Detox water (Myth vs Truth) - by Dr.Araki


     I've been surrounded by bottles of detox water recently, its everywhere. It become like a fashion went viral especially for women and those who over care about diet. When I woke up in the morning I see my sister preparing her detox water for school, I reached hospital most of nurses have their detox water with them, head of infectious control always keep her bottle of detox water in open space so everyone can see it and she change it every day with different gradient, even some patient bring with them their own detox water without taking permission from their treating doctor. Internet is loaded with variety of detox water with different recipes.   


 


        Companies are selling variety of detox pitchers and water bottles in different shapes and colors. Celebrities talking about their special detox water and how it makes them healthier. Fitness couches selling the idea of losing weight by drinking detox water. This is too much it needs to be investigated.

Is it really improve your health? 


                          


What detox water do? 

There is outstanding claims about detox water, I collected this list from asking people around me and searching online.

1 – Drinking water is boring. Drinking detox water is fun.  

                                                     

        Well, most of nurses said that, and I totally agree about it, detox water taste good and encourage you to drink more. That is an advantage over plane water.  
It looks good, particularly in those elegant pitchers and bottles make you feel that you are fashionable person, stylish to have a bottle of those in your room or office, it seems like healthier attitude.
Conclusion about this point, detox water is stylish, fashionable and make you drink more water . 

2 – It helps my body get rid of toxins. 

Detoxification system in your body
Normal person have well devolved system to remove toxin from the body. There are two type of toxin can be found, first one the toxin made by body itself as end product of metabolic process, the second is the toxin enter the body through any rout from outside, it can get in from oral rout, inhalation and even contact. All toxins that enter blood stream should get through liver no matter what. It works like border officer who accept entrance for nutrients and reject toxins by detoxifies them into soluble material that can be execrated out of the body through urine or feces .

Unless your liver function is impaired or you are ingesting large amount of toxin exceeded your liver ability to sort it out, you don't have to worry that much about detoxification. However it is well known that increase water intake will help Kidney and liver to do their jobs fast. But this can achieve by plan water from the tap. Point to take home here, this is most likely a myth, no any evidence suggest that detox water is better than water.

3 – Detox water makes me lose weight. 

                             

Believe it or not, that claim supported by researches, lose weight from drinking more water. But not only detox water, actually any water like tap water can do it, simply because more water increase metabolic rate which is burning more calories out of your body, However its effect is not significant at all, losing weight by drinking water is like trying to win bodybuilding champion by walking less than half an hour daily.
Add to that, detox water have natural nutrients in tiny amount like vitamins and minerals without much calories. Anyway bot are not significant to affect you nutritional state.
We can conclude that this is a truth to some extend (it help reduce weight).
 

4 – It improves my mood. 

I searched about this but I couldn't find any evidence that can support that. Although dehydration is known to have an effect on the mood and concentration, in someone who drink recommended amount of water, no rational can explain improve in mood other than placebo effect. Mood are controlled by neurotransmitter that can be affected by response to environmental trigger but have nothing to do with detox water according to my knowledge and research. Some Vitamin and minerals deficiency can cause depression and one can argue that detox water have tiny amount of those. Well it is tiny amount and we are talking about deficiency in person who is malnourished or not eating balanced food, Moreover even if there is, detox water is not a good choice to replace those.
In nutshell if person already drink abundant amount of water, detox water enhance mood is a myth.

5 – it improve my spiritual state.  

I can't either confirm or reject this claim, it is not testable, couldn't find any research about it so it is better to decide by yourself if detox water help you in a spiritual way.

Thank you for reading this blog
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Senior medical resident at King Fahad specialist hospital
Bachelor in Medicine & surgery from University of El Imam El Mahdi
Diploma in Family medicine - Sudanese center for medical training ( SCMT ) 
Partial membership of royal collage of physician of United Kingdom (MRCPUK part1)
Partial membership of royal collage of physician of Ireland (MRCPI part1)
passed United States medical licencing examination - USMLE (passed step 2 CK)

                                                           

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