Detoxing: Scam or Science?
Detoxing: Scam or Science?
Separating fact from fiction in the billion-dollar detox industry.
There is a lot of money in detoxing. In 2024, the detox industry was valued at over 66 billion dollars US globally, and it only gets more lucrative every year. But is detoxing legitimate, or is it nothing but a billion-dollar snake oil swindle?
A quick Google search reveals find a very clear answer to that question: detoxes are a complete hoax and you're nothing but a "sucker" for buying into them. It's not hard to emerge from some casual internet research- the only type most of us embark on- with the unambiguous takeaway from a series of strongly worded articles that using natural elements to rid our body of harmful toxins is indeed all just "nonsense."
The gist of most anti-detox rhetoric is that internet charlatans are preying on the gullible masses with promises of miraculous physical renewal via get-healthy-fast kits and radical diet hacks, for which they deserve to be called out. TikTok influencers and celebrity-promoted detox teas are certainly the low-hanging fruit in this category.
But it's one thing to take aim at online personalities and viral trends, and it's another to totally disqualify the whole idea of natural detoxification altogether. In most prominent articles on the subject, you're likely to find the two go hand-in-hand: detox trends are mainly nonsense because detoxing simply isn't a thing. So, is that true?
Let's look at arguments for and against the notion that we can effectively use natural approaches to get harmful toxins out of our body.
So, What Are the Main Argument Against Detoxing?
In terms of disqualifying natural detox strategies altogether, there are really two main arguments that they almost all boil down to.
Argument 1: We have perfectly capable detox organs already doing their job.
The argument here is basically that we can trust our primary organs of detoxification, like intestines, lungs, kidneys, and the major detox engine itself, the liver. If these are working, there is no reason to take herbs or supplements, and if they aren't, medical attention is warranted regardless. As for the idea that detox foods or natural medicines of any kind will support or encourage those organ systems, they won't, so just save your money.
In many cases, people who make this argument will add a curious endnote that if you really want to support your liver, all you have to do is focus on eating healthy and exercising. But this raises another question- if eating healthy is more liver-supportive than eating unhealthy, why is this the case? And doesn't it imply that what we put in our mouths does, in fact, have an impact on our organs of detoxification? Maybe to do an effective detox diet, to follow this logic, is to do whatever has the most benefit for our lungs, liver, and kidneys and refrain from whatever interferes with their normal function.
Argument 2: There is no science showing that detox diets work
The second argument you're likely to encounter is that there isn't any science showing that detox programs work. Of course, absence of evidence is not the same as evidence of absence. But what does the evidence say?
One 2015 scientific review is routinely cited to suggest that not only is there a lack of evidence showing that detox programs work, but there is at least some evidence showing that they don't work. The paper looks at several detox programs: the Master Cleanse of cayenne, lemon juice, maple syrup, Dr. Oz's 48-hour weekend cleanse, and the L.Ron Hubbard (of Scientology) Purification Rundown. However, the review does little more than collect the purported benefits of each before pointing out that no legitimate science (i.e. randomized controlled trials) exists to support their use. Not exactly a thorough debunking.
Interestingly, the same paper goes on to review several foods which do have a documented benefit in assisting detoxification of heavy metals. So once more we return to this idea that quick-fix detox programs are right to arouse suspicion, but detoxification is also a fact of physiology- and this physiology can indeed be affected by what we put in our bodies.
In Defence of Detoxing
To counter a claim that there is zero evidence detoxing is a thing, we actually don't need to build much of a case - we just need to find some evidence that natural elements can indeed help the body detoxify. In fact, specific mechanisms whereby various' detox foods' can help the body get rid of toxic substances are very well known.
Let's look at just a few examples:
Cruciferous Veggies Brassica-family veggies like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and cabbage enhance the activity of Phase 1 liver enzymes (such as CYP1A1 and CYP1A2) and majorly boost Phase 2 enzymes (especially glutathione S-transferases or GSTs and UDP-glucuronosyltransferases or UGTs). Sulforaphane, an ultra antioxidant especially concentrated in broccoli sprouts, has been clearly shown to help humans and animals efficiently neutralize and excrete air pollution byproducts like benzene and acrolein, as well as other carcinogenic chemicals.
Garlic It doesn't just work against vampires - garlic's sulphur-containing compounds like allicin and diallyl sulphide promote the binding and removal of heavy metals and other harmful compounds, taking a load off the kidneys and the liver. Meanwhile, the same powerful medicinal compounds modulate a wide variety of Phase 1 liver enzymes while increasing Phase 2 enzymes as well (including the same GST enzymes affected by brassicas). Eating garlic results in an enhanced ability to get more toxic material into the colon for excretion.
Coriander The mechanism by which coriander (aka cilantro) helps detoxify the body is less well understood, but it seems to be very real. Feeding animals the zesty herb many of us take for granted has greatly ameliorated cadmium and lead poisoning in animals. Coriander intake also improves arsenic excretion and works incredibly well to protect the kidneys from oxidative stress associated with heavy metals. At this point, the toxic metal chelating properties of coriander have been confirmed in multiple studies.
Green tea, turmeric, chlorella, nori, dark berries, rosemary, fish oil, and soybeans can all have similar impacts on liver enzyme function and the binding and excretion of mould toxins, synthetic chemicals from environmental exposure, and toxic metals. Dietary fibre is also (somewhat unsurprisingly) a proven way to escort nasty stuff out of the body. It doesn't even seem intuitively reasonable that someone woefully constipated is detoxifying, as well as someone whose bowels are regular! Simple hydration, exercising, and sleeping well can also really help us get rid of metabolic junk we don't need.
And beyond food, naturally derived compounds like bentonite clay, zeolite, modified citrus pectin, NAC, and probiotics have all demonstrated real detoxification effects in scientific literature. This may not prove the effectiveness of any particular detox kit or program, but it certainly warrants serious consideration. Detoxing is real! Make no mistake about it.
But Aren't Some Detoxes Totally Bogus?
Social media influencers are promoting radical, quasi-medical solutions, and that's one thing. We can all agree that doing something bizarre and unusual to suddenly unload lots of toxic scum from your body is usually a terrible idea. But it doesn't take much digging to realize that anti-detox propaganda is about as sensationalistic as detox scams themselves, roundly condemning detox culture in what appears to be an over-compensation. Pieces with clickbait headlines will often backpedal slightly to admit that a balanced diet of powerful whole foods can effectively support detox pathways by known mechanisms.
So yes, some detoxes are guaranteed to be a total scam. The more wild the promise, the more suspicious we should be. And is it a good idea to hop on the latest celebrity detox product or social media trend? The answer is almost definitely no.
But meanwhile, the body does detoxify. And the body's capacity to detoxify can be helped or hindered. Where skepticism of detox programs and science-backed detox approaches converge with eating functional foods that are proven to safely support the kidneys and liver. While there is undoubtedly a healthy level of consumer skepticism in casting a shadow on the detox industry, let's be clear that there is some fact amidst the fiction.
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