Can I Do The Master Cleanse All Year Long?

The Master Cleanse, a detox diet created by Stanley Burroughs, is purported to cleanse the body and remove toxins. Although the diet might seem simple and effective, it is not approved or recommended by doctors as a way to detox the body or lose weight. Using the diet as a long-term solution for weight loss is dangerous and could cause serious medical complications. Talk to your doctor if you are considering the Master Cleanse diet.

History

The Master Cleanse diet was created by alternative health supporter Stanley Burroughs in the 1940s. The diet became popular when he published "The Master Cleanser," which serves as an instruction book for the diet. Burroughs never went to medical school, and the diet is not recommended by doctors. The diet is passed around the Internet as a quick way to lose weight and detox the body, but the truth is that the Master Cleanse is an unsafe and unsustainable fad diet that is not intended for long-term use.

Sample Meal Plan

The diet involves drinking a concoction of maple syrup, cayenne pepper, spring water and fresh-squeezed lemon juice as often as needed for a period of at least 10 days -- up to a month. The mixture is made fresh every day, and remade as often as necessary throughout the day to provide nourishment. No food is consumed while following the diet, although dieters use a laxative tea to flush out the bowels throughout the day.

Risks and Results

The Master Cleanse diet is not intended for long-term use, because it provides very few nutrients for the body to function. Even following the diet for the recommended 10 days is risky, because it could cause gastrointestinal upset. Limiting calorie intake to below 1,400 calories per day for men and 1,200 calories per day for women puts you at risk for nutritional deficiencies, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center, in an article titled "Common-Sense Strategies to Long-Term Weight Loss."

Additionally, the diet is not effective as a weight-loss regimen, because your body will soon require solid food again. As soon as you discontinue the Master Cleanse and eat normally, you will gain back any weight that you lost while following the diet.

Warnings

Stanley Burroughs had legal problems associated with the Master Cleanse in both 1960 and 1984. In 1960, Burroughs was convicted of practicing medicine without a license. In 1984, Burroughs treated a cancer patient with the Master Cleanse, and the patient died. He was convicted of involuntary manslaughter.
The Master Cleanse is a dangerous and potentially fatal fad diet that should be attempted only under the strict supervision of a doctor.