No evidence to support detox products

The claims of many so-called “detox” products are “meaningless”, according to a group of British scientists.

Researchers at the British charitable trust Sense About Science, carried out a scientific review of 15 products, including bottled water, shampoo, vitamins, detox patches, and face scrub, which all claimed that they helped the body to “detox”.

Results showed that no two companies used the same definition of detox, and that little – and in most cases – no evidence was offered to back up their detox claims. Furthermore, in the majority of cases, producers and retailers contacted by the scientists were forced to admit that they had simply renamed normal words, such as cleaning, with the word “detox”. The scientists concluded that the vast majority of the claims were “meaningless” and “that ‘detox' has no meaning outside of the clinical treatment for drug addiction or poisoning.”

They recommend that anyone wanting to counter the effects of any festive over-indulgence would do better eating plenty of fruit and vegetables and getting a good nights sleep.

Scientists dismiss 'detox myth'. BBC News. January 5th 2009.