In recent years, a number of products have come to market that claim to detoxify the body by pulling heavy metals and negative ions out through the soles of the feet. The primary methods of foot detox are stick-on gauze pads filled with herbs, meant to be left on overnight, and ionic foot baths, in which toxins are said to be released into a basin of water.
Foot Detox Pads
Manufacturers of foot detox pads claim the pads rid the body of toxins such as heavy metals and even cellulite. The pads are stuck to the soles of the feet like bandages before going to be bed and removed in the morning, at which point they tend to be dark in color, greasy and foul-smelling. The manufacturers claim this is proof that toxins can be pulled from the body through the soles of the feet. Detox foot pads frequently contain wood vinegar, the mineral tourmaline and chitosan, which is derived from shellfish. Kinoki, one of the first and most popular manufacturers of detox foot pads, kept its full ingredient list a secret but touted the fact that the pads contained green tea, chamomile, hawthorne and wild indigo root. Kinoki's manufacturer, New Jersey-based Xacta 3000, has been charged with deceptive advertising by the Federal Trade Commission.
Ionic Foot Baths
Ionic foot baths, which retail for up to $2000 as of 2010, allow clients to soak their feet in salt water through which low-voltage current transmitted through an electrode assembly called an "array." According to DeviceWatch.com, a company called Aqua Detox International claims that its foot baths produce an array of positive and negative ions, which "resonates through the body" and stimulates cells to heal themselves while releasing toxins such as heavy metals. The water in an ionic foot bath changes colors as the user soaks, which manufacturers claim is proof that toxins are being released.
Manufacturers' Claims
Among the toxins foot patch manufacturers claim their products remove from the body are nicotine, fluoride, aluminum, smog, lead, asbestos, parasites, chlorine, formaldehyde, arsenic, mercury, copper, barium, nickel, gold, cobalt, steel and titanium. Foot pad manufacturers claim their products can treat a multitude of ailments, from migraine headaches to cellulite to depression. Ionicfootbathproducts.com claims its foot baths, which sell for up to $495 as of 2010, can inactivate viruses, bacteria, yeast and fungus, balance the immune system, purify the lymph nodes, enhance nutrient absorption, increase body flexibility and lead to weight loss.
Expert Insight on Foot Pads
Scientists, doctors and consumer advocates like ABC's John Stossel have largely denounced foot detox patches as a scam, stating that there is no physiological mechanism by which toxins or cellulite can be drawn out through the skin of the feet. As for the foot pad manufacturers' claims that the pads turning brown and taking on a foul smell proves they work, "Los Angeles Times" reporter Chris Woolston states in a September 22, 2008, article that applying saline solution to the pads produced the same discoloration and smell as applying them to his feet. Dr. George Friedman-Jimenez, the director of the Bellevue/New York University Occupational and Environmental Medicine Clinic in New York City, states in an interview with ABC's "20/20" that any perceived benefits from detox patches were probably a result of the placebo effect.
Expert Insight on Ionic Baths
Seeking to debunk ionic foot bath manufacturers' claims, "Guardian Unlimited" reporter Ben Goldacre conducted an experiment in which he placed two metal nails in a bowl of salt water and used a car battery to send current through them. As he suspected, the water turned brown and formed sludge on top, just like an ionic bath after a foot detox. Goldacre then sent a colleague for a foot detox and asked him to collect water samples from his ionic bath. Laboratory tests of both water samples proved that the change of water color was the result of increased iron content. These results indicate that the color change of the water is due primarily to rust precipitation from electrode corrosion rather than to toxins drawn from the feet.
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