Detox cleanse: does it really work? Facts vs. myths

A detox cure – it sounds good, but isn't it just a sales pitch? Does detoxing really work, and do you actually need to detox your body every now and then? Discover what science has to say about it.

What is a detox cure?

Detoxing, or detoxification, means "cleaning" your body from the inside by removing toxins and waste products. The idea is that our modern diet and lifestyle "pollute" our body and that we therefore need a thorough clean-up from time to time. A detox cure is meant to help your body excrete toxins or harmful substances such as heavy metals, pesticides or waste products from food. Such a detox cure usually lasts a few days to a week. Weight loss is often an added motivation. But quite a few myths and debates surround the detox concept.

Which detox methods exist? Juice cleanses, fasting periods, intermittent fasting, oil pulling, fibre powders, clay, … the promise of detox cures is always the same: a cleaner, healthier, more energetic body. Detox cures are hugely popular, especially after the end-of-year festivities, at the start of the new year, when we feel our body could use a reset. A juice cleanse is probably the best-known way to detox. For days on end you drink only fruit or vegetable juices to "give your digestive system a rest". Some people opt for completely different methods, such as detoxing by fasting, taking clay products or even using enemas (colon irrigation) to cleanse the intestines.

Most detox methods are harmless in themselves, but a warning is warranted for certain methods or products. Detox clay, for instance, can contain heavy metals, and acidic fruit juices and vinegar put you at risk of tooth erosion. Prolonged fasting or cutting out certain foods can also lead to severe calorie deficits or deficiencies of essential nutrients. Some detox cures can even be downright dangerous. A Dutch yoga teacher ended up in a coma when, during a detox cure in Mexico, she drank litres of lukewarm salt water in a short space of time.

Your liver as the engine of detoxification

Normally, your body should be able to detoxify itself. The liver plays the leading role in your natural detox system. It converts toxic substances through biotransformation in three phases. In phase 1, toxins are chemically modified, after which the waste products are transformed in phase 2 into water-soluble substances that your body can excrete via urine or stool. Finally, in phase 3, free radicals and toxic residual products in the liver are also neutralised. This happens mainly through glutathione, our most important, body's own antioxidant.

What science has to say

Scientists also seriously question the value of detox cures that promise miracles with juices or other interventions. Despite all the appealing stories, the scientific evidence for the effectiveness of these kinds of extreme detox cures is very limited. That said, your body can certainly use some support to detox with the help of supplements that contain glutathione. The glutathione reserves your body produces itself are often not enough, because the liver is under heavy pressure from processed food, alcohol, sugars and stress.

Facts vs. myths: juice cleanses and health benefits

Myth 1: Lightning-fast weight loss

Fact: A major motivation for following a spectacular detox cure is the promise of lightning-fast weight loss. You will indeed see kilos disappear during such a "miracle cure". But the fact is: it's mainly about fluid loss and an empty gut, not fat burning. As soon as you eat normally again, those kilos come back (Obert et al., 2017). The weight loss from such popular detox cures is therefore a temporary effect. They are certainly no miracle solution for healthy weight loss.

Myth 2: Your body is full of toxins that must be flushed out with quick detox cures

Fact: The idea that our body is full of toxins we need to remove with quick detox cures is persistent. Our body already has an extremely efficient system for processing waste products. A modern lifestyle with a lot of stress, processed food and the like, however, depletes our natural glutathione reserves. Supporting our natural detox system is therefore certainly useful. But it must be done with the right ingredients. Supplements with scientifically substantiated ingredients are a gentle but effective way to help your body detox.

Myth 3: Everyone should detox regularly with quick detox cures

Fact: Many people believe it is necessary to regularly follow a juice cleanse or another crash detox to "cleanse" the body and stay healthy. There is no scientific evidence for the usefulness of such cures. A healthy lifestyle with a varied diet, sufficient exercise and sleep is always the foundation. In addition, as mentioned above, you can specifically support your liver with supplements for a systematic, long-term detox.

Myth 4: Clay cures remove heavy metals and toxins

Fact: Another popular claim: detox cures with clay can remove dangerous substances such as lead, mercury or other heavy metals from your body. Unfortunately, there is no scientific evidence for this (Klein, A. V., & Kiat, H. (2015)).

Myth 5: Juice cleanses purify your body completely and effectively

Fact: Cold-pressed juices, green juices full of spinach and ginger, or fruit juices: they look healthy and taste nice and fresh. But do they purify your body? Not really. Some ingredients can certainly offer health benefits, such as vitamins and antioxidants, but they add nothing to what your liver already does. Moreover, with a juice cleanse you miss out on fibre, proteins and healthy fats, all essential for a well-functioning body. A recent study even points to a negative impact of juice cleanses on the gut microbiome. (Sardaro et al., 2025).

Myth 6: You feel better, so it works

Fact: Quick detox cures do indeed often make you feel better, but that is largely a placebo effect. A detox cure usually does lead to temporary weight loss, which makes your bodily processes run more smoothly. Moreover, during a detox cure you often also live more healthily. You commit to all kinds of "good resolutions" such as more sleep and exercise and no alcohol. Yet that does not mean that the cure itself has a cleansing effect with a real impact on your health.

Possible risks of non-scientific detox cures

Although many people think detox cures are harmless, detox cures that are not scientifically substantiated can actually have harmful consequences for your health. One of the biggest risks is dehydration, especially with cures that contain laxatives or diuretics. These products cause your body to lose fluids and important minerals. This weakens you and can even put your health at risk.

Disrupted electrolyte balance and nutritional deficiencies

When you drink only juice for days on end or apply extreme calorie restriction, your electrolyte balance becomes disrupted. Electrolytes such as sodium, potassium and magnesium are essential for the functioning of your heart, muscles and nervous system. With a deficiency, you risk not only fatigue and muscle cramps but also cardiac arrhythmias.

In addition, you run the risk of nutritional deficiencies. Your body needs proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals every day to function properly. Juice cleanses and other one-sided cures often lack essential nutrients, which in the longer term weakens your immune system and causes your energy levels to plummet.

The advocates of juice cleanses and other unproven methods play down these risks, but practice shows otherwise. There are known cases of people who ended up in hospital after extreme detox cures. So there are real health risks. The question, then, is: why do these unreliable detox cures still attract so many fans?

Why are detox cures so popular? Despite the lack of scientific evidence for the effectiveness of juice cleanses and the like, these cures remain hugely popular. The main reason lies in psychology: a "quick fix" is very appealing. After a period of unhealthy eating or too little exercise, an extreme detox cure offers the illusion of a quick reset. It's a tempting idea that in just a few days or weeks you can "erase" your unhealthy habits.

Social media amplifies detox trends enormously. Influencers and celebrities share beautiful photos of smoothies and inspiring stories, or they do a detox cure themselves. Complete with the dream of more energy and radiant skin. This turns it into an ideal that many people want to emulate.

The feeling of control also plays a role. In a world full of stress and an abundance of information about nutrition, a structured, strict detox cure provides something to hold on to. You follow clear rules and you feel that you are actively doing something for your health, even if the actual impact is limited.

Your liver: the detox organ

If you want to detox effectively and safely, it's good to understand your body's detox processes. Your body is perfectly equipped to detoxify itself, as long as your kidneys and liver are healthy. Your liver is a real workhorse that performs more than 500 important functions for your body. From breaking down alcohol and medicines to producing important proteins and regulating your blood sugar level. A healthy liver is therefore crucial for your health.

And that's exactly where the challenge lies, because your liver is under heavy pressure every day due to our Western lifestyle. There is a clear link between chronic stress and the liver, for instance. Stress, medication, irregular sleep, processed and ultra-processed food, snacking more often, fatty and sugary meals, air pollution and a lack of exercise: all factors that place extra strain on the liver's detox function. As a result, many people have an overburdened liver and suffer from fatty liver disease, usually without realising it. A trendy detox cure won't solve this. On the contrary, detox juices are often full of fructose or fruit sugar, which is extra taxing for the liver. So stay alert to signs of an overburdened liver.

Check via the liver quiz how much pressure your liver is under and discover which liver support suits you best.

Ingredients that support your liver

What the liver can genuinely benefit from are specific nutrients that have been scientifically studied.

• Glutathione is a powerful antioxidant that your body produces itself with the help of amino acids from food. Glutathione helps your liver neutralise harmful substances. (Asantewaa et al., 2024) As you get older, your body produces less glutathione.
• Milk thistle (Silymarin) is one of the few plant substances that provide scientifically proven support to the liver. It can raise the glutathione level in the liver and stimulates healthy enzyme activity during phase 1 of detoxification. (Khazaein et al., 2021)
• Choline is indispensable for liver health. (EFSA) It plays a role in fat processing in the liver. A choline deficiency increases the risk of fat accumulation in the liver. The body's own production is usually insufficient. Dietary sources are mainly eggs, fish, meat, chicken, soy and cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower.
• Artichoke supports the liver by stimulating bile production. In this way it helps remove waste products. (Kamel and Farag, 2022)

Detox Boost with glutathione and milk thistle from Insentials is a natural supplement that combines these ingredients to support your liver's detox function.

Liverboost Forte with ProAntrodia™ contains, among other things, choline bitartrate, radish extract and Antrodia Camphorata, for powerful support of your liver function at the cellular level and for fat metabolism.¹

Tips for a healthy liver

So supplements can certainly give your liver an extra boost. However, they never replace a healthy lifestyle with healthy eating and drinking habits. Therefore, also support your liver through healthy everyday habits. That's how you work on your long-term health.

Healthy nutrition and hydration

Your liver benefits most from a varied diet with light meals, plenty of vegetables, fruit, wholegrain products and healthy fats. This way you take in important nutrients such as vitamin C, vitamin K and vitamin B6.

Don't forget to drink enough water either. This helps your kidneys remove waste products. No special detox drinks needed, plain tap water will do.

Enough sleep

Your liver follows a day-night rhythm and clears waste products mainly during your sleep. A lack of sleep, interrupted or irregular sleep disrupts that process and can strain your liver. Aim for 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night and stick to fixed bedtimes so that your liver is less likely to become overburdened.

Regular exercise

Exercise stimulates your blood circulation and lymphatic system, so waste products are removed more efficiently. Just 30 minutes of moderately intense exercise a day already makes a big difference. Exercise is, incidentally, also a must for your mental wellbeing: "a healthy mind in a healthy body".

This article is not a substitute for medical advice.

Sources

¹ In a randomised, double-blind study (Yen et al., 2022), after 12 weeks of using ProAntrodia™, changes in ALT (-26.2%), AST (-20.7%) and liver triglycerides (-16.8%) were observed compared to placebo.

² Yen et al., 2022, Frontiers in Pharmacology. Randomised, double-blind, n=50+. Changes in ALT, AST and liver triglycerides after 12 weeks.

Chen et al., 2019, Food Science & Nutrition Research. Changes in acetaldehyde levels during alcohol breakdown.

Shih et al., 2018, In Vivo. Histologically demonstrated liver cell regeneration, stronger than with milk thistle.

Chiou et al., 2020. Improvements observed in markers related to liver fat and inflammation after 6 months.