Detox diets and cleanses have become popular in recent years. Many of them claim to offer a range of impressive health benefits – most commonly, the ability to rid the body of toxins and offer quick weight-loss results.
While these promises can be tempting, detox diets rarely offer long-term, sustainable weight loss results. Some experts have even gone so far as to say they offer no health benefits at all and in some cases, may leave you less healthy than when you started.
With this in mind, we’ll explore what detox diets are, their impact on the body, and what they can mean for your health.
What are detox diets?
Detox diets – also known as detox cleanses – are diets that promise to make us feel better by removing toxins from the body. Promoters claim that this cleansing process can improve digestion, help us lose weight, boost the immune system, get rid of cellulite, and improve skin, hair, and nail health.
However, despite their promises, the majority of detox diets fail to provide any kind of scientific evidence that they work or are safe to use.
For example, when UK charity Sense Science investigated 15 different detox products sold in a range of mainstream supermarkets, not one of the manufacturers could define what they meant by ‘detoxification’, let alone provide any evidence behind their claims.
What do detox diets involve?
There are thousands of different detox diets out there and what each one involves can vary significantly. But, generally speaking, the main idea is to drastically restrict calorie intake and/or eat selected foods only.
Common types of detox diets include juice or soup cleanses (consuming only juice or soup for a set period of time, such as a week); and herbal detoxes (drinking only teas or other beverages that contain specific herbs); and severe restriction of whole food groups.
Some detox diets also promote the use of teas, pills, and supplements that contain laxatives – most commonly a herbal laxative supplement called Senna – to ‘cleanse’ the colon for weight loss results. This type of detox diet can be particularly dangerous and we’ll cover it in more detail below.
Are detox diets effective for weight loss?
One of the largest and most bought-into claims of detox diets is that they can deliver quick weight loss results.
Because detox diets involve severe calorie restriction, many people will find that they drop weight very quickly. But, there are, unfortunately, a few important catches.
Evidence has revealed that these quick weight loss results are rarely ever sustainable because detox diets can’t be followed long-term. In fact, studies have found that the majority of people who take part in detox diets immediately regain lost weight after returning to their usual lifestyle – and in some cases, gain even more weight. In the long term, this can lead to a vicious cycle of yo-yo dieting.
It’s also important to understand that a rapid reduction in body weight caused by detox diets rarely reflects actual fat loss. Instead, it’s due to the body losing more water.
Let’s take herbal detox teas for example; because the majority of these products contain diuretic ingredients, they cause the body to pass more water through urine and bowel movements. As a result, studies have revealed that the weight loss these products lead to is the result of a rapid drop in water weight rather than actual fat loss.
Do detox diets offer any health benefits?
Many detox diets involve eating more fruit and vegetables while avoiding calorie-dense foods (in some cases, advising people to eat a fruit and vegetable-only diet).
And while it is indeed a good idea to limit your intake of high-fat, processed foods and eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, having a sufficient intake of lean protein, healthy fats, fibre, and whole carbohydrates is just as important.
Therefore, health experts generally agree that the best approach to staying healthy and achieving sustainable weight loss results is to eat a balanced diet that you can follow long-term.
Another reason that detox diets offer no real health benefits is that we simply don’t need them. This is because the body has its own naturally built-in detoxification system. Made up of four different systems, each plays a role in getting rid of potentially harmful substances…
- Kidneys filter blood and remove toxins from urine.
- The liver works to process nutrients and modify toxins to make them easier for the kidneys to excrete.
- The colon works to remove waste and toxins from the body through bowel movements.
- The lungs help to remove airborne toxins.
Therefore, unless someone has a serious medical condition, our bodies are well-equipped to get rid of any toxins themselves.
And, more importantly – alongside quitting smoking, limiting alcohol, and getting plenty of sleep, exercise, good food, and water –one of the best ways to support the organs that make up this detoxification system is to eat a nutrient-rich diet full of vegetables, fruit, fibre, and lean protein sources.
With all this in mind, despite the claims that detox diets can boost health and rid the body of toxins, the majority of experts universally agree that they offer no real health benefits. In fact, the NHS and the British Diabetic Association (BDA) have dubbed detox diets as nonsense and nothing more than a marketing myth.
5 ways detox diets can negatively impact your health
Alongside the fact that they offer no real health benefits, there’s also evidence that, in some cases, detox diets can actually have a negative impact on health.
We’ll outline some examples below…
1. Detox diets can put you at risk of nutrient deficiencies
Detox diets that severely restrict calorie intake or limit the types of food you can eat are unlikely to provide all of the nutrients your body needs. If followed over a long period of time, this can put you at risk of nutrient deficiencies.
Plus, diuretic or laxative abuse can cause food and water to pass through the body too quickly. This doesn’t give the body a chance to strip food of important nutrients and use water for rehydration.
2. Detox diets can cause unpleasant, and sometimes dangerous side effects
Common side effects of detox diets can include fatigue, weakness, brain fog, disrupted sleep, headaches, and fainting.
Some detox diets promote the use of laxatives, which can lead to severe diarrhoea and cause dehydration and electrolyte imbalances. This can result in a number of potentially dangerous side effects, including restlessness, weakened colon, confusion, muscle weakness, numbness, and heart palpitations.
Detox diets that involve drinking large quantities of water and/or herbal teas while not eating enough food, can produce these side effects too.
Lastly, continual use of laxatives can strain the gastrointestinal system and lead people to feel dependent on them to have any bowel movement at all.
3. Detox diets can lead to disordered eating patterns
Because the majority of detox diets lead to unsustainable results, it’s not unusual for people to feel discouraged after regaining weight once the diet is over.
In some cases, this can lead people to continually use severe calorie restrictions as a way to achieve results, which can lead to disordered eating patterns and behaviours.
Not only that, but research has also found that people can actually become partially addicted to the ‘clean’ feeling that detox diets offer. As a result, a clear link has been identified between detox diets and the development of eating disorders.
4. Detox diets can actually increase toxins in the body
As highlighted above, not only do detox diets not offer detoxification benefits, research has actually revealed they may have a negative impact on the body.
According to the NHS, severe calorie restrictions and diet limitations such as those imposed by detox diets can lead to a build-up of chemicals called ketones, of which having high levels in the body can be toxic.
5. Detox diets can be particularly dangerous for people with certain health conditions
Detox diets such as juice cleanses can be particularly dangerous for people with health conditions like diabetes, kidney disease, or liver disease.
This is because some of the diets, such as juice cleanses, may include a higher carbohydrate and sugar intake than what they’re used to.
Final thoughts…
While it can be tempting to buy into the promises of quick weight-loss results, research has shown that detox diets offer no real health benefits, are unlikely to offer sustainable weight-loss results, and in some cases, may even be dangerous.
Our bodies are amazing and come fully equipped with a natural detoxification system, which means we don’t need to rely on detox diets to remove toxins. As a result, it’s much healthier and more sustainable to focus your efforts on living an overall healthy lifestyle that includes a nutrient-rich diet and regular exercise.
For further health advice, head over to the general health or diet and nutrition sections of our website. Here you’ll find content on everything from diet reviews to essential vitamin and mineral guides.
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