Dangers of Detox Plans

It began with the headline: “The Soy Sauce Colon Cleanse That Left a Woman Brain Dead Shows How Dangerous Viral Internet Trends Can Be.” Looking up “Soy Detox Hoax,” I found an interesting mix of news stories about this tragic event and other sites promoting the practice. On one hand there were serious warnings, but every other entry linked to what appeared to be “How To” information.

The Explore Health site called the practice an “extremely dangerous fad.” A 39-year-old woman tried the soy sauce cleanse and went into cardiac arrest on the way to the hospital. She was revived, but drifted in and out of consciousness for several days. She woke up with severe nerve damage, unable to move, swallow, or speak.

According to Fox News, who gave a similar description of the situation, tests showed extremely high levels of salt in her blood, which can draw water away from the brain.

This was not an isolated incident of a soy sauce overdose. Back in 2013, a 19-year-old man drank a quart of soy sauce on a dare. He began twitching and having seizures, then went into a coma and nearly died from an excess of salt in his body. Too much soy sauce is dangerous; a soy sauce cleanse is a bad idea.

But the problem is not limited to soy sauce. Another search, this time for “Dangers of Detox” yielded numerous articles in the mainstream press and on medical and health-oriented websites warning of the practice in general. They date back more than ten years. The danger is not really news!

Most begin by pointing out that the detox fads come and go, usually driven by one or another Hollywood personality. Here is just a sampling of reliable advice.

NBC News had a story back in May 2007, “Experts Warn of Detox Diet Dangers.” Their expert, a gastroenterologist, concludes: “Your body does a perfectly good job of getting rid of toxins on its own…There’s no evidence that these types of diets are necessary or helpful.” Another expert adds that any attempt to flush the bad stuff from your body, the so-called toxins, also flushes out “good bacteria that keep the intestines healthy.”

 From Live Science in November 2014: “There's no scientific evidence that juice cleanses are a sensible approach to better health.”

 In September 2013 a piece about hidden dangers of detox lists as possible side effects: vitamin deficiency, muscle deterioration, heart palpitations, hair loss, depression, abdominal and digestive pain, reduced immune system, skin problems, anemia, and gallstones. 

Harvard Health discussed it in May 2008. “We tend to forget that the body is equipped with a detoxification system of its own” and “can defend itself very well against most environmental insults and the effects of occasional indulgence.” If you're generally healthy, there is no need. If you are experiencing health problems, “visit your doctor instead of a detox spa.”

Journal of Family Practice in August 2011 published a rather technical document for its members about the dangers of colon cleansing. “Patients may look to colon cleansing as a way to ‘enhance their well-being,’ but in reality they may be doing themselves harm.” They emphasized that there are no proven benefits.

There you have it. Many sources tell the straight facts. Under normal circumstances, bodies are built to detox themselves. Colon cleansing or other detox programs or diets are not beneficial with a high probability of causing serious harm. Your body is not full of toxins. Your colon does not need to be periodically cleansed, and doing so does not support, strengthen or promote any natural processes.

With over 10 years of evidence, warnings and examples of cleansing gone wrong, why would anyone try it? One reason is that it appeals to those low on disciple and critical thinking, looking for easy answers and not necessarily fond of science. They trust Hollywood endorsements more than medical professionals.

Unfortunately, the ads and promotions are so easy to find. Mixed in with the numerous links to stories of the brain-dead woman were such headlines as “Best Colon Cleanses for 2018” and “Best Non-GMO Colon Cleanse,” which has a laughable account of a man who lived for over 150 years and fills the rest of the page with endorsements from satisfied customers.