Health

Scientists dismiss 'detox myth'

by Paul Conneally | January 5, 2009 at 06:55 am

426 views | 56 Recommendations | 10 comments

After Christmas and the New Year shop windows and womens magazines are full of adverts for new diets and detox products that claim to clean our bodies of the toxins built up over the holidays.

A new report from Sense About Science says that there is no evidence that such detox products work and the best way to health is eating fruit and vegetables as part of a healthy balanced diet.

Our kidneys and liver will do a good clean up job better than any detox product tested in this research.

Full Sense About Science Detox Press Release

There is no evidence that products widely promoted to help the body "detox" work, scientists warn.

The charitable trust Sense About Science reviewed 15 products, from bottled water to face scrub, and found many detox claims were "meaningless".

Anyone worried about the after-effects of Christmas overindulgence would get the same benefits from eating healthily and getting plenty of sleep, they said.

Advertising regulators said they looked at such issues on a case-by-case basis.

The investigation, done by research members of the Voice of Young Science network, was kicked off by a campaign to unpick "dodgy" science claims - where companies use phrases that sound scientific but do not actually mean anything.

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rpshen

at 09:31 on January 5th, 2009

Great article. This just goes to show that we cannot rely on chemical products or the latest celebrity diet to detox our bodies. Instead a healthy diet of fruits and veggies will do so much good for us.

Jawa Lunk

at 10:31 on January 5th, 2009

Usually a healthy yule tide log will evacuate anything built up in your system from holiday feasting...

Rachel Nixon

at 11:02 on January 5th, 2009

Well-timed article!

Ah, January, time of regrets about Christmas overindulgence.

Confessions of a Foodie (not verified)

at 11:12 on January 5th, 2009

I was involved in the nutrition industry for 2 years and can tell you true stories of people that detoxed and the things that came out of their system, including parasites, & worms. Detoxing has the biggest effect if you have traveled the world and gotten some "questionable" food. My husband and I are currently detoxing. You can read what its like to go through a 2 week detox program and the effects we have afterward.

It's really could be the change in diet that has the biggest effect. I just know the pills we take are to facilitate what is found in natural fruits and vegetables.

Foodie

Read more about our detox experience and recipes.

Paul Conneally

at 11:52 on January 5th, 2009

Hey! Had a look at your Confessions of a Foodie site and the detox diet - great stuff - good luck with it!

Jarrett Martineau

at 11:30 on January 5th, 2009

Very well-timed, I've been planning to start a detox/cleanse this week...hmm...perhaps I should simply stick to fruits & veggies?

mudricky

at 11:37 on January 5th, 2009

I'm okay, I love fruit. Can't get enough.

Geneva B

at 13:01 on January 5th, 2009

To anyone trying to wade through all the detox information out there, I would suggest getting your hands on the Master Cleanser by Stanley Burroughs - this is the real deal as far as cleansing goes, a detox that many have been using for decades. I've done it a few times, and trust me, it's definitely good for our 21st century bodies! If you're not ready for that, I also own The Raw Food Diet book, another good way to get junk out of your system.

eastvanray

at 15:45 on January 5th, 2009

I was VP of a nutraceutical company that sold many "herbal" products including those intended to detox your body. They are a scam with absolutely no scientific, peer-reviewed research to back up their claims. I challenge anyone who believes in these products to show me a single scientific, peer-reviewed study published in a scholarly journal that backs up the claims that these products produce measurable health benefits.

Uwe Paschen

at 15:49 on January 5th, 2009

You can not detox for many toxins never leave the body ever again no matter what you do. Some so call detox cures will actually do the opposite and others will do nothing at all.