Although the body is designed to eliminate toxins, it cannot always handle the overload present in today's environment. Toxin overload can lead to a variety of health problems such as chronic fatigue syndrome, irritable bowel disease, muscle and joint pain, headaches, and allergy or flu-like symptoms. It is for these reasons that detoxification therapies are gaining popularity all over the world.
It was formerly believed that a water or juice fast was a preferred detoxification program. However, the modern-day realization that the body's detoxification systems are heavily nutrient-supported has made it clear that simple juice or water fasting is less complete and no longer the method of choice.
Dr. Jeffrey Bland and Dr. J. Alexander Bralley sought to determine the effectiveness of a nutritional intervention program for detoxification. Researchers chose and randomly divided 37 participants who complained of chronic health problems into either a test diet or placebo (control) diet group.
The test diet group was instructed to take a powdered meal supplement product containing various nutrients at levels suggested to positively influence detoxification. The placebo diet group was instructed to take a separate powdered meal supplement that contained the minimum Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of the same nutrients.
Upon completion of the 3-week study, Dr. Bland and Dr. Bralley stated in the Journal of Applied Nutrition that "[Detoxification] activity was enhanced in the test diet group, whereas in the placebo diet group it was not."
In addition, researchers requested that participants fill out a Metabolic Screening Questionnaire (MSQ)?a questionnaire used to evaluate the severity, duration, and frequency of symptoms associated with individual patient health problems. "The most significant reduction in symptoms [in the test diet group] occurred with 'tired eyes' and 'pain behind the eyes' headaches, gastrointestinal disturbances, morning pain and stiffness, and chronic respiratory complaints."
Dr. Bland and Dr. Bralley concluded that a nutritionally-supported detoxification program decreases chronic symptoms and health complaints in participants.
J Appl Nutr 1992;44(2):15.