2023-05-24 19:00:10
Detoxifying your body with detox foot patches is very popular. But does it really work? We asked Roger Godschalk, professor of toxicology and pharmacology, who also explains how the body can eliminate toxins.
Within one night, detox foot patches would cleanse your body, aid in your digestion, promote weight loss and combat fatigue. But according to Godschalk, there is no scientific evidence to substantiate these claims. “From biology, as we know it now, it is unlikely that these plasters allow your body to detox. That is why I think that scientific studies will not be done in the near future, unless specifically requested.”
Toxins from your body
According to the professor at Maastricht University, it is clear that these patches cannot remove toxins from the body. “Sweat contains very small amounts of ‘toxins’. The body’s main way of getting rid of toxins is through urine or feces. Substances are often first metabolized in the liver, after which they can be removed from the body through urine or faeces. Sweat has little or no contribution to getting rid of toxins.”
It is unclear why the idea exists that removing toxins through the skin is an important mechanism.
Godschalk explains that measurements have been made in the US of excreted toxins in the black substance under the plasters, commissioned by ABC-News. In the end, after wearing the patches, it turned out that there was no increase in toxins. “It is unclear why the idea is that removing toxins through the skin is an important mechanism. For example, there are also rumors that the use of deodorant with aluminum would cause breast cancer, because the toxins would not be able to leave the body. If you look at the current knowledge about the elimination of toxins, that is highly unlikely.”
Health risks
The foot patches therefore have no detoxifying effect. But if it doesn’t help, it won’t hurt, right? Godschalk: “There are toxic substances that can be absorbed through the skin, but I don’t know if these plasters contain them. I am not aware of any studies in which targeted research was done into the health risks of its use. I think the most obvious risks are allergic reactions and irritations, but those are not permanent effects.” Most of the effects of the detox patches will therefore be local to the skin. “For example, it contains vinegar-like compounds that degrease the skin. Many diabetics have foot neuropathy, or open wounds. I would advise against using the patches for this group of patients, because the short-term and long-term effects have not been sufficiently studied,” says Godschalk.
This article originally appeared in Margriet magazine.
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