Do "Detox" Products Really Work?

Photo: GHC

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Question:

Which of the following is true of products claiming to offer your body a quick "detox"?

A - Companies making "detox" claims tend to use different definitions of "detox."
B - Companies don't provide convincing scientific evidence that backs up their "detox" claims.
C - The word "detox" is often just a code for "skin cleansing" or other unremarkable action.
D - Products claiming to offer "detox" properties cost more than otherwise similar products.
E - All of the above.

If you chose "E," you're right. That, anyway, is what British researchers working for the nonprofit Sense About Science discovered when surveying face creams, foods, beverages, foot pads and other products claiming to offer their users a detox experience. Such claims were consistently inconsistent, unproven, misleading — and the products more expensive.

The urge to "detox" is understandable. Regular readers of The Daily Green are all too familiar with the legion of suspect chemicals average Americans encounter in their home, in the air they breathe and in the food they eat. So if a product — whether it's a face cream, an energy drink, colon cleanse or a foot pad — promises to remove toxic substances, there's a natural appeal for concerned consumers.

The old adage applies: Buyer beware.

The group making the claims has been criticized by environmentalists because it promotes genetically modified crops. Sense About Science is funded in large part by the pharmaceutical industry. So there's reason to view its conclusions with some skepticism.

Still, according to the information promoted by Sense About Science, a healthy diet of fruits and vegetables, along with enough sleep and a glass of water, is more likely to "detoxify" your body. The underlying message: Let the liver, colon and kidneys do their natural work. Whether or not their findings are biased, that's sound advice.

It's true that products for sale in Britain may not be the same as those for sale in the United States, but there's no U.S. law regulating the use of the word "detox" in products, so many — if not all — of the same criticisms are likely to be relevant.

The Sense About Science group that did the work includes physiologists, biochemists, doctors and pharmacists, and the group will be campaigning to promote its findings. Among its messages:

4 Myths About "Detox" Products

According to Sense About Science

1. 
   Shampoos, cleansers and moisturizers can rid your skin of toxic stuff
   While these products bind to substances like dirt and makeup on the skin's surface, they wash away with water and won't help your body remove toxic substances in your body.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

2. 
   Detox patches draw toxins out of your feet
   These patches may make you sweat, and sweating may help your body release very small levels of chemicals, but patches "won't have any discernible effect on the amount of chemicals in your body."
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

3. 
   Detox tonics and supplements can improve liver and kidney function
   While some herbs contained in tonics or supplements may be metabolized more quickly, that's likely because the organs perceive them as poison. High doses of supplements may also interfere with normal body processes, or prescription medications.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

4. 
   Detox diets cleanse the body
   The best diet you can have at any time is a normal, balanced diet.

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