The Master Cleanse, also referred to as the Lemonade Diet, advocates consuming nothing but a tonic made from pure water, lemon juice, cayenne pepper and maple syrup for up to two weeks. Developed by Stanley Burroughs, who intended it to be used for detoxification, it is touted as a weight-loss miracle. Proponents of the diet report almost immediate weight loss and feelings of rejuvenation and clarity. Like any extreme diet, the Master Cleanse is not only unwise, it can cause unwanted side effects.
Digestive Distress
Lemon juice stimulates the digestive tract. The diet permits up to 12 servings of the tonic per day, along with an evening laxative "herbal tea." The combination of this much lemon juice and the laxative can cause diarrhea in the first few days of the diet. Over time, the lack of fiber in your diet may cause you to suffer from constipation.
Headaches
Hunger, and for coffee drinkers caffeine withdrawal, may cause headaches. These headaches and feelings of deprivation make you irritable and easily frustrated.
Hunger
As there is absolutely no food allowed on the diet, you will be hungry. Although Master Cleanse adherents attest that the hunger becomes manageable over time, social engagements and dinners become difficult because of the temptation to eat. Even if you manage to stick to the diet, when you go off of it, you most likely will overeat and regain much, if not all, of the weight lost during the cleanse. Be sure to keep a snack bar or some sort of nourishment with you in case your blood sugar drops too low and you get lightheaded.
Nutritional Deficits
Keri Glassman, a registered dietitian and CBS news contributor, warns against following the Master Cleanse because it contains little nutrition. Joy Bauer, author of "Joy's Life Diet," notes that the cleanse essentially starves the body and stimulates weight loss because of the drastic reduction in calories. When you return to a regular eating pattern, the body is inclined to convert calories to fat to protect itself from the next time it will encounter a "fast." The diet is very dangerous for children, the elderly and people with compromised immune systems because of their specific nutritional requirements.
Member Comments