Body Cleansing Tea

A body cleansing tea typically contains a variety of botanical materials that deliver antioxidant value, as well as detoxification properties. Traditionally, this sort of tea is made from herbs that reputedly assist the body in purging environmental toxins and waste materials that occur as byproducts of normal metabolism. However, since many herbs can produce side effects or interact with other medications, check with your doctor before self-treating with a body cleansing tea.

Theory

Many natural health advocates believe that periodic body cleansing is necessary to restore homeostasis, a state in which an organism can successfully self-regulate its internal environment. The benefit to you, in theory, is the elimination of toxic substances that hinder normal functioning of the body's various systems. In addition to fasting, electromagnetic therapy, hydrotherapy and other techniques, a body cleansing tea is nearly always part of the detoxification regimen.

Cleansing Herbs

Several herbs reputedly help the body to remove toxins. Red clover, for instance, possesses diuretic properties, which means compounds in the herb increase the flow and frequency of urine. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, or UMMC, the herb may also thin the blood, thereby improving circulation. Red clover is traditionally included in body cleansing teas for these benefits, as well as the belief that the herb stimulates increased bile flow from the liver.

Milk Thistle is another herb commonly used to promote detoxification due the presence of a group of plant flavonoids collectively referred to as silymarin. This herb has a long history of use to promote liver cleansing. It is also used today as a standard antidote for death cap mushroom poisoning.

Preparation Methods

A body cleansing tea may contain several components. Fresh herbal material consisting of the leaf is brewed into an infusion, which is another name for a strong tea. Teas that call for the use of roots or barks are prepared by boiling for several minutes to yield a decoction. Additional ingredients may include standardized liquid extracts, alcohol-extracted tinctures and, occasionally, essential oils.

Effectiveness

The Dec. 11, 2010 issue of the "European Journal of Pharmacology," featured a study that described the anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer effects of red clover. Lead study author, Labanyamoy Kole, reported that a compound identified as Biochanin-A blocked the activity of specific liver enzymes that permit growth in cancer cells, which resulted in reduced inflammation and triggered cancer cell death in mouse cell lines. A few months earlier, Y. Chen and colleagues at Oklahoma State University reported in the "Journal of Biochemical and Molecular Toxicology" that this compound specifically counters sulfotransferases, a class of enzymes formed in the liver and intestines responsible for promoting breast, colon and prostate cancer.

In the Oct. 17, 2010 issue of "Phytomedicine," researchers from Yuanpei University in Taiwan reported similar effects observed with silymarin compounds isolated from milk thistle. In addition to observing antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity, the scientists also found that silymarin improved neurological function in rats with brain injury due to stroke, again by checking certain liver enzymes.

Safety Precautions

The UMMC cautions that red clover contains isoflavones that produce estrogenic effects, so you should not use this herb if you have a history of a hormone-driven cancer without professional supervision. According to drugs.com, milk thistle interferes with medications metabolized by a liver enzyme known as CYP3A4. Other herbs used in body cleansing teas may also produce side effects. Check with your physician before using any detoxification teas or herbs.