"Detox" products promise to do just that, to remove toxins from the body and make us feel fitter and stronger. But is this all just a marketing ploy? Do the products really do anything for us?
Liver, kidneys and lungs detoxify the body
According to Annett Reinke, nutrition specialist at the Consumer Protection Agency in the German state of Brandenberg, the answer is clear: Even the term “detox” itself is misleading.
It promises to detoxify the body, but that’s something the body does anyway. "It does that itself, and quite excellently," agrees Matthias Riedl, a Hamburg-based nutritional physician.
Harmful substances of any kind are broken down by the liver, intestines, kidneys and lungs and then expelled from the body. It is only in the case of acute poisoning, for example due to an overdose of medication, that a doctor has to take countermeasures with an antidote.
It is true that lead from water pipes, for example, can accumulate in fatty tissue. "However, there is no scientific evidence that such a harmful substance can be removed from the body with a detox product," says nutritionist Riedl.
Patches that turn dark
One product that Reinke views with particular scepticism are detox patches. According to the manufacturer’s instructions, the patches should be attached to the soles of the feet in the evening before going to sleep. If the patches turn dark overnight, this is supposed to prove that they have sucked toxins out of the body.
"The darkening could be due to the combination of heat under the covers with moisture," Reinke speculates. But it is not due to detoxification, she says, because there is absolutely no scientific evidence for that.
It is precisely this lack of scientific evidence that ensures that manufacturers are prohibited from using detox promises in the marketing of their products.
At least this applies to food products, according to a 2018 ruling by the German Federal Court of Justice. However: some manufacturers are not complying with this ruling, while others have rewritten the marketing content for their products.
It's important to mention that some detox products do contain quite healthy ingredients such as pumpkin seeds, green tea and healing clay. "They don’t harm the body. However, they also don’t have the promised detoxifying effect,” says Riedl.
Dehydrating products should be avoided
There are also some detox products that are best avoided. Riedl advises against things like detoxifying juice cures, whereby the only nutrition taken for days is juice. These juices, which consist of fruits and vegetables, are far too sugary, and therefore can be a burden for the liver.
Caution is also advised when it comes to dehydrating products: Anyone who consumes these over a longer period, excretes increased amounts of minerals such as sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium. This can upset the body's electrolyte balance. The result can be cramps or muscle disorders.
So, what can you do if you want to really do something good for your body – but without resorting to patches and powders? The best thing is not to allow so many harmful substances into the body in the first place: "Avoid nicotine and alcohol if possible," advises Reinke.
The nutrition professionals recommend eating plenty of fruit and vegetables. However: "Always wash fruit and vegetables thoroughly before eating them," says Reinke. With leafy vegetables it is advisable to remove the outer leaves as well as the stalk to prevent ingesting heavy metals. Organic produce usually contains fewer harmful substances.
To enable the kidneys to filter out toxins quickly and effectively, you should drink enough liquid - about two to three litres of water and unsweetened teas a day.
