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By: Sarah Hofstedt, CSUN Public Health Intern

The idea of cleansing one’s body through clean eating and drinking is not a new one: ayurvedic medicine has an ancient cleanse protocol called panchakarma that includes dietary restrictions, steam baths, and even bloodletting. Today we see Instagram influencers posting passionately about their juice detoxes, sometimes sponsored by the juice companies themselves. Castor oil, enemas, and other methods for bowel cleansing are touted as making the digestive system more efficient. But are detoxification practices really worth it?

Companies that sell cleansing supplements and systems are excellent at making claims about their products’ health benefits. Juiceries claim that their juice is the best way to get your veggies and balance your body without so much as a mention of empirical evidence. Existing clinical trials exploring the effectiveness of detoxification diets are far and few between, have been mostly small in sample size, lack control groups, and do not offer definitive evidence on detoxification benefits. In fact, people have died while attending cleansing ritual retreats. There are other stories of people going to the emergency room due to juice cleanses, water fasting, and herbal supplements.

On top of this, supplement kits for detoxification can run upwards of $120, and juice cleanse programs can cost more than $50 a day. There are even detox and fasting retreats that average around $600 at the low end.

So why do people participate in dietary cleanses? There are spiritually motivated fasts and diets used to prove one’s loyalty to their deities or religious principles. Some people report feeling cleaner and more energetic after a cleanse. An occasional detoxification is not an unhealthy practice; it is when people use detox diets and cleanses as a replacement for normal nutrition that it becomes dangerous. I encourage everyone interested in a cleanse to do thorough research on the products they use and how they want to detox so they do not end up in the hospital with brain damage. If you have any experience with cleanses, leave a comment below!