The Truth About Kinoki Foot Pads

Kinoki Foot Pads are a brand of detoxifying foot pads, which are said to draw toxins from your body through the feet. According to ABC News, Kinoki Foot Pads are advertised to extract "heavy metals, metabolic waste, toxins, parasites, cellulite and more." Detox foot pads generally include ingredients such as wood vinegar, plants and herbs, and tourmaline. They are intended to be used while you sleep and often have a discolored appearance after use, which is said to be evidence of "toxin" removal. According to MayoClinic.com, there is currently no proof that any detox foot pads perform according to claims.

Claims

The makers of Kinoki Foot Pads claim to use natural ingredients in an approach similar to foot reflexology, reports Time.com, and are said to trigger acupuncture points in the feet. The foot pads are designed to aid the lymphatic system in draining toxins from various areas of the body. In this way, the body is purged of heavy metals, environmental pollutants and other impurities. According to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, or FTC, the makers of Kinoki Foot Pads have claimed that these products may benefit high blood pressure, depression and other conditions, and may assist in weight loss.

Warning

The FTC has filed a complaint charging the makers of Kinoki Foot Pads with deceptive advertising and has convinced a federal judge to impose a ban on this company from selling any "supplement, food, drug or medical device." The FTC states that the company that markets the Kinoki pads, Xacta 3000, Inc., "falsely claimed" to have scientific evidence of the pads' effectiveness. The FTC also deemed "false or unsupported" the claims that Kinoki pads relieve symptoms of headaches, depression, parasites, fatigue, insomnia, diabetes, arthritis, high blood pressure, cellulite or a weakened immune system. The FTC report does not state when the ban will take effect.

Misconceptions

Some of the concepts that the marketers of Kinoki Foot Pads put forth as evidence of the pads' effectiveness have been called into question by experts. According to Christine Laine, deputy editor of the Annals of Internal Medicine in "Time" magazine, the darkened color of the foot pads after use does not necessarily represent toxins. Laine notes that the pads contain chemicals that cause them to change color whenever they become wet.

Lab Tests

According to ABC News, the types of toxins and impurities collected by Kinoki pads is also highly questionable. In its own investigation of the pads, ABC enlisted toxicology lab NMS Labs to perform an analysis of used Kinoki Foot Pads. The pads were screened for various heavy metals, including mercury and arsenic, as well as benzene, styrene and tolulene. None of these were found on the used pads, ABC News reports.

Considerations

Although the evidence to support detox foot pads is extremely questionable, many people may find the act of "cleansing" to result in a feeling of well-being. According to George Friedman-Jiminez, director of the Bellevue/New York University Occupational and Environmental Clinic, on ABC News, the expectation of feeling better can often be a self-fulfilling prophecy. However, Friedman-Jiminez stated concerns that this "placebo effect" might cause people with health problems to delay seeking legitimate medical treatment. Talk to your doctor if you have a health concern.