Bleeding Gums While Doing The Master Cleanse

The Master Cleanse, also called the Lemonade Diet, is an extreme detox diet. First introduced in the 1940s, the diet experienced a resurgence in the 1970s and again in 2006 when the pop superstar Beyonce supposedly used the program to drop a lot of weight for her role in the film “Dreamgirls.” The program calls for you to drink nothing but multiple glasses of water laced with lemon juice, cayenne pepper and maple syrup for up to two weeks. Proponents of the diet claim it brings about clarity of the mind and a cleaner system; most health experts warn against it. Among the many negative effects you might experience while doing the cleanse are bleeding gums.

Concerns

The Master Cleanse is a near-starvation plan that denies your body of essential nutrients. Your liver, kidneys and lymphatic system act as natural detoxifiers. Most of any weight you do lose on the diet will return when you go back to a normal eating pattern. The cleanse is not intended as a weight-loss diet — but rather to purify your system. No scientific evidence supports claims made by the dieters proponents.

Nutritional Deficiencies

When following any extreme diet plan that contains an insufficient amount of nutrients, you might develop bleeding gums. Anemia, caused by a deficiency of vitamin B-12, can cause bleeding gums and a swollen tongue. Deficiencies in vitamin K and vitamin C can also cause bleeding gums. If you follow the Master Cleanse for just two or three days, you are unlikely to experience a significant enough deficiency in these vitamins to result in bleeding gums. But, if you follow the Master Cleanse for a week or more — it could cause a problem.

Other Causes

If going off the Master Cleanse and focusing on eating a diet with balanced nutrients does not restore your gum health, you might consider other potential causes. Poor dental habits and gum disease cause gums to bleed. If your gums bleed severely and chronically, you should consult your physician as it may be a sign of a serious problem.

Other Side Effects

The diet can cause weakness and fatigue. You may become dizzy or nauseous when on the plan. Stanley Burroughs writes in the 1976 instructional pamphlet, “The Master Cleanser,” that you may also experience significant diarrhea.