Science has shown that while a detox diet may help you shed a few pounds if you have an upcoming event, a permanent lifestyle change is necessary. For people with certain health conditions, such as diabetes, detox diets pose serious health risks, especially when they severely limit the types of food you eat, leading to dangerously low blood sugar levels.
What Is A Detox Diet?
The specifics vary from detox diet to detox diet. But in general, they involve fasting or severely restricting your dietary intake, sometimes in combination with supplements or colon cleansing measures. This is to eliminate toxins from the body. Some people who use these diets claim that they feel more energetic and focused as a result of their diets. Science has shown that this may be the result of eliminating highly processed, artificial foods from the body, foods that should be consumed in small quantities regardless of a diet.
The basic goal of any detox diet is to restrict your intake of certain foods temporarily, giving your body the opportunity to cleanse itself of built-up toxins. They often start with a period of fasting, followed by the slow reintroduction of foods, typically fruits and vegetables, into your diet. However, unless your diet consists almost entirely of fast food and processed junk, your body is already designed to cleanse itself. So you don’t need severe dietary restrictions to accomplish this.
There are also certain populations who would be particularly at risk for complications from a detox diet. Among them:
- Teenagers: Teenagers are particularly susceptible to body image issues, but a detox diet, especially for weight loss, is not a good idea. Their growing bodies need sufficient caloric intake, especially protein, to support their body needs.
- People With Chronic Health Conditions: For those who have heart disease, diabetes, or other chronic conditions, a detox diet can cause complications with the underlying condition, such as causing dangerously low blood sugar levels.
- People With Body Image Issues: Detox diets can become addictive, especially for people who have body issues like body dysmorphic disorder or an eating disorder. There are some patients who report that the feelings that come from fasting or from enemas are as addictive as nicotine or alcohol. Detoxing can become a dangerous addiction that can lead to long-term health problems or even death.
- Pregnant Women: Crash diets can disrupt blood sugar levels, potassium and sodium levels. Women who are pregnant or nursing should avoid them. While trying to shed a few extra pounds of baby weight or maintain a healthy body during pregnancy may sound appealing, the risks to yourself and your baby far outweigh any perceived benefits.
Here are four detox diets that are as infamous as they are famous. Before you experiment with any one of these diets, be sure to consider the following:
Master Cleanse
Beyonce Knowles credited her 20-pound weight dip for Dreamgirls to this dangerous detox, which is essentially a starvation diet that limits your dietary intake to nothing more than lemon juice mixed with maple syrup, water, and cayenne pepper. That goes along with salt water and a laxative tea for nearly two weeks, according to an NBC report highlighting the dangers of detox diets.
Not only is the idea of consuming salt water dangerous (think back to the last show you watched where someone was stranded at sea and resorted to drinking salt water, with potentially deadly consequences). But physicians have raised the alarm about the risk for vitamin deficiencies, muscle mass breakdown, and low blood sugar. Laxatives can lead to dehydration, which can lead to serious health problems over an extended period.
Fruit Flush
This diet involves eating fruit in specific portions every two hours, or five meals a day, in addition to a limited evening meal, over a three-day period. While this diet does involve eating healthy foods, as opposed to a liquid diet with limited nutritional value, fruits tend to be very high in sugars. This can cause blood sugar spikes and crashes, and can actually cause more hunger cravings. This diet is particularly dangerous for diabetics and people who have other sugar sensitivities. Participants have reported increased fatigue, a lack of focus, and dizziness, and science shows that the weight that’s lost during this detox is mostly water weight, rather than fat loss, meaning that the weight will come back very quickly after the cleanse is over.
Blue Print Cleanse
This is another liquid diet that requires participants to choose from a range of fruit juices, which will at least offer some nutritional value above the Master Cleanse. However, the lack of caloric intake and protein will put you at risk for dehydration, nutritional deficiencies, and muscle breakdown. Further, the low-calorie intake over an extended period can actually make you more lethargic and less focused than opting to eat a healthy, well-rounded diet long term. Another downside to this diet is the cost: $65 a day, plus the cost of shipping and handling.
The Clean Program
This detox diet requires that its participants lead into the detox phase with an elimination diet, where you eliminate unhealthy foods from your diet. During the 21-day detox diet, you are to consume two pre-made shakes and one hard meal during the day. This program has been known to cause a range of side effects, including gastrointestinal issues (constipation, bloating, cramping), headaches, and more. And, because of its duration, you can be at risk of developing nutritional deficiencies, dehydration, or electrolyte imbalances than by participating in a two-day detox diet or cleanse.
What’s The Final Word?
Whether you’re trying a detox diet or another fad diet, you should always get the green light from your doctor – especially if you have an underlying health condition that may be exacerbated by a change in diet. Keep in mind that no diet is a good solution for long-term health, and if you do decide to try a safe detox diet, you should use it as a starting point for an overall change in diet, and aim for long-term goals that include eating healthy dishes made from whole grains, lean protein, and fruits and vegetables, with minimal quantities of processed foods.