Detox – Myth or Really Worthwhile?
The mantra from the teacup: what can detox products really do?
They promise to detoxify the digestive tract and to break down ammonium or even heavy metals in the body. But what lies behind the many products and the promise that a detox tea or patch can free the body from waste and toxins and boost your performance and well-being?
Detox and the business of toxins
The trip to the organic shop, the supermarket and even the pharmacy shows how lucrative the business with detox products is. Clever marketing, a few well-paid influencers and slick animated clips can trigger fear of waste, toxins and other substances.
Detox advocates and users of these products agree that powders and patches really do have a noticeable effect. The psychological effect behind this is easy to explain: we think we are doing something good for our body and repeat the process that we are sure brings improvement, regularly. Through this mantra-like self-affirmation from the teacup, detox fans really begin to feel better. A physical effect, however, does not occur. Can millions of users really be so wrong?
Proof of effectiveness is missing
Detox, derived from the word detoxification, means roughly detoxification. The idea: chemicals and other substances from our environment and diet settle in our body as waste. A certain diet and the intake of detox products promise to break down these deposits. What sounds in theory like a pipe cleaning gets straight into the heads of the detox believers. After all, everyone knows the idea that too much greasy food clogs the arteries and that kidney stones can form as residue under certain circumstances.
None of the providers has so far been able to provide medical proof of effectiveness. The German Federal Court of Justice also dealt with the idea in 2017 and ruled clearly against detox. Labelling food with the buzzword is now illegal as well. The only true element behind detox: we do absorb toxins, and certain substances do accumulate in our body. But does this require support?
The body's own detox
Three organs are essential for breaking down toxins in our body: the liver, the kidneys and the intestines. However, the detox function is not strengthened by the advertised products. How does our body's natural detoxification process work?
Our liver is very important for the body's own detox. While the function of the kidneys can be replaced by dialysis, the liver is unique. Nutrients, toxins and medications reach the liver and are released through the intestinal walls, while nutrients are fed back into the blood. If we regularly subject our body to high doses of toxins through drug use, elevated liver values can be detected, meaning liver cells in our blood.
The kidneys filter toxins out of the blood and excrete them as urea. In a healthy state, a single kidney filters about 90–130 milliliters of blood per minute. Besides the detox function, the kidneys are also responsible for regulating the water balance and thereby influence the blood volume. Blood pressure, the acid-base balance and energy metabolism are also influenced by the kidneys.
As the last of the three detox organs, the intestine forms a filter that, besides absorbing substances, is also responsible for releasing toxins. These are transported from the liver through the intestinal walls and excreted. The different sections of the intestine, together with the mouth, esophagus and stomach, form our digestive system, break down nutrients and pass them on to the body.
The best detox products
All products labelled detox should be viewed critically from the outset. There are herbs and products that support metabolism and influence the body. A good herbal tea has never harmed anyone. But you can save yourself the trip to the overpriced detox product.
Water is probably the cheapest detox remedy. We should drink about two liters a day. If we drink too little, our concentration suffers. The clearest indicator is a yellowish colour of the urine. On hot days and during physical activity, the need for water is even higher. Depending on the individual, up to four liters may then be necessary.
Other measures that promote the body's detoxification: avoiding toxins, eating regularly healthy and clean food, and using aids that support you in sport and muscle building.
Sweating it out is half the detox?
Some sources claim that toxins are released through the skin. Certain substances can indeed be detected in our sweat. However, the conclusion that a specific and targeted detoxification takes place is wrong. Here too, many detox products, such as infrared saunas, are on the market. The promise: detoxify and cleanse the body by sweating. According to studies by the "International Hyperhidrosis Society", which is devoted to researching excessive sweat production, only minimal amounts of toxins are contained in sweat. Anyone who sweats must drink fluids to make up for the loss.
A detox tea in the sauna
The best approach to detox products is not to buy them at all. Many of the marketing lies serve only to sell products to consumers at a particularly high price. Let's be honest: who really thinks that sticking on a patch can free the body from heavy metals or other toxins?
Anyone who regularly takes in toxins will have them in the body until they are broken down. Besides detox products, you should also avoid fruit juice fasting and other cures that are promoted as detox cures. If you fast for religious reasons, you should discuss the approach with your family doctor to avoid deficiency symptoms. In general, the rule of thumb is: physical exercise and a clean, healthy and balanced diet, along with plenty of drinking water and sufficient sleep, are the foundations of long-term health.
