History and Claims
Legend among those promoting detoxifying foot baths says that a group of ill folks and monks warmed their feet in a hot spring during a pilgrimage some 1,600 years ago. Miraculously, the ill folks were cured and full of energy the morning after the soak. Thus, the belief in the healing powers of foot detoxification took root. Foot-bath detoxing is said to do everything from alleviate stress and fatigue to cure allergies, insomnia, rheumatism and a host of more serious health conditions. The treatment is controversial, with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration investigating claims surrounding some foot-bath therapies, according to KSL Channel 5 in Salt Lake City.
Process
Foot baths are supposed to work via osmosis. A person sits in a chair, dips their feet into the water, and positive and negative ions in the water are said to attach themselves to body toxins. Impurities are said to be drawn out of the body through the 2,000 pores in the feet. The negative ions in the foot bath are supposed to be absorbed by the skin and into the body through osmosis, according to AllNatural4Health.com. Osmosis is the process in which a charged particle is able to pass through a membrane layer, going from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration.
Mechanism
Electrolysis is the mechanism employed during a detox foot bath. A DC current is introduced to the water, which causes water molecules to separate. This is what produces the negatively and positively charged ions, or particles. Salt is also added to the water.
Equalization
The foot bath is meant to equalize negative and positive ions in a person's body to provide benefits such as detoxification, relaxation and better healing. In traditional Chinese medicine, this state of being is called "chi," and is believed to be the state in which the body is able to heal itself. Claims on the Internet and in other places abound as to the effectiveness of these foot baths. However, detractors are equally vocal in their beliefs that the baths introduce harmful metal compounds that come from the electrodes into a person's body, according to AllNatural4Health.com.
Water Color
The water in a foot bath will change color after a detox session. Proponents of the foot baths say this proves that the toxins have been removed from a person's body, including its tissues and internal organs. They have color charts that pinpoint where in the body the toxins are coming from or which toxins have come out, according to SpaIndex.com's Guide to Day Spas and Stay Spas. However, it's unlikely that toxins exit the body via the foot, as it's the kidneys' job to filter these out, notes SpaIndex. Other critics say the color change is due to other factors, such as the electrodes giving off iron, creating rust.
Placebo Effect
The foot bath may help some people feel better via the placebo effect. Science has proven that people who believe that something is working can, indeed, feel better, according to KSl. That makes doctors worry, however, that folks who feel better but are seriously sick will delay getting medical care.
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