In the search for safe and easy detoxification methods, you may have come across ads for feet detox patches. The proponents of these products claim that the detox foot patches remove toxins from your body while you sleep. In 2010, manufacturers continue to produce feet detox patches, but many professionals claim they lack effectiveness.
Purpose
Detox foot patches contain natural ingredients, such as wood vinegar, plants, herbs and tourmaline, which the manufacturers claim remove lead, arsenic and other toxic substances through the soles of your feet. These ingredients supposedly react with your body and give off infrared energy to improve your cells function and draw out the toxins. When you peel off the foot patches in the morning, you will notice a discolored or brownish appearance and a foul odor, which supposedly represents the toxins removed from the body.
Side Effects
Feet detox patches have no reported side effects other than an occasional allergic reaction to a product in the foot patch or to the adhesive, advises Dr. Michael Hall, a family practitioner for DuBois Regional Medical Center. Signs of an allergic reaction include skin irritation, rash, swelling, itchiness or difficulty breathing. The main risk of using feet detox patches is to your wallet, as you waste your money on a product that will not work.
Scientific Evidence
No published scientific studies are available to show the effectiveness of detox foot patches. The body detoxifies itself through the liver and excretes the toxins through the kidneys. The feet play only a minor role in ridding the body of unwanted substances and excrete mostly water.
Placebo Effect
The benefits felt by some users of detox foot patches could result from a placebo effect. In an April 2008 segment of ABC's "20/20", Dr. George Friedman-Jimenez, the director of the Bellevue New York University Occupational and Environmental Medicine Clinic in New York City, stated that people expect detox foot patches to help them and expect to feel better -- and people often feel better due to this expectation or simply due to chance. In the segment, NMS Labs, a national laboratory in Willow Grove, Pennsylvania, tested two brands of feet detox patches for released toxins and discovered that no metals or solvents were released into the pads.
Expert Opinions
Hall explains that the change in color and odor of the foot patches may result from a chemical interaction between the salts, water and heat produced as the foot sweats, and the ingredients in the detox foot pad. Because feet detox patches fail to treat medical conditions, as claimed, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission took action against Kinoki, a company that manufactured detox foot patches in January 2009. Instead of relying of foot detox patches, eat a diet full of whole grains, vegetables, fruits and water for "natural detoxification."
References
- Dr. Michael Hall; DuBois Regional Medical Center; DuBois, Pennsylvania
- MayoClinic.com: Do Detox Food Pads Really Work?
- Federal Trade Commission: Judge Imposes Ban on Marketers of "Detox" Foot Pads
- Device Watch: The Detox Food Pad Scam
- ABC's "20/20": Ridding Yourself of Toxins, or Money?
