TOxin is a word that scares us. The idea of removing toxins using a variety of treatments is refreshing and worth a try. Unfortunately, detoxification therapy is just a myth.
Detoxifying your body with food and drink is now a popular trend. We are crazy about the idea of ”detox”. “Green Superfood Detox”, “Fast Lever Detox”, “Nine Natural Detox Foods”, “Detox Roty”, “Clean Colon Drink” —The Detox “Industry” has entered the wellness sector and is growing exponentially. .. Detox therapy advocates the belief that certain treatments can remove alcohol, smoking, and drugs from the body. But the concept of being able to cleanse the body after a party, festival, or bulimia nervosa weekend is a medical myth. It’s a scam that leads to our rational thinking.
In the Indian market, there are countless detox foods, supplements and drinks that claim to help cleanse the body, remove toxins from the system and lose weight. Detox products include herbs, juices, teas, and other dietary supplements that promise to cleanse the colon and liver. In many cases, these products are not regulated by the competent authority to assess their safety and efficacy. In addition, most detox products that claim to promote weight loss cannot provide sound scientific evidence to support long-term benefits. As a result, consuming these “magical” elixirs made from unregulated ingredients poses a serious health threat, but with limited benefits.
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The body detoxifies itself
We consume environmental toxins every day, and our body also produces some toxins as a by-product of digestion and metabolism. Certain physiological processes help remove these toxins from our body through the liver, lungs, kidneys, and digestive system without the need for external “antidotes.”
Detox products are primarily targeted at liver cleansing. Protein is metabolized in the liver to produce ammonia. Ammonia can be toxic to the body when present in large quantities. By converting ammonia to urea, the liver releases ammonia from the body through the urine.
Similarly, the kidneys eliminate harmful toxins. The intestines destroy and remove foreign substances and pathogens, and the skin releases toxins through sweat. A healthy lifestyle can keep these organs functioning optimally, eliminating the need for detoxification therapy and saving a lot of time and money.
There is no medical evidence to confirm the benefits of detox diets, supplements and drinks. Detox therapy aimed at weight loss has short-term consequences because it involves a low-calorie diet that supplements solid foods with liquids and juices. When you finish your diet and resume your normal diet, you will soon recover your weight.
A study of overweight Korean women evaluated the effectiveness of the Lemon Detox diet, which allows participants to drink a mixture of palm or maple syrup and lemon juice for 7 days. The results showed significant weight loss, improved body mass index (BMI), waist-hip ratio, body fat percentage, and insulin resistance, but information about the results after women started a regular diet. Was not provided.
A juice diet with strict calorie restriction can undoubtedly lead to weight loss and improved important metabolic health markers, but a low calorie weight loss diet will do the same. A critical review of detox diets for toxin removal and weight management in 2015 reported a randomized controlled trial (gold standard of study) conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of over-the-counter detox diets in humans. Is not … A 2019 study of participants receiving a 1,350 mg / serving herbal supplement for 4 weeks found no beneficial effects on body composition or digestive system.
Anyway, if your daily diet is packed with calories, sugar, trans fat, and other processed foods, there is no way to benefit from lemon ginger, cinnamon honey water, green tea, or cucumber mint juice. A single food, drink, or supplement cannot be your medical miracle.
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Detox therapy can be dangerous
Side effects of detox therapy include malnutrition, liver damage, and overdose. Long-term detox therapy is deficient in multiple micronutrients and proteins and can cause undernourishment disorders such as anemia, protein energy malnutrition, muscle loss, and heartbeat. Weak immune system, etc. Interestingly, most detox diets lack proteins, which are important nutrients for promoting the enzymatic reactions required for the body’s natural detox mechanism. Detox juice and cleansing are deficient in fiber. This is an important factor in ensuring optimal functioning of the intestinal flora and digestive system.
Surprisingly, detox teas and supplements aimed at “cleansing” the liver are often reported to be fatal to organs. A 60-year-old woman reported acute liver failure from drinking detoxified tea for the liver for 14 days. According to the author, the tea ingredient list contained six ingredients known to have hepatotoxic effects. Green tea extract, a common ingredient in many detox supplements, has been shown to increase biomarkers such as alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) that are associated with an increased risk of liver damage. increase.
The bottom line is that you don’t need a detox product to cleanse your organs or your whole body. Such products are expensive, nutritionally deficient, contain hepatotoxic components and are not regulated for safe consumption. To run smoothly with the built-in detox system, you need a whole foods-based balanced diet combined with regular physical activity. Don’t be fooled by detox scams, follow science.
Dr. Subhasree Ray is a PhD scholar (ketogenic diet) who is a diabetes educator and a clinical and public health dietitian. She tweets @DrSubhasree. The view is personal.
(Edited by Srinjoy Dey)
