Advocates of detoxification diets claim that cleanse plans help you shed pounds quickly. The Master Cleanse, a type of detox diet developed by alternative medicine proponent Stanley Burroughs in the 1940s, promotes weight loss by severely restricting caloric intake.The health claims of this detox diet plan, however, remain unsupported by scientific research. Following the Master Cleanse may cause loss of muscle tissue rather than fat. Talk to your doctor before attempting a detoxifying cleanse diet to ensure it is safe.
Diet Features
The Master Cleanse is a short-term diet designed to cleanse your body of impurities. There are two main components to the Master Cleanse plan: the lemonade diet and salt water flush. During a cleanse, which typically lasts 10 days, dieters only consume a beverage made from freshly squeezed lemons, grade B maple syrup, organic cayenne pepper and filtered water. No solid foods or non-lemonade beverages are permitted. Dieters also perform a salt water flush, drinking one quart of warm salt water each morning to cause frequent bowel movements. This supposedly cleanses the colon of toxic chemicals.
Effects
Many people begin the Master Cleanse diet to lose weight. For example, singer Beyonce Knowles reportedly used the Master Cleanse plan to lose 20 lbs. before starring in the movie "Dreamgirls." Dieters following the Master Cleanse plan often report losing 10 or more pounds over the 10-day diet period. Because cleanse practitioners expend far more calories than they consume through the lemonade beverage, this net caloric deficit causes weight loss. The laxative effects of the salt water flush also cause rapid weight loss.
Muscle Loss
Although many dieters successfully lose weight on the Master Cleanse, they often lose muscle mass rather than fat. Nutritionist Joy Bauer, author of "Your Inner Skinny," estimates that cleanse practitioners consume about 600 calories per day. The lemonade beverage does not contain enough protein to maintain your lean muscle mass, which may cause your body to burn muscle tissue rather than fat stores. Physician Samuel Klein, director of the Washington University Medical School's Center for Human Nutrition, warns that fasts such as the Master Cleanse may cause your body to burn your heart muscle in addition to other muscle tissue.
Considerations
Before beginning the Master Cleanse, consider its potential effects on your body. While following the cleanse plan for one or two days may not cause significantly loss of lean muscle, extending the Master Cleanse for 10 or more days could cause serious health effects. In addition, many dieters regain the weight they lost after returning to a normal diet. To assess the potential effects of the Master Cleanse on your muscle tissue, talk to your doctor.
References
- Health.com; I Survived the Master Cleanse -- Then Gained All the Weight Back; Carolyn Hsu; June 2009
- The Master Cleanse; The Definitive Top 27 Master Cleanser Side Effects; Mike Olaski; Jan. 2010
- Calorie Lab; Beyonce's Maple Syrup Diet for Weight Loss; Sarah White
- Internal Cleansing: Harmful Effects from the Master Cleanse
- New York Times; I Heard It Through the Diet Grapevine; Lola Ogunnaike; Dec. 2006
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