Do Detox Footbaths Really Work?

Detox foot baths are advertised all over the Internet as having the ability to cleanse the entire body of toxins. These claims are enthusiastically made by the manufacturers, but there is no solid, clinical evidence or study to prove them true. Many people dismiss these foot baths as scams that are actually ripping people off their hard-earned money. However, there are others who believe that the detox foot baths make a difference in their overall health, and continue to use them.

Manufacturers' Claims

Manufacturers of the detox foot baths claim that the baths use negative and positive ions to stimulate the body's cells and cleanse them of any negative and harmful toxins. Moreover, the ions supposedly rebalance cellular energy and causes cells to perform better. The toxins are supposedly removed through the pores of the feet. When the toxins are released, the water in the foot bath turns a reddish-brown, which is viewed as evidence of the toxins leaving the body, and definitive proof that the foot bath works.

Manufacturers also claim that by removing these toxins, the foot baths help to treat fatigue, headaches, skin conditions, minor aches and pains and certain kidney diseases.

Clinical Evidence

There are no conclusive laboratory studies that back up any of the manufacturers' claims on detox foot baths. Thus, the product is largely viewed as a scam that is no more useful than putting one's feet in warm water. According to Dr. Andrew Weil and Dr. Stephen Barrett, the claims made by proponents of the detox foot baths are ridiculous and have no basis in truth. Dr. Barrett says that the claims simply don't make any sense because the skin has no ability to remove toxins, which makes the entire point of the foot bath moot.

Some people suspect that the color change in the water is not caused by the release of toxins, but by the release of iron from the device. Ben Goldacre, a reporter for the British newspaper the Guardian Unlimited, conducted a study in which he tested the water after it had changed color and found that it had developed its brownish color due to iron, and not due to any removed toxins. The rust from the iron probably came from the nails in the device.

In conclusion, various doctors and independent studies have confirmed that detox foot baths do not actually remove any toxins from the body as manufacturers claim, and thus they do not work. The body has natural ways of detoxifying itself. The kidneys are the major organs serving this function.