Do not buy detox programs, colon cleanses, enzyme drinks, or alkaline water to “remove toxins”
The detox industry is large, but supporting clinical evidence is sparse, and the cited review found no rigorous trials of commercially sold detox diets. A separate review of dietary acid or alkali, alkaline water, and cancer found only one eligible study, which did not demonstrate an association.
What it takes
Hundreds to thousands of RMB. Restrictive fasting can also cause hypoglycemia or inadequate nutrition.
What you may gain
A review of detox diets found very little clinical evidence and no randomized controlled trials of commercial detox programs. A systematic review of alkaline diets or water screened 8,278 papers and found only one eligible study, with no association with cancer. The authors found the cancer-related marketing unjustified. “Toxins are building up inside you” makes an appealing sales story, but the claim needs a defined toxin, a reliable measurement, and evidence that the product improves an outcome.
Context & considerations
This is mainly an absence of convincing evidence, which is why the entry receives grade C. The liver and kidneys are the body’s waste-processing organs. People whose organs function normally do not need an extra commercial “detox.”
Research & references
Klein AV, Kiat H (2015). Detox diets for toxin elimination and weight management: a critical review of the evidence. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics. https://doi.org/10.1111/jhn.12286; Fenton TR, Huang T (2016). Systematic review of the association between dietary acid load, alkaline water and cancer. BMJ Open. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2015-010438.