The truth about popular detoxes: Debunking cortisol detox, liver detox and more

Detoxes and cleanses have been around for thousands of years, connecting back to religious practices and ancient cultures. If you find yourself on social media these days, you might have seen popular videos about trending detoxes like cortisol detox, parasite cleanse, juice cleanse and liver detox.

Although these detox practices have been around for a long time, are they safe? Do they work? Let’s break down a few common detox trends, what they really do (or don’t do), and how to safely support your body’s natural detox pathways.

Your body’s natural detox systems: The liver and kidneys

Did you know your body has natural detox systems in place to keep you healthy? The liver is responsible for a myriad of processes, including nutrient metabolism, processing and eliminating drug byproducts, ammonia (via urea in urine) and toxins, and creating bile. The liver also creates immune factors and eliminates bacteria from the bloodstream, and manages glycogen storage, among other things.

The kidneys are responsible for many processes, including electrolyte balance, managing blood pressure and bone health, and removing extra fluid and waste from our bodies through a filtering process.

Both of these organs help naturally detox and cleanse our bodies to keep us healthy. Now that we have a better understanding of our body’s natural purification system, are these popular detoxes and cleanses worth your time? Let’s review the research!

Cortisol detox

Cortisol is a huge buzzword right now on social media. There are plenty of videos on cortisol cocktails, cortisol diets and cortisol detox ideas claiming that they can help lower your cortisol levels.

A cortisol detox promises lots of benefits, including weight loss, reduced stress, reduced inflammation, balanced hormones, lower blood pressure and improved sleep. Drinks and diet patterns push an increase in omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, B vitamins, probiotics and magnesium.

One thing some of the cortisol-lowering content gets right is focusing on consuming more whole foods, healthy fats, produce, legumes and whole grains. We also know that there are some components of this diet that are tied to regulating cortisol. For example, magnesium has been shown to help with relaxation, sleep quality, neurotransmitter function and cortisol regulation.

However, there is currently no research supporting the idea that a cortisol cocktail, cleanse or cortisol-lowering diet actually lowers cortisol levels.

Here’s the takeaway on the cortisol detox: while a cortisol detox alone may not help lower cortisol levels, your lifestyle can make a difference in helping manage stress and supporting healthy hormone levels.

Focus on these healthy habits:

• Eat foods high in magnesium (legumes, green leafy vegetables, nuts, seeds, peanuts, whole grains).
• Incorporate omega-3 fatty acids in your diet (fatty fish like salmon, walnuts, chia seeds, flaxseed, seaweed).
• Aim for a well-balanced diet with a variety of fruits and vegetables.
• Stay active by finding a type of exercise that you enjoy.
• Find ways to reduce stress like mindfulness, journaling, spending time in nature, etc.
• Prioritize sleep quantity and quality, aiming for 7-9 hours of sleep per night.

Parasite cleanse

You may have seen the term “parasite cleanse” trending online, but what is a parasite and what does a parasite cleanse entail?

Parasite infections can happen in many ways—eating contaminated food or water, consuming undercooked animal proteins, touching infected skin or mucous membranes (like the genitals, mouth, nose or rectum), contact with animals, soil or contaminated items (like towels or hats), insect bites, organ transplants, or even from mother to child during pregnancy or childbirth.

Parasites are small organisms that feed on a host to survive. As they multiply or lay eggs, they can harm your health, causing symptoms like belly pain, diarrhea, vomiting, fever, fatigue, weight loss, skin irritation (rashes or bites), and even neurological issues like seizures.

Common parasitic infections include malaria, trichomoniasis, head lice, pinworms and giardiasis. Because many of their symptoms overlap with other gastrointestinal issues, parasitic infections can be hard to diagnose without a doctor’s evaluation.

Despite this, homeopathic “parasite cleanses” have become popular on social media. These detoxes often claim to flush parasites from your body using herbal supplements and a whole food diet.

Typical ingredients in these cleanses include wormwood, clove, anise, turmeric, apple cider vinegar, burdock root, mint and grapeseed oil. Some of these ingredients may be safe for consumption in their natural forms (like fresh herbs or spices), but in supplemental form, they are not regulated by the FDA and could potentially be harmful to consume.

Currently, the only research-backed treatments for these infections are antifungals, antibiotics or antiparasitics, depending on the type of infection. These medications kill parasites and/or their eggs, paralyze them so they can’t continue to latch onto your body or prevent them from growing.

There is no evidence to date that a parasite cleanse can help or is more effective than medication.

Here’s the takeaway on the parasite cleanse: consult a doctor if you feel you have a parasitic infection. If you want to consume any of these herbs, do so through whole foods and not through supplements (unless cleared by your doctor or pharmacist).

Liver detox

Liver detoxes have been around for quite some time on social media. They claim to rid the liver of toxins, improve liver function and health, and help with weight loss.

These liver detoxes or liver cleanses can range from juicing fasts, detox teas and diet plans to herbal supplements and liver cocktails. Ingredients like milk thistle, green tea extract, lemon peel, apple cider vinegar, ginger, grapefruit, dandelion root, gardenia, rhubarb root, cinnamon bark and juniper berry are typically included in the detox products.

But it’s important to remember that the liver naturally eliminates toxins and waste through bile and urine.

So, regardless of your liver function or chronic conditions, your liver doesn’t need anything extra to help it function well (apart from medications you may be on if you have fatty liver, cirrhosis, hepatitis or liver cancer).

Liver supplements and detoxes are not recognized or regulated by the FDA and like all supplements, should be considered carefully and used with caution under medical supervision.

There have been multiple reports of people developing acute liver failure or liver injury after consuming products like green tea extract and liver detox teas. While harmful effects may not always occur with these products, it’s important to understand the risks.

Here’s the takeaway on the liver detox: liver detox diets, cleanses and supplements are not regulated by the FDA, nor have they been proven to improve liver function. The best way to take care of your liver is through a well-balanced diet, reducing and/or eliminating alcohol and drugs, staying hydrated, managing chronic conditions and staying active.

Juice cleanse

Juice cleanses have been popular for some time and have been promoted to help detox the gastrointestinal system and liver.

So, how does a juice cleanse work? When someone participates in a juice cleanse, typically they fast and only consume juices for a period of 3, 7 or 10 days. Some companies offer juices that you can purchase, while other juice cleanse plans include juicing at home.

The juices usually contain a variety of fruits, veggies and herbs, which are naturally high in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber. However, when you juice a produce item, the fiber is typically lost in the process, so by juicing, you miss out on this important nutrient.

Although these foods are healthy and may offer some anti-inflammatory benefits, juicing has not been shown to cleanse the body or cure the body of aliments.

As mentioned above, our liver and kidneys act us our detox system. Our digestive tracts also help our bodies detox through something called the motor migrating complex, which sweeps the gut between meals to help clear out bacteria, food debris and mucus to prepare for our next meal.

There are also anti-microbial agents within bile, stomach acid and the pH of other intestinal juices to help prevent infections. In some instances, people can develop conditions like small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) or food poisoning, but juice cleanses cannot prevent, cure or treat these conditions.

Here’s the takeaway on the juice cleanse: juice can be a part of a well-balanced diet, but it cannot prevent, cure or treat illnesses, nor can it detox the body. Talk with your doctor about any changes to your digestive health or abnormal symptoms.

To support a healthy gut, focus on the following:

• Aim to get 25g of fiber per day if female and 30g per day if male.
• Reach for fruits, veggies, whole grains, nuts, seeds and legumes to get a variety of soluble, insoluble and prebiotic fibers and resistant starches.
• Drink plenty of water.

Bottom line on these detox trends

Cleanses and detoxes are advertised as holistic home remedies that can cure, treat or prevent disease. But there has been no research to show that they are effective, and, in some cases, these detoxes come with significant risks.

If you’re concerned about your health, before jumping into a detox, speak with a doctor to figure out next steps.