Expert slams detox diets

Expert slams detox diets

Thursday 29 January 2009, Auckland

One of Auckland’s top health and fitness experts has made a strong protest against detox diets, saying they are a waste of time and money, and people who follow them can actually end up in worse shape than they started.

The theory behind detoxing is based on the assumption that dangerous toxins build up in the body – from foods, chemicals and other pollutants. These toxins lead to health problems, and need to be removed. But the diets, made popular by many a celebrity slimmer have been dismissed by experts as pseudo-scientific. Darren Ellis, who has an MSc specialising in Exercise Physiology and Nutrition, points out that the body constantly detoxes itself. “Many of us abuse our bodies with junk food, alcohol and late nights, but even excessive amounts of alcohol will still be cleared by the liver in about 36 hours, without any help from special drinks or tablets. If you need to detox after a hard night, plain water is the best medicine”.

Despite his opinion, thousands of people are looking for the latest quick weight loss fix this month, thanks to an overly festive holiday period. Radio, television and magazines are bombarding these New Year slimmers with a wide range of different detox kits, ranging from special teas, to lemon drinks to chili and maple syrup concoctions.

The fine print of any of these products usually advises anyone undergoing a detox to cut out a wide range of "unhealthy" foods and supplement their diet with regular exercise. It is this that delivers any results maintains Ellis. “It’s difficult to sell a simple healthy diet and exercise routine to people”, he says, “but they’ll happily shell out $100 or more for a ‘magic potion’ to avoid having to make a real effort”.

The restrictive nature of detox programs usually leads to a rapid initial weight loss, however this is mostly water and glycogen stores from muscle, all of which returns as soon as a normal diet is resumed, possibly along with extra bodyfat as your system attempts to compensate for the period of semi-starvation. According to Ellis there are no magic potions. His clients follow a routine of regular hard exercise, and are encouraged to eat plenty of food, as long as it’s based around lean protein, vegetables, fruit and healthy fats. “Stick to the outside of the supermarket aisles”, he advises, “that’s where all the real food is”.

About
Darren Ellis is the co-owner of CrossFit NZ, a functional fitness facility located in Panmure, Auckland, training everyone from students, business executives and stay-at-home parents to firefighters, marathon runners and martial artists. The exercise and nutrition philosophy is based on ’old school’ traditional methods, emphasizing real food and real life movements. He can be contacted at info@crossfitnz.co.nz.
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