We really hate words like “detoxify” at The Greenest. Why? Well, because those sorts of things can’t really be measured by data or science. What’s a toxin? How many toxins are too many toxins? Who knows! But when we see article after article talking about novel ways you can detoxify yourself, we like to set the record straight. And separate the fact from the fiction.
The detoxifying ionic foot bath is a perfect example. This is a hundred million dollar industry built on basically marketing because the idea is compelling. You put your feet into the bath, the machine then turns the water brown. So people think that the brown is the toxins leaving your body through your feet. The problem? There’s no “toxins” from your body in that water.
The water changes color because the metal electrodes corrode and release iron oxide. Nothing at all is getting pulled from your feet. There have been numerous independent lab tests that have repeatedly shown that there is no difference in the amount of heavy metals or other toxins in the water when a person’s feet are in there or not.
So why are we here?
What Your Body’s Actual Detox System Does
If you’re thinking of giving foot detox patches, foot scrubs or foot baths a try, you may be disappointed to learn that detoxification doesn’t take place through your feet. In fact, detoxification is something that takes place constantly and effortlessly, courtesy of your hard-working liver and kidneys.
Toxins converted by your liver from fat-soluble to water-soluble are eliminated by your constantly filtering kidneys, which remove toxins from the bloodstream. There’s nothing exotic or unusual about this process. It’s going on whether you’re asleep or wide awake. You can help your liver and kidneys along by drinking plenty of water, eating a diet that’s rich in fiber and limiting the amount of foods and drinks that stress these organs.
Sweat glands located in your skin and feet release toxins, but this mechanism eliminates a tiny amount when compared to the amount eliminated by the liver and kidneys. There’s also no mechanism in the feet for pulling toxins out of the bloodstream and body. Soak away, just know that any perk-up will be thanks to increased circulation and relaxation, not detoxification.
“The liver is our detoxification machine. It’s made to do this. Detoxifying the normal things we eat, breathe and ingest is part of its job and keeps us alive. It will handle all the things it needs to handle as long as it’s a healthy organ.”
— Dr. Thomas Aloia, MD, hepatobiliary (liver) cancer surgeon, MD Anderson Cancer Center
What Happened When Scientists Tested an Ionic Foot Bath
A 2012 study published in the Journal of Environmental and Public Health looked into one of the best-known brands of ionic foot bath machines, the IonCleanse. First, the researchers ran the machine with no one using it, once in distilled water and six times in tap water, for its typical 30-minute session, and then analyzed the water.
Next, six healthy study participants used the foot bath once a week for four weeks, and researchers analyzed their urine (four times over the course of the study) and hair (at the beginning and end of the study). If toxic elements were being leached out of the body by the foot bath, the reasoning went, they would show up in the urine and hair. Nothing did that pointed back to the feet.
The researchers concluded that there was no evidence that toxic elements were being leached out of the feet, and that whatever turned up in the water was there with or without a foot in it. Yes, this was a small study, just six people over four weeks, and the authors refer to it as a proof of principle. But it’s the only controlled study of ionic foot bath machines we could find in the peer-reviewed literature, and its findings are exactly what we’d expect from first principles.
“Contrary to claims made for the machine, there does not appear to be any specific induction of toxic element release through the feet when running the machine according to specifications.”
1. Epsom Salt Foot Soaks
An Epsom salt soak is a lot like a warm bath. The heat of warm water encourages your parasympathetic (relaxation) nervous system to relax, particularly after a long day. And, spending 20 minutes sitting still has therapeutic effects in and of itself. Afterward, you’ll likely find that your legs feel looser, although hot water would have a similar effect on your muscles.
Epsom salt doesn’t increase your magnesium levels meaningfully. However, it is true that soaking in Epsom salt can help soften the skin of your feet. This can make it easier for you to tackle pesky calluses.
If you’re magnesium-deficient, Epsom salt foot soaks aren’t going to fix that. Talk to your doctor about supplementation. Just know that any positive effects are likely to be due to the ritual itself, the warm water and nothing more, as there is no detoxification or rejuvenation going on.
“Warm baths alone have benefits with aches and easing tension. Whether Epsom salt improves this is yet to be fully understood due to a lack of research and evidence.”
How to use: Just drop a ? cup of Epsom salt in a foot-sized tub of warm water. (If it’s not totally foot sized that’s fine, too.) But you only need enough to cover your feet. Think of it as up to your ankles. Don’t make it too hot! Then soak them for 15-20 minutes three-four times per week.
2. Bentonite Clay Foot Mask
You may have heard that wearing a bentonite clay foot mask helps to draw out toxins. This isn’t exactly true, but wearing a bentonite clay foot mask can still help with smelly feet. Bentonite clay is an effective degreaser that helps to lift away grime and absorb any sweat byproducts that feed the odor-causing bacteria. It can help to soften your feet, removing rough skin and easing calluses. Once you wash it off, your feet will be smoother, cleaner, and less smelly. Bentonite clay doesn’t draw out toxins. It cleans. Bentonite clay foot masks are quite drying, so limit yourself to wearing them no more than once per week for best results and healthy feet.
“Bentonite clay is so absorbent, it’s like a sponge that binds to oil and dirt on the skin’s surface.”
— Dr. Joshua Zeichner, MD, board-certified dermatologist; Director of Cosmetic & Clinical Research in Dermatology, Mount Sinai Hospital, NYC
How to use: You only need two tablespoons of bentonite clay. Mix it with however much water or apple cider vinegar you need to form a thick paste. Put it on your feet and leave it on for no more than 10 minutes. Don’t try to walk around because you’ll leave footprints everywhere you go. Only do this once a week, tops.
3. Ginger Foot Soak for Circulation
The ginger makes the water feel hotter than it really is. That means if you have particularly cold feet during the winter, ginger foot soaks will warm them right up. It’s not going to drain your lymphatic system but it can serve as a relaxing at-home remedy for cold feet.
The hot, cozy feeling is therapeutic and comforting. If you enjoy a relaxing soak before bed in the colder months, give your feet some relief with a ginger foot soak. It won’t heal anything or detoxify you.
How to use: Pop over to your fridge and grab the stick of ginger that has been sitting in the crisper for the last month. Grate about two inches of it into warm water. You can also use a tablespoon of ginger powder if you’re using the foot-sized basin. Soak for 15 minutes. Don’t worry if your feet start to get red. That’s increased blood flow, not irritation.
4. Contrast Hydrotherapy
This is one of the few foot treatments here with evidence behind it. Alternating warm and cold water for your feet causes the blood vessels to expand and contract which can help to relieve swelling by pumping stagnant blood and fluids from the legs.
Your legs will feel noticeably lighter almost immediately. It helps with that heavy-leg feeling. It can also help sore legs recover a bit faster after exercise. The effects last hours rather than days, so it has to be done consistently.
It does nothing about whatever is causing the fluid to pool in the first place.
“Muscle soreness, muscle damage, strength, and power all appear to recover quicker after [contrast water therapy] compared to no intervention.”
How to use: For this one you’re going to need two foot-sized basins. Fill one with cold water (feel free to use ice), and the other with water that is as warm as you can take it. Put your feet in the warm one for three minutes, and then the cold one for one minute. Do this three times, ending with the cold. You’ll need to do this 3-4 times per week to really get the benefits.
5. Peppermint or Tea Tree Soak
Peppermint can be added to a foot bath to produce a cooling effect. The compound that makes up peppermint (menthol) tricks your nerve receptors into thinking that the temperature has been reduced. The temperature of your feet will not actually change. That said, the sensation of coolness can last for up to 1 hour after a peppermint foot soak. However, any claims that peppermint detoxes your body are not true.
Tea tree oil can help with odor and athlete’s foot thanks to its antifungal properties. That said, a foot bath, even one with tea tree added, will be much less effective than applying tea tree oil directly to your feet. Tea tree will not treat stubborn conditions like toenail fungus, for which you should see your doctor for a stronger treatment. Try using tea tree daily for 2-4 weeks to determine if it’s helpful for any fungal or odor-causing issues you’re having. Make sure your pets cannot access the bowl, as licking their paws or drinking from it could lead to accidental ingestion of the oil which could prove toxic.
“Terpinen-4-ol, a major constituent of tea tree oil, exhibited antimicrobial activity against Candida albicans, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.”
How to use: Just drop anywhere from 5-10 drops of the oils into some warm water. Don’t put it directly on your skin. Let it soak for 15 minutes. If you’re looking for the antifungal application, you’ll need to do it every day for two weeks.
6. Foot Massage and Pressure Points
You may have seen or even bought a reflexology chart. They’re little maps of your feet with illustrations of your organs and instructions for massaging certain pressure points to help your liver or kidneys or whatever part of your body is feeling under-the-weather. Reflexology charts suggest that pressing on certain areas of your feet detoxes corresponding organs of your body. It’s a story that sells. But there’s no scientific evidence that reflexology does what sellers of reflexology say it does.
That said, foot massage does help reduce stress. When someone gives you a foot massage, applying pressure to the bottom of your feet and kneading the area stimulates your body’s parasympathetic response. This reduces the production of the stress hormone cortisol and slows your heart rate. As a result, you feel more relaxed and less anxious.
Chances are, when someone gives you a foot massage, your shoulders will relax, too. You’ll likely stay relaxed anywhere from several minutes to a couple of hours after your massage, depending on how stressed-out you are. Apply pressure to each foot for 5 to 10 minutes to receive all of the massage’s relaxing benefits. More than 10 minutes per foot won’t make it last longer.
“The positive effects of massage therapy derive from the movement of the skin and the stimulation of pressure receptor cells under the skin. When the skin moves, it increases vagal nerve activity.”
— Dr. Tiffany Field, PhD, Director, Touch Research Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
How to use: Get yourself a nice massage ball roller (we have one below). Then roll your arch, heel and ball of your feet on the roller for 5-10 minutes per foot. Using before bed can help sleep quality.
7. Detox Foot Pads (Skip These)
Remember Kinoki Foot Pads? You stuck one on each foot at night, and in the morning pulled them off and they were black and gooey, full of all the toxins your body had oozed out during slumber. Two weeks’ supply cost $19.95, plus $9.95 for shipping. And the company sold a lot of them.
But in January 2009, the Federal Trade Commission filed a complaint in federal court in New Jersey against the company that makes the pads, Xacta 3000, and the company’s two principals. The company claimed that the pads could rid the body of toxins, heavy metals, metabolic waste, parasites, chemicals and even cellulite, and could treat depression, fatigue, diabetes, arthritis and high blood pressure, and help people lose weight. And the company claimed that all of this was scientifically proven. Not so, said the FTC. Or at least, the claims were unsupported by evidence at the time they were made. In November 2010, a federal judge approved a settlement in which the Kinoki marketers are enjoined from marketing or selling, or helping others market or sell, any dietary supplement, food, drug or medical device, and must pay a $14.5 million judgment based on sales figures.
The judgment was suspended because they could not pay it. Oh, and why do the pads turn black and gooey? They turn that color when they get damp. That’s what happens when you stick anything in your sock overnight. Kinoki-type foot pads are still being sold, just not under that name. They work exactly as well as they always have. That is to say, not at all.
“[Consumers] could remove heavy metals, metabolic wastes, toxins, parasites, chemicals, and cellulite from their bodies.”
Does Sweat Actually Carry Toxins Out Through Your Feet?
So can foot soaks help you detox? The best case for it rests on a couple of studies. One Canadian study from 2011, which found that after analyzing the blood, urine and sweat of 20 study participants, some potentially toxic heavy metals were found in sweat samples in higher concentrations than in the participants’ blood samples, and in some cases weren’t found in the blood at all. The study screened for about 120 different compounds.
And a systematic review from 2012 that analyzed 24 studies and found similar results, especially in people who’ve been exposed to higher levels of toxic metals like mercury, lead, cadmium and arsenic. Both the authors of the systematic review and of the Canadian study suggest that sweat needs to be studied further and call for additional studies with larger sample sizes. Unfortunately for the foot detox crowd, these studies are fighting an uphill battle against physiology.
A 2019 review of how the sweat glands actually work concludes that sweat glands play only a minor role in getting rid of waste products and toxicants compared to the gut and kidneys because they don’t actively concentrate sweat or increase excretion of anything since they’re there to keep you cool. It’s possible the studies that found higher levels of toxins in sweat could reflect artifacts of how the sweat was collected. And even if these studies are completely accurate, they still don’t help foot detox soaks, because, for starters, putting your feet in a basin of warm water is not the same as going in a sauna. And besides, the tiny amount of anything that may be leaving your body through your sweat glands is being excreted in much larger quantities by your kidneys, with or without the foot soak.
“The role of sweating to eliminate waste products and toxicants seems to be minor compared with other avenues of excretion via the kidneys and gastrointestinal tract.”
The Bottom Line on Foot Detox
Foot detoxes don’t detox. There is no scientific evidence that proves that your body pulls poisons in through your feet and then releases them the same way. Contrary to what advertisers say, detoxification is something that happens naturally. Your liver and kidneys work to detoxify your body.
Foot care can help you feel better because it may increase circulation and lymphatic flow. Certain types of foot fungus can also receive some therapeutic benefits through basic foot care. Foot care is worth doing because it encourages blood flow and promotes healthy skin. Just don’t spend money on a commercial foot detox package, because it won’t do anything for your health.
“The entire notion of detoxification as used and promoted in alternative medicine is biologically meaningless and confers absolutely no health benefits. […] The only thing that detox removes is money from your wallet.”
— Edzard Ernst, MD, PhD, FRCP; Emeritus Professor of Complementary Medicine, University of Exeter
Natalie Antaya is a wellness writer at The Greenest covering nutrition, everyday health habits, and practical self-care.
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