Scientists dismiss 'detox myth'

[Brocke]

Scientists dismiss 'detox myth'

There is no evidence that products widely promoted to help the body "detox" work, scientists warn.

The charitable trust Sense About Science reviewed 15 products, from bottled water to face scrub, and found many detox claims were "meaningless".

Anyone worried about the after-effects of Christmas overindulgence would get the same benefits from eating healthily and getting plenty of sleep, they said.

Advertising regulators said they looked at such issues on a case-by-case basis.

The investigation, done by research members of the Voice of Young Science network, was kicked off by a campaign to unpick "dodgy" science claims - where companies use phrases that sound scientific but do not actually mean anything.

They challenged the companies behind products such as vitamins, shampoo, detox patches and a body brush on the evidence they had to support the detox claims made.

No two companies seemed to use the same definition of detox - defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as the removal of toxic substances or qualities.

In the majority of cases, producers and retailers were forced to admit that they had simply renamed processes like cleaning or brushing, as detox, the scientists said.

Toxins

One researcher investigated a Garnier face wash which claimed to detoxify the skin by removing toxins.

The "toxins" turned out to be the dirt, make-up and skin oils that any cleanser would be expected to remove, she said.

A five-day detox plan from Boots which claimed to detoxify the body and flush away toxins was also criticised for not being backed by evidence.

Evelyn Harvey, a biologist who looked into the product, said that if consumers followed the healthy diet that was recommended alongside the supplement they would probably feel better - but it would have nothing to do with the product itself.

The researchers warned that, at worst, some detox diets could have dangerous consequences and, at best, they were a waste of money.

Tom Wells, a chemist who took part in the research, said: "The minimum sellers of detox products should be able to offer is a clear understanding of what detox is and proof that their product actually works.

"The people we contacted could do neither."

Alice Tuff, from Sense About Science, added: "It is ridiculous that we're seeing a return to mystical properties being claimed for products in the 21st Century and I'm really pleased that young scientists are sharing their concerns about this with the public."

The Advertising Standards Authority said it would investigate such claims on a case-by-case basis if a complaint was made.

"If a product is making claims not substantiated by the evidence submitted by the company we would challenge that."

A spokeswoman from Boots said its five-day detox plan encouraged people to drink water and includes ingredients that "battle against toxins and help protect from the dangers of free radicals".

And Garnier commented: "All Garnier products undergo rigorous testing and evaluation to ensure that our claims are accurate and noticeable by our consumers."

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/health/7808348.stm

Published: 2009/01/05 02:35:33 GMT

[carlee]

Thanks for the link. I just went and took my great plains bentonite detox in rebellion.  What other products do you all use for detox?  After hearing Alex's show today I am again freaked with the bs that is being fed to us. 

[iks83]

yeah badmouthing ways to detox and mixing in crap like detox patches, shampoo, vitamins (which are good but dont detox) and a body brush (wtf? are we horses or what?). I mean you dont have to think twice to know that those things dont detox anything. but they are thrown in there so when sheeple hear about real detoxifying methods that do work they go "yeah right..."

on the powerhour they once mentioned a nice way to get rid of parasites, even those who dont know are in your body. something about eating half a cup of coconut and one salt tablet (dont know what kind it was) havent tested it yet so cant tell if it works. only thing they mentioned that it will cause a violent reaction so you should take some days off when doing it.

[kermitthefrayer]

Here's how you detox.

1.  Get 10 gallons of RO water.

2.  Find a sauna.

3.  Sit in sauna and sweat shit out while in taking massive amount of pure water.

[Puff1]

Thanks for the link. I just went and took my great plains bentonite detox in rebellion.  What other products do you all use for detox?  After hearing Alex's show today I am again freaked with the bs that is being fed to us. 

You don't need to buy expensive products. 

One of the very best ways to detox is Stanley Burrough's Master Cleanse (water, lemons, grade A maple syrup, and cayenne pepper.)  I've done it many times, for varying lengths of time.  There's quite a bit of information about it available online.

There are also herbs that should be included in one's diet regularly that are natural blood/liver/kidney detoxifiers.   

[wvoutlaw2002]

In other words, scientists shill for the medical pharma corporate establishment.

[Geolibertarian]

In other words, scientists shill for the medical pharma corporate establishment.

As well as for the military industrial complex:

       http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8674401787208020885

At least street whores are honest about what they do for a living.

[Brocke]

You don't need to buy expensive products. 

One of the very best ways to detox is Stanley Burrough's Master Cleanse (water, lemons, grade A maple syrup, and cayenne pepper.)  I've done it many times, for varying lengths of time.  There's quite a bit of information about it available online.

There are also herbs that should be included in one's diet regularly that are natural blood/liver/kidney detoxifiers.   

Do you do the olive oil and lemon/grapefruit juice at the end? This is one of the most extreme experiences I have had. I have seen the gall stones that are purged. It's full on.

[Puff1]

Do you do the olive oil and lemon/grapefruit juice at the end? This is one of the most extreme experiences I have had. I have seen the gall stones that are purged. It's full on.

I have never done that at the end.  I usually just end it with yogurt (for the intestinal tract) the first day, then reintroduce food.  How long do you do the lemon/grapefruit juice and olive oil (and how much)? 

 

[Brocke]

I have never done that at the end.  I usually just end it with yogurt (for the intestinal tract) the first day, then reintroduce food.  How long do you do the lemon/grapefruit juice and olive oil (and how much)? 

 

The Ultimate Cleanse

The full cleanse like this (this is all from memory so don't use it as a recipe! It is just to give you the idea.)

WARNING: This is a brutal cleanse and I do not suggest it for ANYONE because I don't want to be responsible for any harm it may cause.

First 5 days

First thing in the morning drink 1 litre of filtered water with 2 tbls of sea salt dissolved (15 to 30 mins later this water is expelled like out of a fire hose!)
Bowl Light vegetable soup 3 times daily.
Every 3 hours - 8 oz glass of lemon juice in water sweetened with maple syrup.
3 times a day take water with a special cleanse mixture with many herbs including wormwood to kill parasites added to this is bentonite clay.

Last 5 days

First thing in the morning drink 1 litre of filtered water with 1 tbls of EPSOM SALT *yuck!* dissolved (15 to 30 mins later this water is expelled like out of a fire hose!)
Bowl Light vegetable soup 3 times daily.
Every 3 hours - 8 oz glass of lemon juice in water sweetened with maple syrup.
3 times a day take water with a special cleanse mixture with many herbs including wormwood to kill parasites added to this is bentonite clay.

The Last day

Drink only freshly juiced unfiltered apple juice (as much as you want)

In the evening you drink 500ml (1/2 liter) of organic virgin olive oil with 1/2 cup of fresh grapefruit juice whisk in (the grapefruit juice helps liquefy the oil. Lemon juice can be used but it wont mix with the oil it just separates. You sip the oil mixture over an hour (it's harder than it sounds believe me).

You lie on your right side for the entire night to allow the oil to do it's stuff on your gall bladder.

You need to wait 12 hours before you empty your bowels.

here is a pic of the kind of stones that come out


http://www.angelhealingcenter.com/GallstonePictures.html

It's best to finish on a weekend so you can rest (you will need it). And you should start on food very slowly. Yogurt and light veg soup. You also need to have a enema to re supply intestinal flora.

The overall experience was very but I wouldn't do it very often it's an ordeal and a half. Not for the meek.

[Puff1]

Brocke, that definitely would not be a regime for the squeamish.  I have done the sea salt in water before, just as a general cleanse, and it made me feel extremely nauseous after I drank it.

Do you have a link for exact amounts (of the wormwood, bentonite clay, herbs) for this, or any more details on it that I could read about? 

It does make me wonder if I did it, if any stones would be passed, as I've never had that happen.  I'm a firm believer in the benefits of fasting and cleansing though, everyone should do it periodically (barring any individual health issues.) 

[independentWV]

These are junk scientist that work for chemical industry I do not pay any attention to them.

Parasites use wormwood, green walnut hulls, cloves, garlic and cayenne
Kidney - parsley water
Colon - Enemas or 4 Day Fast
Liver - Epsom Salt, oil and grapefruit juice
Blood - Dandelion root, yellow dock root, sarsaparilla root, cayenne and kelp
Environmental Pollution - Algin, wheat bran, apple pectin, alfalfa and kelp

[Brocke]

Brocke, that definitely would not be a regime for the squeamish.  I have done the sea salt in water before, just as a general cleanse, and it made me feel extremely nauseous after I drank it.

Do you have a link for exact amounts (of the wormwood, bentonite clay, herbs) for this, or any more details on it that I could read about? 

It does make me wonder if I did it, if any stones would be passed, as I've never had that happen.  I'm a firm believer in the benefits of fasting and cleansing though, everyone should do it periodically (barring any individual health issues.) 

I'll have to ask my wife about exact details. I'll PM you the results.

[7deviations]

I would caution against calling these people, "scientists".  Science is a methodology.  It is a tool for uncovering truth.   I see many people being hailed as scientists simply because they took 4 years of corporate/globalist brainwashing at university.  Science is a tool and it is akin to investigative journalism.  It is a way of finding things out.  It is not a badge of authority.  Calling yourself a scientist does not make your claims valid.  To be a scientist is to answer a calling not unlike the calling some people receive to work in the service of God.  It is a duty to the truth, above all else.


  "I just thought you'd like to see," he said, "what angels wear on their feet. Just out of curiosity. I'm not trying to prove anything, by the way. I'm a scientist and I know what constitutes proof. But the reason I call myself by my childhood name is to remind myself that a scientist must also be absolutely like a child. If he sees a thing, he must say that he sees it, whether it was what he thought he was going to see or not. See first, think later, then test. But always see first. Otherwise you will only see what you were expecting. Most scientists forget that. I'll show you something to demonstrate that later. So, the other reason I call myself Wonko the Sane is so that people will think I am a fool. That Allows me to say what I see when I see it. You can't possibly be a scientist if you mind people thinking that you're a fool.

- So Long and Thanks for all the Fish, Douglas Adams .

[Brocke]

I would caution against calling these people, "scientists".  Science is a methodology.  It is a tool for uncovering truth.   I see many people being hailed as scientists simply because they took 4 years of corporate/globalist brainwashing at university.  Science is a tool and it is akin to investigative journalism.  It is a way of finding things out.  It is not a badge of authority.  Calling yourself a scientist does not make your claims valid.  To be a scientist is to answer a calling not unlike the calling some people receive to work in the service of God.  It is a duty to the truth, above all else.

Good point! It is easy to forget this and get sucked into their "Scientific Method" way of thinking which only ends in "accepted theory" not a rule or law as we are constantly led to believe. A true scientific method would allow for constant questioning of tested theories. But as we have seen time and again the present scientific* method is almost wholly controlled by corporations/educational institutions. Questioning an accepted corporate/educational paradigm invites ridicule and professional ruin.

*scientific method

The scientific method is the best way yet discovered for winnowing the truth from lies and delusion. The simple version looks something like this:

    * 1. Observe some aspect of the universe.
    * 2. Invent a tentative description, called a hypothesis, that is consistent with what you have observed.
    * 3. Use the hypothesis to make predictions.
    * 4. Test those predictions by experiments or further observations and modify the hypothesis in the light of your results.
    * 5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until there are no discrepancies between theory and experiment and/or observation.

When consistency is obtained the hypothesis becomes a theory and provides a coherent set of propositions which explain a class of phenomena. A theory is then a framework within which observations are explained and predictions are made.
http://physics.ucr.edu/~wudka/Physics7/Notes_www/node6.html#SECTION02121000000000000000

[spudpeel]

I think people are very quick to accuse Chem companies of wrongdoing - don't forget most of the workers in these companies are ordinary people. No hidden agendas etc, but their interest is in making products to be sold, and they dont want to be left behind;

If the new trend is, say organic plant extracts in shampoo, the chem companies jump on the bandwagon and so the same. A lot of these pseudo-scientific claims arent because the scientists dont know what theyre talking about, its because to a large extent the consumers dont know what they're talking about and it needs to be dumbed down or marketed in a way that is familiar with them. I dont mean to sound too harsh, but it is kinda true.

Its thanks to marketing that you could put citric acid into something and say "Now contains lemon extracts", and then go on to say something along the lines of "let the natural fruit extracts rejuvenate you", if people bothered to look at the backs of packets and inquired a little more they'd realise the extent to which they get ripped off!

Blame the marketing peeps, not the scientists!