs to the digestive tract, liver, kidneys and skin. Everything that came with food inside is broken down into its constituent parts in the stomach and intestines. Partially, substances are absorbed into the blood, the rest leave the intestines naturally. Everything that has been absorbed is delivered to the liver for deep processing, neutralization and excretion from the body.

Water-soluble substances pass through the kidneys, where deep blood filtration takes place. Some toxins leave the body during intense sweating or breathing. But people themselves increase the load on the organs when they lead an unhealthy lifestyle.

The following factors contribute to slagging:

• bad habits – drinking alcohol, smoking;
• malnutrition – a large amount of animal fats, sugar and salt, lack of fiber, vitamins;
• sedentary lifestyle;
• unfavorable ecological situation;
• wrong drinking regimen;
• chronic stress.

Against the background of the accumulation of toxins, the state of health worsens. The skin acquires an unpleasant shade, peels off, becomes covered with rashes. Hair and nails become brittle. Digestion is noticeably affected. Many people notice that after eating they are worried about heaviness in the stomach, bloating, and constipation appears. But much more dangerous are internal disorders that manifest themselves in a decrease in immunity and a lack of certain vitamins.

Detox programs deal with all the consequences of an unhealthy lifestyle at once. They help cleanse the intestines from pathogenic microorganisms and toxins. For beneficial bacteria, the nutrient medium is fiber, using its components they synthesize vitamins of group B, K. If there is not enough fiber, simple carbohydrates and sugars predominate in the diet, and the number of microorganisms that cause fermentation increases. During a special diet, harmful foods are excluded from the diet, so the pathogenic flora dies, the body is cleansed.

Subcutaneous fat accumulates many toxic substances that dissolve well in lipids. The complete detox program helps to reduce the thickness of fat folds and remove dangerous substances from the body. After cleaning, a feeling of lightness appears, digestive problems, skin rashes disappear, immunity improves. But you need to choose a detox program with care so as not to cause even more harm.

Products for detox and body cleansing

Proper nutrition is the basis of body cleansing. But to improve the condition, it is not enough to get rid of dangerous products. To eliminate the consequences of the abuse of junk food, it is necessary to include in the diet food that improves the elimination of toxins, saturates with vitamins. Help cleanse the body:

• fresh vegetables and fruits;
• whole grain bread;
• fermented milk products;
• vegetable oils;
• dried fruits.

Cleansing of the digestive system occurs if food is eaten raw or with minimal heat treatment. This saves more vitamins, and fiber helps to remove all toxins from the intestines. Safe laxatives can be included for complete cleansing. These include Lactulose, Dufalac, Laktofiltrum. They gently loosen the stool, and Laktofiltrum contains useful microorganisms that help restore the intestinal microflora.

What else is included in the detox

To detoxify the body, it is not enough to change the nature of the diet. In order for the cleaning to proceed correctly, it is necessary to observe the drinking regimen. The volume of liquid per day during detox should not be less than 1.5 liters, 2 liters of pure water is considered optimal.

Decoctions and tea from medicinal plants help to cleanse the body. Chamomile, fennel copes well with this task. It can be used ready-made in a slimming and cleansing bar or simethicone capsules to help get rid of gas. But coffee, black tea, carbonated drinks and juices from packages are excluded from the menu. They do not help maintain drinking balance, but accelerate the loss of fluid, wash out the necessary vitamins and minerals.

Comprehensive detox includes lifestyle changes. It is impossible to cleanse the body in a state of stress. Why do so many people prefer to go through cleaning programs in secluded places, go to special resorts? To create all the conditions for improving the flow of thoughts, to avoid stress and nervous tension.

Detox programs

Various detox programs are available at special resorts, but often they are expensive. Why spend a lot of money if you can properly clean the body at home. To do this, it is enough to set a goal, plan a diet by choosing the right products.

Short detox courses can be used at home for 3, 5 or 10 days. Why can’t you choose long programs? They must be carried out under the supervision of an experienced specialist, so as not to harm the metabolism.

The home detox program includes simple recipes. Usually, before breakfast, they drink a glass of warm water with the addition of lemon juice. For breakfast, eat fruits or low-fat dairy products. For lunch, choose vegetable soup without meat, buckwheat porridge or brown rice. Those who decide to undergo cleansing with the help of a raw food diet prepare salads from fresh vegetables.

There are detox fasting programs. The complete rejection of solid food is accompanied by an increase in fluid intake. It can be pure water, herbal decoctions, natural fresh juices from vegetables and fruits. A prerequisite is dilution with water. But not everyone can tolerate the rejection of solid foods.

Detox is easier to tolerate with smoothies. They are made from water or juice and grated plant foods. Why chop vegetables and fruits? To facilitate their digestion and reduce the burden on the stomach.

Results can be improved by including sorbents in the cleansing program:

• Detox Colon – contains inulin, chicory and apple fibers, psyllium seeds, fennel, aloe vera. When used, toxins are removed from the intestines, conditions are created for the growth of normal microflora;
• Metaldetox – in the composition of spirulina and chlorella – algae that help to remove salts of heavy metals from the body. This drug is useful in adverse environmental conditions.

RioFlora immuno capsules can be used to restore the intestinal microflora. These are probiotics, which include a complex of lacto- and bifidobacteria. They populate the intestinal mucosa and help restore the synthesis of vitamins, prevent the growth of pathogenic flora.

Safety and possible side effects

Detox programs should be used with caution and only after consulting a physician. This is not an ordinary diet that helps relieve digestion, but a set of measures. Detox is not recommended if there are contraindications:

• pregnant or breastfeeding;
• low body weight;
• condition after illness;
• exacerbation of chronic diseases;
• children’s age.