By Belinda Castles
Researcher | Kairangahau
Detox foot pads and patches promises include “remove toxins”, “enhance metabolism”, “supports restful sleep” and “supports healthy energy levels”. But, Consumer NZ’s research found the evidence to be thin on the ground.
A detox foot pad or patch might sound like the ideal product to kick-start your new year. They are a lot less hassle than an internal cleanse, which often involves cutting out caffeine and alcohol washed down by a handful of supplements.
What are detox foot pads and patches?
Detox foot pads and patches are like large plasters with an infused absorbent pad in the middle. For 5 nights, you stick the pad or patch to the soles of your clean feet and leave it while you sleep. The absorbent pad includes ingredients such as wood vinegar, bamboo vinegar, tourmaline and vitamin C.
When you peel off the patch in the morning, it will be stained a dark brown/black colour.
What are the claims?
The 2 main products I found available to purchase online in New Zealand were:
Hodaf Detox Foot Pads ($29.90)
Healthy Bod Co Detox Foot Patches ($28).
You’ll notice that both include the word “detox” in their names.
The packaging of Hodaf Detox Foot Pads claims to “remove toxins”, “enhance metabolism” and “alleviate fatigue”. Healthy Bod Co patches promises include “supports healthy energy levels” and “supports restful sleep”.
New Zealand websites selling these products make several additional claims.
We found online claims for Healthy Bod Co Detox Foot Patches suggesting the product “can help reduce foot odour, bad breath and constipation”, “promotes blood circulation and metabolism” and “improves body organ function”.
Claims we found for the Hodaf product included “may help support detoxification, joint health, metabolism and energy”.
Do they work?
We couldn’t find scientific evidence to support any such benefits of foot detox pads or patches.
Detoxification occurs continually in the body quite naturally. The gut and liver break down unwanted and potentially damaging compounds, which the kidneys eliminate. The New Zealand health experts we spoke to told us there’s no need to spend money on detox products.
Don’t be fooled that the dark stains are proof toxins are being removed from your body. These stains are a result of the wood vinegar infused in the pad/patch. The colour change occurs when the vinegar reacts with sweat from your foot. We got the same result when we added water to an unused patch in our trial of detox foot patches.
Overseas authorities have come down hard on similar products. In 2010, the United States Federal Trade Commission imposed a ban on marketers of Kinoki “Detox” Foot Pads. The marketers were prohibited from selling a range of products that claimed to remove toxins from the body through a person’s feet.
Are detox kits a better option?
There are a few dietary supplement detox kits for sale that make similar detoxification claims.
A typical regime will have you taking herbal supplements and eliminating “toxins” such as caffeine, alcohol and refined sugars. Most plans also recommend drinking plenty of water and following their nutrition advice, which may include restricting key food groups like dairy and protein. Then, at the end of the plan (anywhere from 2 to 10 days for the kits we trialled), you should be “cleansed”.
Companies also take the opportunity to market other dietary supplements they sell or suggest repeating the cleanse every few months. These extras can quickly add up.
When we asked a medical expert and a dietitian whether these pricey kits work, both agreed no one needs to cleanse or detoxify. According to these experts, detoxification occurs on a continual basis in the body – the kidneys, liver and skin are all detoxing organs.
Their advice? Skip the expensive detox kits and the pricey extras the adverts recommend you buy. Spend your money on fruit and vegetables instead and avoid excessive amounts of alcohol, caffeine and highly processed foods.
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