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So-called detox diets and cleanses are not backed by science and can be harmful.
Pesticides on produce, arsenic in rice, mercury in fish, plastics, PCBs.. .hearing about chemicals in our environment and potentially toxic substances in our food and water is distressing and worrisome. It's no surprise people turn to "detox diets" and "cleanses" to try to combat this seeming assault. But these popular programs are unproven, unregulated, and potentially dangerous. Taking sensible steps to limit exposure and supporting the body's natural detoxification systems with a healthy lifestyle is the safest and most effective plan.
DetOX Defined: Simply put, detoxification is the removal of toxic substances from the body. "The human body has mechanisms of detoxification to deal with both exogenous toxicants (from the environment) and endogenous (those produced inside the body as a result of metabolic processes)," says Joel Mason, MD, senior scientist and director of the Vitamins and Carcinogenesis Laboratory at the Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging. The skin, lungs, GI tract, microbiome, liver, and kidneys are all involved in protecting our bodies from toxic substances.
"The liver and kidneys have great mechanisms for metabolizing many toxic substances," says Barbarajean Magnani, PhD, MD, FCAP, a professor at Tufts University School of Medicine and director of toxicology at Tufts Medical Center. "With the help of enzymes, the liver helps convert fat-soluble chemicals and toxic substances into more water-soluble chemicals so they can be easily excreted by the kidneys. Toxic substances can also be combined with other chemical substances in the liver to create a less toxic compound that can be safely eliminated."
Metabolism and excretion of some compounds is completed within a few hours of ingestion or exposure, but some, like lead, mercury, and persistent organic pollutants accumulate in body tissues...