Detox foot pads: Do they work? Are they a Scam?

Detox foot pads: Do they work? Are they a Scam? Today you will find the answer.

Detox foot pads have been on the market for a long time. And there are people claiming they work. There are also people and scientists saying they do not work. As always, there are two sides to every story.

The main thing is to perform a quality research, explore the market, and come out with an educated answer to the dilemma.

Companies market detox foot pads as patches you apply them on the feet, and they help draw toxins of the body.

The claim is that pads boost your immune system and help you lose weight in the process. No detox food pads have been so far approved by the FDA.

In general, detox foot pads contain:

Let’s look at both sides of the story and see whether detox foot pads work or not.

Anatomy of Foot Patches

Called patches or pads, they are the same. Patches are large, white bandages with adhesive strips. These strips allow the pads to stay on the sole of your foot. They purportedly contain a variety of “natural” ingredients that draw out toxins, metals, poisons, and even ingredients like arsenic.

How do they work?

The simple explanation is that you attach the foot patches in the evening on the sole of the foot. Then the next day, you peel off the foot pads. You will be greeted with dark sludge on the surface. Companies selling pads claim that dark sludge is the toxins the pads have drawn out of your system. And that is your best proof that the patches work.

Check each product

Back in 2011, one of the biggest companies selling detox foot pads, Kinoki, lost a lawsuit. According to the lawsuit, the company violated California consumer protection laws. The lawsuit claimed that Kinoki made false claims. Today, there are many other companies selling detox foot patches.

Every time a company comes out with a great nutritional product, there are false copies. There are always good products and generic or bad copies. You can find many bad copies for Green tea, for example.

The same applies to detox foot pads. And before you believe everything you read, you should not generalize. What you need to do is perform careful evaluation and research. Check how the product is manufactured, check the ingredients used for the manufacturing process, and most importantly, check the company promoting the product.

Also check the history of the company. Do they sell anything else? In today’s Google world, you can find everything about a company with a quick 15-minute search.

Do not make general allegations for all products. Check each one carefully.

Why you wear detox foot pads on Your feet?

The premise of detox foot patches is actually correct. Oriental medicine has shown us that the feet are very important part of our health. Oriental medicine believes the feet to be “second heart”. They are tasked with pumping return blood circulation and lymph back up to the torso. We spend so much time in sedentary position. And that interferes with the natural pumping action of your feet.

According to oriental medicine, our feet have marks related to the health of every organ in our body. For example, the nerves for the right ear, right shoulder, gall, kidneys, small intestine, knee, lymph, neck, high blood pressure, stomach, pancreas, bladder, and much more are located from the soles to the toes.

Some companies say that the patches can be worn on other spots as well. For example, you can apply the pads directly onto a swollen and painful area. Pads work best when they are applied over blood-rich spot.

For best results, companies recommend you use the foot pads for at least 30 days. That is the time it will take for the average person to flush out toxins completely out of his/hers system. As days progress, you will notice the patches become lighter in color. They extract fewer and fewer toxins, as you have fewer toxins in your body.

What the Science Says

As mentioned at the beginning, detox foot pads are not approved by the FDA. And there are is a lot of scientific evidence suggesting they are nothing more than a scam. The Kinoki lawsuit is just one thing. Since 2011, companies have improved their detox foot pads.

But the fact of the matter is that these patches cannot claim to treat or cure any medical condition. In 2008, ABC’s 20/20 looked into these foot patches, made by Kinoki and Avon. The show found out that the patches turned dark after use. However, dropping them into water had the same effect. The laboratory analysis showed that there were no heavy metals, solvents, toxins, or poisons secreted from volunteers.

Mayo Clinic suggests that you wait before purchasing detox foot patches. The saying “if anything sounds too good to be true, it probably isn’t true”. Wait for some scientific evidence that proves a claim before you invest your money.

Furthermore, Dr. Scott Schreiber, a Delaware-based chiropractic physician and licensed dietitian, says there is no sound research. And asks the question how can something you put on your feet supposed to help you get rid of toxins? The body has a natural process of flushing toxins.

Another physician, Dr. Sarah Cimperman, says that heavy metals are stored in our tissue. That means they cannot be sucked out of your system via foot patches. There are few things that can penetrate our skin. The skin is the first line of defence.

Conclusion

Chemicals, however, can be released through sweat. But the patches do not do that. If you like to get rid of toxins, and detox your body, perform a detox diet. Or start exercising. Those are two ways you can actually get rid of toxins. In the meantime, stay away from patches and similar detox products that are simply “too good to be true”.