A detox diet is one in which a person is supposed to remove toxins from the body by using certain products as a source of food. Master Cleanse is one of the most popular detox diets available, and it is being pushed on the Internet as one of the best ways to lose weight. However, the Master Cleanse process is low in calories and dangerously unhealthy. Furthermore, there is no evidence that the product’s ingredients are the source of weight loss. Just like any other crash diet, Master Cleanse promotes weight lost simply from malnutrition and poor caloric intake, which can lead to further health conditions.
How Master Cleanse Works
Master Cleanse starts the patient on an all-juice diet by promoting a few days of citrus drink consumption. The detox diet asks for maple syrup addition for caloric intake, which is unsuitable for any healthy person. Once the patient has maintained a couple days of juice, he moves to days where he is limited to maple syrup and lemonade. The Master Cleanse promoters claim this prepares the body for the detox diet third step, which is when the toxins are flushed.
Finally, the Master Cleanse program requires people to flush the system using salt mixtures. The patient maintains a high salt content diet along with juice. Once these toxins are expelled, the patient can ease into normal eating habits using increased juice and vegetable intake.
The Side Effects of Master Cleanse
Master Cleanse has become a popular way to lose weight quickly, and it has even been mentioned in tabloid magazines, claiming celebrities use the detox diet. However, studies have shown that there is no evidence that this diet removes toxins from the body. It’s an unhealthy diet that starves the body for nutrients, causing the weight loss that patients report. Roger Clemens, Dr.P.H., adjunct professor of pharmacology and pharmaceutical sciences at the USC School of Pharmacy has stated that the toxins the patient believes are being released are actually the body’s rapid loss of water and weight due to malnutrition.
Additionally, the diet is not only unhealthy, but it is dangerous. Poor nutrition causes mild side effects like nausea, vomiting, and fatigue. However, more serious side effects include muscle breakdown and weakness, low blood sugar levels, and poor immune responses. Additionally, the Master Cleanse diet leads to binge eating, which can cause the patient to gain even more weight. If the patient has habits of overeating, there are more beneficial ways to control eating and lose weight.
Before taking any type of detox diet including the Master Cleanse program, consider eating healthy meals and increasing exercise habits instead. This is a healthy way to lose weight, and the patient has a better chance of maintaining the weight loss.
References:
University of Southern California
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