How Detox Diets Can Put Your Health In Danger

Despite what you might see being promoted, detox diets are not suitable for people that have existing medical problems. There may be some advantage if you choose to follow the detox diet that is based on fresh, raw produce, but other forms of detox diet have been shown to have no benefit whatsoever for conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, cholesterol and high blood pressure. In fact, they can absolutely cause more harm than good.

The Hidden Dangers They Don’t Tell You About

Vitamin Deficiency

A detox diet, even if only done for a short period of time, can lead to a deficiency in many important vitamins. This is because you need to get vitamins from solid food, not just from some flavored water. You end up burning the body’s energy without any source of replenishment.

Palpitations

Any diet that has a sudden impact on your intake of calories can cause heart palpitations because of the resultant imbalance of electrolytes.

Deterioration Of Muscle Tone

Although this is not likely to occur if you are only dieting for a few days, any longer periods of dieting can lead to deterioration in muscle. Without proper nourishment, your body will start to steal the energy from your muscle tissue instead of the fat cells.

Digestive System Problems

By following a liquid diet, such as many of the detox diets, you end up with a deficiency of protein, zing, and vitamins B and A. This results in a loss of the coating of your intestines, which leads to painful and altered bowel motions. Explosive diarrhea is common, as well as swelling of the abdomen and dehydration.

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Anemia

Detox diets often lead to a deficiency in iron, due to the nature of the foods or liquids taken in this type of diet. When your iron gets too low, it leads to anemia, which in severe cases will require medicines or blood transfusions.

Gallbladder – Stones

Gallstones are a very unpleasant and painful result of a severe diet change. You are more likely to develop gallstones when your body is lacking in essential nutrients and vitamins. Detoxing can cause you to excrete more cholesterol, a major factor in developing gallstones.

Skin Disorders

Again, the deficiency of nutrients that occurs with a detox diet can have a poor effect on the health of your skin. You may develop acne, dryness of the skin, flakiness, and poor color.

Thinning Hair

Loss of your hair can occur when the body is missing those vital nutrients. It can also slow down the growth of your hair, and prevent new replacement hairs from sprouting.

Depression And Mood

When you deprive your body of nutrients and sugars, it can have a bad effect on your mood, especially if the deprivation occurs over a period of time. We all know what it’s like when you crave a food and can’t have it – you become frustrated, angry, and irritable. Imagine having that experience over a period of time! Also a lack of vitamin B12 and folic acid can lower your mood and lead to depression.

Conclusion

So, have we answered the question - does going on a "detox" diet ever make any sense? The overall conclusion is that it makes no sense whatsoever. It won’t help you with your weight loss, you will simply return to bad habits afterwards. It doesn’t have any good effect on medical problems, it instead causes more issues. If you want to achieve a better state of health and fitness, follow a healthy diet and an exercise program.