Veggie Blog

Books about detox often make bold promises. This one, by Bruce Fife, is described in its title as a guide to detoxify the body, stop disease, reverse aging and improve health. The old version of this post read like an advertisement, saying that you must detox right now or risk illness, and that the book would restore your body. I have not read the book, and I cannot judge its contents. What I can do is explain what the research says about the claims in the title, so that you can read any detox book with a clear head.

What does the book say?

According to the old review, the book explains how a home detox program works, features a diet of natural foods, and includes chapters on fasting and other natural methods of detox. The reviewer also noted that the author is a vegetarian and that this showed in some of his views. I could not verify these details, because I have not seen the book, so treat them as the old reviewer’s opinions. The Amazon box at the end of this post lets you look at the book’s description for yourself.

Can any detox program stop disease or reverse aging?

There is no good evidence that it can. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health says there have been only a small number of studies of detox programs in people, and that those with positive results were of low quality. A 2015 review concluded that there was no compelling research to support the use of detox diets for weight management or for eliminating toxins from the body, and there have been no studies on long-term effects. Nothing in this evidence shows that detox stops diseases or reverses aging. Do not stop or delay medical treatment because a book promises a cure.

Are we really “bombarded” by toxins?

We are exposed to some harmful substances, such as tobacco smoke, heavy alcohol use and air pollution, and it makes sense to reduce them. But the old text went much further, claiming that “acid build-ups” develop in people who have lived an unhealthy lifestyle. I did not find any support for that in the sources I checked, and I have removed it. The body has its own systems for dealing with waste. MedlinePlus says the liver helps the body digest food, store energy and remove poisons, and the NIDDK says healthy kidneys filter wastes and extra water from the blood. See our post on what your body already does to clean itself.

What about fasting?

Fasting is a part of many detox books, and it is not risk-free. NCCIH lists fasting among the approaches used in detox programs and warns that some detox or cleansing programs can be unsafe and falsely advertised. People with diabetes, people who are pregnant, children and anyone taking medicine should not fast without medical advice. If you want to eat more healthily, you do not need a fast to do so. Compare this with natural body detox and body cleansing and detox, which give safer ideas.

How should you judge a detox book?

Ask a few questions. Does it promise to cure or prevent disease? Does it claim that “toxins” cause illness without naming them or showing how they are measured? Does it rely on testimonials? Does it push expensive products? Does it cite studies in respected journals? If the answer to most of these is yes, be careful. The FDA and FTC have acted against companies that sold detox products with false claims, according to NCCIH. A book that suggests eating more vegetables and fewer processed foods is harmless, but you do not need to buy anything to follow that advice. Our overview of what the evidence says about detox is a good place to compare. For the research summary, see the NCCIH page on detoxes and cleanses.

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A detox diet sounds like a safe choice. After all, you are mainly eating vegetables and drinking water, and you hear about celebrities and people in recovery programs doing detoxes. So is it safe? The honest answer is that it depends on the diet and on who is following it. This guide explains what these diets involve, what the evidence says and who should be especially careful.

What do detox diets claim?

The idea is that toxins from food, water, chemicals and polluted air build up in the body and cause headaches, tiredness, acne and nausea, and that a short diet will clear them out. In fact, toxins are processed by the liver and kidneys, and they leave the body in urine, stool and sweat. Detox diets differ, but a typical one starts with a day or two of juice or a very light diet, followed by four or five days of brown rice, steamed vegetables and fruit, before foods such as wheat, red meat, eggs, sugar and junk food are brought back one at a time. Some also recommend colon cleansing with enemas, herbal supplements or a glass of lemon juice with every meal.

What does the evidence say?

The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health reports that there have been only a small number of studies of detox programs in people, and that they were of low quality. A 2015 review found no compelling research that detox diets help with weight control or eliminate toxins. A 2017 review noted that juicing and detox diets can cause initial weight loss because of low calorie intake, but that people tend to regain weight once they eat normally again. If you feel better after a week of eating this way, the likely reasons are simple: you are eating more vegetables and fiber, and less sugar, alcohol and processed food.

Where are the risks?

Diets that severely restrict calories or whole groups of food usually do not lead to lasting weight loss, and they may not give you all the nutrients you need. Other risks depend on the method. Laxatives can cause diarrhea, which leads to dehydration. Colon cleansing can have serious side effects, especially in people with bowel disease, severe hemorrhoids, kidney disease, heart disease or a history of colon surgery. Unpasteurized juice can make you ill. Fasting can cause headaches, fainting and weakness. The FDA and the Federal Trade Commission have taken action against companies whose detox and cleansing products contained hidden ingredients or were marketed with false claims about treating serious diseases.

Who should not try a detox diet?

Talk to a doctor first if any of these apply to you, and in many cases avoid strict detox plans altogether: you are pregnant or breastfeeding, you have diabetes, kidney or heart disease or digestive problems, you have or have had an eating disorder, you take regular medicine, you are under 18, or you are older and frail. Teenagers and children need enough food to grow, and a restrictive diet is not suitable for them. Read the NCCIH fact sheet for a full list of cautions.

What is a safer alternative?

If what you want is to feel lighter and more energetic, you can get most of the benefits without the risks. Eat plenty of vegetables, fruit, whole grains and legumes, which are high in fiber and low in fat. Drink water. Take a break from alcohol, sweets and fast food. Chew your food slowly and sit down to eat. Get moving, sleep well and see your doctor if a symptom such as constant tiredness does not go away.

Whatever you decide, the choice is yours, but you should make it with accurate information. Our posts on detox diets 101, body detox the easy way, what the evidence says about cleansing the body and how to judge body detox products before you buy can help you decide.

Home detox programs promise to flush out toxins, help you lose weight, boost your energy and even slow aging. They are popular because they sound simple. The old version of this post repeated those promises, including that detox can ease asthma and diabetes and slow aging. Those claims are not supported by research. Here is a clearer look at what detox programs involve, what the evidence says and what you can do instead.

What is a detox program?

The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) says that “detoxification” diets, regimens and therapies, often called “detoxes” or “cleanses,” are promoted to remove toxins, lose weight or promote health. They may involve fasting, drinking only juices or similar drinks, eating only certain foods, taking supplements or herbs, cleansing the colon with enemas or laxatives, or using a sauna. The old post described home programs that run for two weeks or more.

Does detox work for weight loss?

The evidence is weak. NCCIH says that there have been only a small number of studies of detox programs in people, and that although some had positive results on weight and fat loss, insulin resistance and blood pressure, the studies were of low quality, with design problems and few participants. A 2015 review found no compelling research to support detox diets for weight management or for eliminating toxins. A 2017 review said juicing and detox diets can cause initial weight loss because of low calorie intake, but people tend to gain weight once they return to a normal diet. There have been no studies on long-term effects.

Do you need to detox at all?

Your body already has a system for this. MedlinePlus describes the liver as the organ that helps your body digest food, store energy and remove poisons, and the NIDDK explains that healthy kidneys filter wastes and extra water from the blood to make urine. These organs do not need a special diet to work. They need protection from things that harm them, such as too much alcohol and tobacco smoke. The old post said that the liver is the main organ for detoxification, which is true, but that does not mean a cleanse improves its work. See our posts on what your body already does to clean itself and natural body detox.

Can detox programs be unsafe?

Yes. NCCIH says the FDA and FTC have taken action against several companies selling detox or cleansing products because they contained hidden ingredients and posed a health risk, were marketed with false claims that they could treat serious diseases, or, for colon-cleansing devices, were marketed for unapproved uses. Colon cleansing can have serious side effects, especially for people with a history of gastrointestinal disease, colon surgery, severe hemorrhoids, kidney disease or heart disease. Unpasteurized juices can make people sick, and some juices are high in oxalate. Read the NCCIH page on detoxes and cleanses.

What can you do instead?

The old post was right that vegetables, fruit and water are good for you, and that you will not get lasting results if you go back to an unhealthy lifestyle. Aim for a pattern you can keep: plenty of vegetables, fruit and whole grains, enough water, regular physical activity, sleep, no smoking and limited alcohol. NIDDK says experts recommend an initial weight-loss goal of 5 to 10 percent of your starting weight within six months. Our posts on gentle detox habits versus harsh cleanses, are detox diets safe and detox diets 101 explain the choices in detail. If you have a health condition, check with your doctor before changing how you eat.

Many detox programs begin by promising a long list of tests and a plan built just for you. It sounds scientific, but the reality is simpler. Your liver, kidneys, intestines, lungs and skin already remove waste around the clock. What you can do is support them with good habits and avoid anything that could harm you. Here is what a sensible “natural detox” looks like, and what to leave out.

Should you start with a checkup?

Yes, but with your own doctor rather than a detox clinic. If you feel tired, bloated or run down, there are many possible reasons, including too little sleep, low iron, thyroid problems or stress, and a doctor can check them. Ordinary blood tests can show real problems such as a vitamin deficiency or an anemia. Be careful about commercial “toxin” or “mineral” panels sold with a detox package, because they are not a proven way to guide a detox. Also check with your doctor before you change your diet if you take medicine, have diabetes, or have heart or kidney disease.

What should you eat?

The part of detox that works is the food. Build your meals around vegetables, fruit, beans, lentils, whole grains and nuts, drink enough water, and cut back on alcohol, sugary drinks and heavily processed snacks. Fiber helps keep your digestion regular, and psyllium husk is one fiber supplement that some people use. Most healthy people do not need to eat only juice or a few foods for days. A few lighter days with simple vegetable meals will do you no harm, but they do not remove toxins either.

What about exercise, sweating and baths?

Regular exercise is one of the best things you can do. Adults need at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week, and it improves your mood, sleep and circulation. You will sweat, but sweating is not how the body gets rid of most waste. The kidneys and the liver do that. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health lists saunas among common detox methods, and notes that studies of detox programs have been few and of low quality. If you enjoy a sauna, keep sessions short, drink water, and ask your doctor first if you have heart or blood pressure problems. Dry brushing is another popular step. It can feel invigorating, but there is no proof that it draws toxins out of the skin.

Are colon cleanses and enemas a good idea?

We suggest that you skip them. The same agency says there is limited evidence for colon irrigation and that cleansing procedures can have side effects, some serious, especially in people with bowel disease, kidney disease, heart disease or past colon surgery. Strong laxatives can cause diarrhea, which can lead to dehydration. Read the NCCIH fact sheet on detoxes and cleanses before you buy any cleansing product.

How do rest and relaxation help?

Sleep, massage and quiet time will not clear toxins, but they do help you cope with stress, and stress can affect how you eat and sleep. Adults need about 7 to 9 hours of sleep a night, according to the National Institute on Aging. Gentle yoga and breathing exercises can help you wind down. Choose a pace and a practice that fit your life, and think of them as habits to keep rather than a one-off cleanse.

The bottom line

A natural detox that makes sense is really just a healthy lifestyle: a plant-rich diet, plenty of water, less alcohol, regular exercise, enough sleep and a way to relax. Anything that asks you to stop eating, spend a lot of money on powders or capsules, or undergo a procedure to “flush” your body deserves a close look first. For more, see our posts on body detox the easy way, how to judge body detox products before you buy, what the evidence says about cleansing the body and a 5-day body detox plan.

Body detox products: how to judge them before you buy

Are you clean inside?

Are you 100 percent sure about it?

All of us are exposed to a number of chemicals and other potentially harmful substances on a daily basis. Even if you lead a healthy lifestyle, you still meet substances that are found everywhere, even in your own home: in the water we drink, the food we eat and the air we breathe. We cannot avoid these completely, because they are the essentials we need to live.

Thanks to modern medicine, we have ways to treat many diseases and relieve painful symptoms. Medicines, like all substances, are broken down by the liver and removed by the kidneys; they do not build up as ‘toxins’ in a healthy body. We also eat more processed food and sugar than ever before, which is a real concern for health, though not because it fills the body with toxins.

Why all the fuss about toxins?

Detox product sellers claim that toxins that are not removed cause indigestion and create more toxins, and that as they build up, they eventually turn into parasites that cause disease. This is not true. Toxins do not turn into parasites; parasites are infections that come from outside the body and need proper medical treatment.

Your liver and kidneys are very good at clearing waste from your body. In healthy people there is no evidence that they fall behind and need outside help.

That is why the best support is a healthy lifestyle: a good diet, exercise, enough water, not smoking and limiting alcohol. Some people still choose to try a body detox product.

Many of these body detox products are herbal and are sold as gentler than chemical medicines. They come in different forms, such as teas, capsules, softgels, chewables and drinks. Herbal does not automatically mean safe: some detox teas contain laxatives, and some herbs interact with medicines.

Each product claims to target a particular part of the body. That is why it is important to talk to a doctor before choosing a body detox product.

Many of these products are sold on the internet. While most claim to be fully effective and free of side effects, scientists who have tested such claims have found little or no evidence to support them.

Many sellers go to great lengths to persuade you to buy their products. It is wise to get a second or even a third opinion. A little research does a lot of good. You do not want to waste your money on drinks that only quench your thirst, or on something that might harm you.

So if you feel tired and seem to have lost your energy, do not assume it is a build-up of toxins. Tiredness has many possible causes, such as poor sleep, stress, anaemia or thyroid problems. See a doctor to find out what is really going on.