Detox: what does detox bring?

Especially after the high-calorie and high-fat Christmas holidays, many of us will feel the need to get rid of the accumulated toxins and waste products and to detoxify our bodies with a cure. But what do detoxification cures bring and what actually is slag?

Detox: How does detoxification work and what does it do?

There are many myths about detoxification and some of the providers of detoxification treatments promise great health effects. How do detoxification cures work and what do they actually do?

How do I do a detox?

Most detox “experts” already disagree when designing a detox cure. Some swear by juice cleanses , where you only consume fruit and vegetable juices for days. Others, on the other hand, advise strict raw food because cooked food is “dead”. Certain vendors also sell alkaline bath salts , face masks, or patches that are designed to flush toxins and waste from the body. Detox yoga , detox teas or other detox products are also very popular . But do they really contribute to the detoxification of our body? And what actually is slag?

What is slag?

The concept of slag, which is supposed to occur in the human body, is not uniformly defined. Basically, it describes toxins that we absorb from the environment, eg through our diet, smoking, alcohol, exhaust fumes, and that accumulate in the body. However, nothing like slag has ever been found or proven in the human body. Science and medicine therefore assume that “slags” do not exist. Of course, we absorb toxins such as particulate matter from exhaust gases or mercury from fish. However, these are quickly excreted by our detoxification organs liver, kidneys, intestines, skin and lungs.

Experience reports in which even after days of fasting intestinal contents still came out during bowel movements, which are then regarded as slag, can be invalidated. These are only components of the intestinal mucosa that naturally detach and are excreted with the stool, not supposed slag.

Important: There are serious diseases in which heavy metals such as iron (hemochromatosis) or copper (Wilson’s disease) actually accumulate in the body. However, these are rare, require medical treatment and can under no circumstances be remedied with a purification cure or detox products.

Detox cure: where do the positive testimonials come from?

If there are no waste products in the body, how is it that many followers of detox, purification and detoxification feel extremely good and healthy after a cure? There are a few plausible reasons for this. The diet that is common in Germany today consists largely of heavily processed finished products, fast food, sausages, sweets and also supposedly small sins such as milk coffee and ready-made fruit yoghurts, some of which contain large amounts of sugar. All of these foods are harmful to our health in the long run and cause problems for our bodies. If you then switch to a juice cleanse to detox, you will feel better – not surprisingly – because the constant snacks, nibbles, chips or fries in the evening and the simply too high calorie intake are suddenly gone.

In addition, psychological factors also play a role, for example in the form of the placebo effect : If a detoxification cure is marketed to me as extremely beneficial, healthy and necessary, I start the detoxification in a positive mood and may actually feel better. Likewise, you pay more attention to your body during such a cure than in stressful everyday life, you ensure relaxation and live more mindfully, which also has a positive effect on your well-being. However, there is no scientific evidence for the effectiveness and detoxification through detoxification cures. There is also a lack of scientific evidence of effectiveness for any “detox products” that are supposed to cleanse the body and rid it of toxins, which is whyResearchers assume that slag and the need for detoxification cures do not exist.

Conclusion: How can I detoxify and purify my body?

Luckily, you don’t have to go on a detox and detox your body regularly—your liver, kidneys, and intestines do the job every day. However, most people in countries like Germany, where there is an oversupply of unhealthy food, should generally pay more attention to their diet and eat less finished products, snacks and fast food. Part of the reason why detoxification programs are popular is that they create the illusion that we can continue to eat as unhealthily as we have up to now and compensate for the negative effects of our lifestyle with one or two detoxification programs a year. According to the German Society for Nutrition (DGE) , it is completely sufficient to eat a balanced and healthy diet: “From a scientific point of view, it is not necessary to cleanse the body of pollutants, especially since there is no statement as to which toxins or pollutants are involved, nor how these should then be broken down. A healthy human body can “cleanse” itself by eliminating unwanted substances through the liver, kidneys, intestines, skin and respiration.

Crystal Waston MD

Crystal Waston has a degree in Cross Media Production and Publishing. At vital.de she gives everyday tips and deals with topics related to women's health, sport, and nutrition.

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