saudigastro.com/patients/nutrition-myths-detox-cleanse
Category
Common
Red flags
6
This article is educational and does not replace your doctor's advice. Seek urgent care for any red-flag symptoms.
What is it?
A "detox" or "cleanse" is a product or programme that claims to remove "toxins" from your body. These include juice or tea fasts, herbal or laxative teas, colon hydrotherapy (flushing water into the bowel), enemas, coffee enemas, "liver flushes", detox foot pads, supplements and alkaline water. The claims are usually vague: the "toxins" are rarely named or measured. In fact, your body detoxifies itself all the time. The liver processes chemicals and medicines, the kidneys filter the blood, and the gut and skin remove waste. Your blood acidity (pH) is tightly controlled by the lungs and kidneys at about 7.35 to 7.45, and food or drink does not change it in a healthy person. Alkaline water changes only the acidity of the water; stomach acid immediately neutralises it.
How common is it?
Detox and cleanse products are heavily advertised on social media, in shops and by influencers, and many people try them, especially around holidays, before weddings and after Ramadan or Eid. Use is common, but the proportion who suffer harm is not well measured, because side effects are rarely reported.
Why does it happen?
These ideas are attractive for understandable reasons. People want a simple fix for tiredness, bloating, constipation, weight gain or a feeling of heaviness. The programmes often make people feel better in the short term, but this is mainly because they stop eating processed food, sugar, alcohol or large portions, or because laxatives and fasting cause water loss, which looks like weight loss on the scale. The old idea of "autointoxication", that waste in the colon poisons the body, was abandoned over a century ago. Marketing also uses real-sounding science words and personal testimonies, which are not good evidence.
Symptoms
- Diarrhoea, cramps, nausea or vomiting after a cleanse or laxative tea
- Dizziness, weakness, headache, muscle cramps or a racing heart from fluid and salt loss
- Dependence on laxatives, with bowels that no longer work well without them
- Fatigue, hunger and poor concentration from very low calorie intake
- Yellow skin or eyes, dark urine or severe tiredness after herbal products (possible liver injury)
Red flags — seek urgent medical care
Yellow eyes or skin, dark urine, pale stools, itching or severe tiredness after any herbal product or supplement
Herbal and dietary supplements are a recognised cause of serious liver injury. Stop the product and see a doctor urgently.
Severe belly pain, repeated vomiting, a swollen hard abdomen, or blood from the rectum after an enema or colon cleanse
Rarely, enemas and colon hydrotherapy cause a tear (perforation) of the bowel. This is an emergency; go to the emergency room.
Fainting, confusion, muscle weakness, an irregular heartbeat, seizures, or passing very little urine
May be severe dehydration or a dangerous salt imbalance, which can affect the kidneys and heart. Go to the emergency room.
Diarrhoea lasting more than a few days, bloody diarrhoea, or fever after a cleanse
Could be infection (equipment or water can be contaminated) or another disease. See a doctor the same day.
Bloating or constipation together with weight loss, blood in the stool, or a change in bowel habit
These can be signs of a disease that needs tests, not a cleanse. See your doctor urgently.
Fear of eating, repeated purging or laxative use to control weight
May be an eating disorder, which is treatable. Please speak with a doctor.
How is it diagnosed?
There is no test for "toxins in the body" as these products describe them, and tests sold with these programmes, such as hair or stool "toxin" analyses, are not reliable. If you feel unwell, your doctor looks for real causes: a food and bowel history, blood tests (blood count, kidney function, salts, liver tests, thyroid, iron, coeliac antibodies), stool tests and, if needed, endoscopy or colonoscopy. Always tell your doctor which supplements, teas and cleanses you have used.
What the latest science says
A critical review of detox diets (Klein and Kiat, Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, 2015) found no compelling evidence that they eliminate toxins or lead to lasting weight loss, and called for good-quality trials. The US National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health states that there is little evidence that detoxes and cleanses remove toxins or improve health. For colon cleansing, reviews of colon hydrotherapy report no proven benefit and describe adverse events such as perforation, infection, electrolyte disturbance and, in rare cases, death; oral sodium phosphate bowel purgatives have caused acute kidney injury and the US FDA warned against their over-the-counter use (2008). Colonoscopy bowel preparation is a medical procedure done under supervision and is not a model for a home cleanse. The body keeps blood pH within a narrow range, so no alkaline diet can change it; the claims that alkaline water prevents disease or cancer are not supported by good studies, and there is no strong evidence that alkaline water benefits gut health. The 2019 EASL guideline on drug-induced liver injury and national registries recognise herbal and dietary supplements as a significant cause of liver injury, including acute liver failure. Laxative misuse can cause low potassium and dependence. Where research is lacking we say so honestly: "no evidence of benefit" is not the same as "proven harm", but the potential harms are real and the benefits unproven.
Outlook — what to expect
Most people who stop a detox or cleanse recover within days, but serious complications can occur and a few are permanent. The good news is that the things that do improve digestion and energy are within reach: regular meals with fibre, enough water, activity, sleep and, when needed, a proper medical assessment of your symptoms.
Treatment
Habits & Lifestyle
The evidence-based alternatives to a cleanse are ordinary, but they work.
- Let your body do its job: sleep 7 to 9 hours, be active most days, and avoid smoking.
- Keep alcohol low or avoid it, since alcohol is a real liver toxin.
- Do not skip meals or fast for days to "reset" the gut.
- Pass stool when you feel the urge. Normal habit varies from three times a day to three times a week, so daily bowel movements are not required.
- Be wary of social-media claims, before-and-after photos and paid testimonials.
Diet
A balanced diet does what a "detox" claims to do.
- Eat plenty of vegetables, fruit, legumes and whole grains for fibre, which keeps the bowel regular.
- Drink water through the day; you do not need alkaline water, special bottled water or "detox" juices.
- Limit sugary drinks, ultra-processed foods, processed meats and fried foods.
- If you want to lose weight, aim for gradual loss with a dietitian, not a crash diet. Rapid weight loss raises the risk of gallstones.
- After Ramadan or Eid feasts, return to regular balanced meals instead of punishing yourself with a fast or cleanse.
Medications
Natural does not mean safe. Many cleanse products contain laxatives, diuretics or other active ingredients.
- Avoid laxative teas and "slimming" or "detox" supplements; stimulant laxatives such as senna should be used only short term and under advice.
- Check every supplement with your doctor or pharmacist, particularly if you have liver, kidney or heart disease, are pregnant or take regular medicines.
- Regulators, including the SFDA and the US FDA, have repeatedly found hidden drugs in weight-loss and "natural" products. Buy only registered products and report problems to the SFDA.
- If you have constipation, ask for medical advice: there are safe, evidence-based laxatives and a doctor can check for causes.
Procedures & Surgery
Medical bowel preparation is a different thing from a "colon cleanse".
- Bowel preparation before colonoscopy is a short, supervised regimen to allow a clear view; it is not meant to be repeated for wellbeing.
- Colon hydrotherapy and enemas outside medical care are not recommended because of the risks described above.
- If you have persistent bloating, constipation, diarrhoea or other symptoms, your doctor can arrange blood tests, stool tests, endoscopy or colonoscopy to find the true cause.
- If you have been told that you have a liver or kidney injury after a supplement, specialists will monitor you with blood tests and treat complications.
Living with the condition
- Ask: who benefits financially from this claim, and where is the published evidence?
- Choose sources run by health authorities, universities and professional societies.
- Be kind to yourself: feeling bloated or tired is common and can be improved with simple steps and, where needed, medical advice.
In the Saudi context
Herbal remedies and traditional preparations are widely used in Saudi Arabia, including herbal teas, black seed, senna, and "slimming" blends sold in shops and online. Some are harmless, but others contain laxatives or undeclared ingredients, and herbal and dietary supplements are a recognised cause of liver injury worldwide. Please tell your doctor about everything you take, buy only SFDA-registered products, and report adverse reactions through the SFDA. After Ramadan and Eid, there is often pressure to "cleanse"; a gentle return to regular meals, water and walking is the best approach. Zamzam water and ordinary tap or bottled water are fine; you do not need alkaline water. If you are considering any fast or cleanse and have diabetes, kidney, liver or heart disease, or are pregnant, ask your doctor first.
Questions to ask your doctor
Save this list or print it before your appointment — doctors appreciate prepared patients.
- Are any of the supplements, teas or products I use harming my liver or kidneys?
- What is causing my bloating, constipation or tiredness, and which tests do I need?
- Is it safe to stop or reduce the laxatives I rely on?
- How can I lose weight safely without a crash diet?
- Which sources of nutrition information can I trust?
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Status: Approved for publication by SGA; individual clinician review is ongoing · Published 24/04/2026
For general education only; it does not replace your doctor’s advice. Individual clinician review of this guide is ongoing. SGA clinician? Review this guide