Many products that claim to detox the body may not actually work, British scientists warn, as the companies that manufacture them can provide little, if any, research to support their claims.
A report issued by Sense About Science, a British charity founded to protect the public from bogus science claims, compiled data on products ranging from shampoos to cleansers to so-called detox patches.
When they tried to compile scientific information for 15 products that make detox claims, the researchers found that the manufacturers could not provide research to prove the efficacy of their products.
"In fact, no one we contacted was able to provide any evidence for their claims, or give a comprehensive definition of what they meant by 'detox,'" the report said. "We concluded that 'detox' as used in product marketing is a myth."
For example, Garnier's Clean Detox Anti-Dullness Foaming Gel claims it "detoxifies by cleansing the skin's surface."
When researchers called the company to find out how the cleanser detoxifies the skin, they found out that the company defined toxins as dirt and oil, which any cleanser can remove.
The researchers found that similar products like shampoos that claimed to detoxify hair were simply washing hair much like any other shampoo.
The evidence wasn't much better for health products that claimed to detox the body.
The researchers found that Vitabiotics, a daily vitamin that promises to remove toxins and pollutants from the body, was never tested to prove that it works and may only provide the body with nutrients that can be acquired through a healthy diet.
Other products, such as detoxifying waters and smoothies, did not have any scientific evidence to back up their claims of being able to flush toxins out of the system. Some even promised improved functioning of the liver, which processes liquids and neutralizes toxic chemicals that are both produced within the body and come from environmental sources, such as a poor diet.
"Companies use the word 'detox' as a trendy attention-grabber to sell products," said Harriet Ball of Voices of Young Science, the group of researchers that conducted the study.
"This is misleading, suggesting there is something additional or special about the product. Many people would buy face wash with the 'detox' pretence anyway, but the more companies make such claims, the less shoppers really know what they are paying for, nor understand what detox is and whether they even need it."
