Is it really necessary to detoxify one’s body before dieting?
The answer is very controversial. The concept of detoxification plays a major role in many schools of alternative medicine.
Detoxification refers to a belief that toxins accumulated in the body are a major cause of disease, and that health can be promoted by removing them through various means.
Is there any scientific evidence to support detoxification?
Actually, there is little to no scientific support for detoxification methods. Aside from specific toxicities such as lead or arsenic, various methods of detoxification have remained unexamined in the scientific community and rely on reasonable concepts.
Mercury-filling removal is a typical example. Many alternative practitioners believe that the mercury in silver fillings is a cause of numerous health problems and should be removed to prevent or treat disease. However, although it is a matter of indisputable fact that mercury can be toxic, scientific evaluation generally indicates that mercury levels in people with mercury fillings are far below those necessary to cause toxic symptoms.(1)
Anti-mercury advocates respond that some people are sensitive to mercury in very low amounts, and that those people will therefore benefit from filling removal even if they are not experiencing actual toxicity. This could certainly be true. However, despite numerous unreliable anecdotes, there is as yet no meaningful evidence that removing mercury fillings can treat or prevent any disease.
On Sunday, ‘Detoxification before dieting part two,’ colon cleansing will be highlighted.
1. Dodes JE. The amalgam controversy. An evidence-based analysis. J Am Dent Assoc. 2001;132:348-356.
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