2023-05-17 17:44:33
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Detoxing your body sounds like a good thing right? This is also called ‘detoxing’. Detox cleanses your body of waste products. This is done by means of, for example, a juice cure, a colonic irrigation or supplements. But is this healthy and are there any risks? We ask professor of nutrition and intestinal health Ben Witteman, who works as a gastroenterologist at the Gelderse Vallei hospital.
It’s totally trending, ‘detox’. Through a detox, people hope to rid their body of toxins and waste. Nutrition gurus and alternative practitioners in particular claim that this is the way to get rid of certain health problems. But does your body actually need it?
Detoxing goes back to the time of the Greeks and Romans
Detoxing is very popular these days, but it is not something of recent times. In fact, according to Professor Witteman, detoxing has been around for a long time. According to him, this even goes back to the time of the Greeks and Romans. “People have long had the idea that there is ‘junk’ in their body that they need to get rid of. One way this happens is with a detox. In the time of the Greeks and Romans, colonic irrigation and drinking a lot of water for a longer period of time were also used to cleanse the body in this way.”
Why do people detox?
Undergoing a colonic irrigation or living on only juices for a week will not immediately appeal to most. Yet there are a lot of people who dare to do it. But what is the motivation behind a detox?
“Detoxing comes from the idea that people want to cleanse themselves. If you are not feeling well or have eaten an unhealthy diet for a long time, for example, you can feel bad in or about your body,” explains Witteman. “The idea that you could rid your body of toxins and waste with a detox suddenly sounds a lot more attractive.”
“An empty gut often gives a sense of relief”
There are no benefits to a detox or colonic irrigation! However, if you do a colonic irrigation and your bowels are empty then it makes sense that you do not experience bloating, but sometimes a temporary feeling of relief. This temporary relief gives people a good feeling after a detox, says Witteman. Moreover, this Spartan way of “self-treatment” has a positive psychological effect in many people.
“Placebo effect also often the motivation to detox more often”
According to Witteman, quite a bit of research has been done into the phenomenon of detoxing. People sometimes think that detoxing helps, when this is not the case at all. “About 40 percent experience a placebo effect, even though the drug did nothing for the person. This effect ensures that a large proportion of detox users have a positive feeling about their treatment. The false idea that detoxing would actually work for your body is therefore an important reason why people do this more often.”
Juice treatment is counterproductive
What about a juice cleanse? Does your body benefit from that? The professor is also skeptical about this. “A juice cleanse will not give you a boost of energy or a healthier body.”
Witteman advises eating solid and varied food. “A varied diet does much more for your intestines than a juice cleanse. A juice cleanse is liquid and often lacks many nutrients that are essential for good bowel movements. And because you only drink and don’t chew food, there is also a part of your body that is not trained at all, such as your jaws, salivary glands and stomach.”
What are the risks of a detox?
There are also health risks associated with detoxing. A colonic irrigation is pointless and often not good for your intestines at all. “Your intestines are home to trillions of bacteria, which together with viruses, yeasts and fungi form your microbiome. All these micro-organisms have a major impact on your life and how you feel. They do a very good job!” Your gut works with this microbiome and your immune system to ensure that toxins and waste products are not absorbed into your body. So your intestine is a fantastic organ that has a kind of gatekeeper function for your body in this way. Every time you flush your gut, you also flush out your microbiome and that can have a negative effect on your health.
A juice cleanse can also have negative consequences for your health. Witteman explains “if you do a short juice cleanse once, this will not be harmful to your health. But when you do this regularly, it can entail risks. Juice alone is not a full-fledged diet, so you can get a shortage of certain nutrients. And because of the rapid weight loss, you often also lose muscle mass and strength.”
“Use supplements only if you have a deficiency”
Some people take supplements to detoxify their body. But that can also be bad for your health. “As long as you don’t have a deficiency, you shouldn’t use any extra supplements,” explains the professor. “If you eat according to the guideline ‘good nutrition’ of the nutrition center, you can’t actually get nutritional deficiencies.” This is different for people with a medical condition where food absorption through the intestine is no longer 100% (for example, after major intestinal surgery). In this case, a nutritional or vitamin supplement can be prescribed in consultation with the doctor. Older people and people who dress for their religious beliefs often get too little vitamin D due to a lack of sunlight, so they are advised to take this as a supplement.”
Detoxing is therefore pointless
Professor Ben Witteman has come to the conclusion that a detox is actually not necessary at all. “Waste products or harmful substances that arise in the body as a result of the metabolism are excreted flawlessly by the liver and kidneys. So the body itself has a fantastic self-cleaning function! So your body is able to keep itself clean. As long as you have a varied and healthy diet and exercise regularly, your body does not need the help of a detox.”
Witteman gives the following tip: “First start looking at the food you eat. And then read the guideline “good nutrition” of The Nutrition Center. Then look at what you are doing differently or wrong and what you could do better. Also read the labels on the products in the supermarket. You can also opt for the organic option in the supermarket, because fewer toxic substances are used in production.”
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