Detoxes - Useful Or Useless?

'Detoxes' commonly involve restrictive diet rules, with the addition of supplements, teas, herbs, juices and/or certain 'special foods' that supposedly improve health and/or aid fat loss. 

Detoxes can come in a few forms, such as juice cleanses, detox tea programs, supplement protocols and short term special diets.

The idea behind them is that health, vitality and the ability to lose / manage weight is improved through the elimination of toxins (detox).

Detoxes can be an appealing 'kick start' to a health and/or weight loss journey to 'get the ball rolling' and 'kick you into gear' which is one speculative reason why they're so attractive and commercially successful. 

Do detoxes work?

Yes, they can. 

That doesn't mean they're a good idea and it doesn't mean they are superior to a 'good wholesome' diet that is accompanied by some form of Calorie restriction. [1,2,3]

Why can detoxes work? 

In short, they encourage health-seeking behaviours. Detoxes involve the replacement of your existing diet with something else. This can also bring about other health-seeking behaviours such as an enhanced focus on achieving restful sleep, and possibly more physical activity. 

Often this replacement results in a greater intake of whole foods, fruits and vegetables, and a lower Calorie intake [1]. As a result - weight loss occurs, people notice they feel 'lighter', their midsection appears to be 'flatter' and this is accompanied by a sense of enhanced vitality, at least in the short term. 

Think about it, if you start a detox, you're almost certainly going to stop drinking alcohol, consuming indulgences, and you're therefore going to end up eating far fewer Calories as a result. 

Do we need to detox?

No.

There is absolutely truth behind the elimination of toxins from the body as a means to improve health. However our vital organs already take care of that. Our lungs, skin, kidneys and liver all do a great job of filtering, eliminating, and 'detoxifying'. [4]

So with that in mind, if we can promote the health and function of these organs we should have enhanced detoxifying capabilities? Yes, correct, however a detox program, tea, juice cleanse or special diet isn't the best way to go about it. 

How do we improve organ health & function?

1. Provide organs with the raw materials and resources they need to thrive. Calories, macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates and fats) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals).

2. Provide vehicles that aid filtration & excretion. In other works sufficient hydration and dietary fibre.

3. Avoid over-stressing organs with the burden of excessive medication and/or alcohol. 

Why you shouldn’t do a detox program.

• Elimination & restriction = vitamin & mineral deficiency.

For our organs to thrive, the presence of sufficient vitamins and minerals is required. Due to the excessively restrictive nature of almost all detox programs, the likelihood of a vitamin and mineral deficiency is high. This won’t be apparent in the short term but in the long run will, ironically, impair detoxification.  

• Short term nature of detoxes.

Improvements in health and function are primarily a product of your diet and lifestyle over longer periods of time. Sporadic weeks of health seeking nutrition amidst a life riddled with binge drinking, nutrient poor food choices, poor sleep and excessive medication (namely illicit ‘party medication’) is a ‘drop in the ocean’ and relatively meaningless in the grand scheme of things. 

• Feasibility.

For your detox diet to have a notable effect on detoxification capabilities, it needs to be feasible for a meaningful time frame - aka - forever. Eating a restrictive diet is unlikely to be realistic, viable or feasible for any substantial time frame. Furthermore, it’s not possible to consume a diet that is lacking in essential vitamins and minerals without negative health consequences arising sooner or later, again impacting longer term feasibility of such an approach. 

• Potential for rebound & impact on relationship with food.

“You’re either detoxing or you’re not”... this on/off, all or nothing approach to your nutrition is not a great idea. After a week of losing a bunch of intestinal weight, some fat and some muscle, what do you think is going to happen at the end of the detox program? Will you continue a maintenance dose of health seeking, Calorie conscious behaviours or will you revert back to your old lifestyle and way of eating? Furthermore will the excessively restrictive nature of the detox fuel later excessive indulging followed by guilt, and shame?

What should you do instead of a detox?

1. Find a way to regularly eat a varied whole food focused diet high in plant fibre. 

2. Ensure you’re on top of hydration - water focussed but doesn’t need to be water exclusive. 

3. Don’t take excessive amounts of supplements just for the sake of it.

4. Control your intake of alcohol. 

5. Manage stress (sleep, training stress, psychological burden). 

6. Reduce your exposure to toxins in the first place, giving your organs less to detoxify. This includes considering the air quality/purity you’re exposed to, and washing your foods before consumption [5]. 

7. Get in some regular physical activity. 

Take homes points about detoxes:

Detox programs work because they encourage health seeking behaviours, greater whole food consumption and a lower Calorie intake. 

Detox programs come with hefty drawbacks that can become severe and damaging to health. 

To enhance organ function responsible for the detoxification of potential harmful substances, focus on leading a healthful lifestyle with a whole food focused diet, sufficient hydration and controlled alcohol consumption.  

References:

[1] Lemon detox diet reduced body fat, insulin resistance, and serum hs-CRP level without hematological changes in overweight Korean women.

[2] Detox diets for toxin elimination and weight management: a critical review of the evidence.

[3] A Purported Detoxification Supplement Does Not Improve Body Composition, Waist Circumference, Blood Markers, or Gastrointestinal Symptoms in Healthy Adult Females.

[4] Detox diets for toxin elimination and weight management: a critical review of the evidence

[5] Effects of food processing on pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables: a meta-analysis approach.
[6] Arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury in sweat: a systematic review.