Detox diets and juice cleanses: do they work?

By the Voltra team · Updated 30 September 2026

There's no good evidence that they do. A 2015 review found very little clinical evidence for detox diets, and its authors knew of no randomised controlled trial testing a commercial detox diet in people [1]. Juicing and detox diets can take weight off at first because they're low in calories, but a 2017 review cited by the US National Institutes of Health found they tend to lead to weight gain once people go back to a normal diet [2].

What the research says

A 2015 critical review in the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics asked whether detox diets are needed, what they involve, whether they work and whether they carry any dangers [1]. A handful of clinical studies had reported benefits, such as better liver detoxification, but they were hampered by flawed methods and small samples, and as far as the authors knew, no randomised controlled trial had tested a commercial detox diet in people [1].

The US National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), part of the National Institutes of Health, says only a small number of studies have looked at detox programmes in people, and that they've been of low quality [2]. It sums up two reviews:

"A 2015 review concluded that there was no compelling research to support the use of “detox” diets for weight management or eliminating toxins from the body." [2]
"A 2017 review said that juicing and “detox” diets can cause initial weight loss because of low intake of calories, but they tend to lead to weight gain once a person resumes a normal diet." [2]

No studies have looked at the long-term effects of detox programmes, NCCIH adds [2]. Our guide to crash diets covers the risks of losing weight too fast.

Green juices and your kidneys

NCCIH warns: "Some juices are made from foods that are high in oxalate, a naturally occurring substance. Examples of high-oxalate foods include leafy green vegetables and beets." [2] People prone to kidney stones should limit high-oxalate foods, it says [2].

Doctors at the Mayo Clinic in the US described a patient whose kidneys failed after drinking large amounts of oxalate-rich fruit and vegetable juice from juicing; the patient already had chronic kidney disease [3]. Reviewing 65 patients seen at the clinic from 1985 to 2010 with kidney failure and calcium oxalate crystals on a kidney biopsy, they found diet was the presumed cause in 3, including this one, all with chronic kidney disease [3]. They concluded that juicing followed by heavy drinking of oxalate-rich juice appears to be a potential cause of oxalate kidney damage and acute kidney failure [3].

In a 2018 case report, a 65-year-old woman whose kidneys had worked normally developed acute kidney injury after a green smoothie cleanse made by juicing oxalate-rich leafy greens and fruit, and it progressed to end-stage kidney disease [4]. The authors list a gastric bypass years earlier and a recent long course of antibiotics as predisposing factors [4]. It's a single case.

Other risks

Laxatives. "“Detoxification” programs may include laxatives, which can cause diarrhea. Acute diarrhea can lead to dehydration and malabsorption." [2]
Days without food. "Drinking large quantities of water and herbal tea and not eating any food for days in a row could lead to dangerous electrolyte imbalances." [2]
Nutrients. "Diets that severely restrict calories or the types of food you eat usually don’t lead to lasting weight loss and may not provide all the nutrients you need." [2]
Unpasteurised juice. Juice that hasn't been pasteurised or otherwise treated to kill harmful bacteria can make people sick, and the illness can be serious in children, older people and anyone with a weakened immune system [2].
Diabetes. If you have diabetes, NCCIH advises checking with your healthcare providers before making major changes to how you eat [2].

Detox and slimming teas

In the US, the Food and Drug Administration and the Federal Trade Commission have acted against several companies selling detox and cleansing products, in some cases because the products contained hidden ingredients that may pose a significant health risk [2].

Saudi Arabia's Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) has found banned drugs in products sold as natural slimming aids:

2010. A herbal tea in sachets, Paiyouji plus, sold as a natural slimming tea, turned out on analysis to contain sibutramine, a weight-loss drug the SFDA had deregistered and banned after later studies showed serious side effects, including a higher risk of heart and artery disease [5]. The SFDA warned that such products are adulterated with addictive weight-loss drugs such as amphetamines that damage the heart valves, and with laxatives such as senna [5].
2014. Slimming products advertised and sold on social media by unknown sellers contained large amounts of amphetamine derivatives, banned because they harm the heart and are addictive [6].
2018. Magrim Super Power Slimming, promoted by street sellers, websites and social media apps as a natural and effective slimming product, was found in SFDA lab tests to be adulterated with two banned drug substances, sibutramine and phenolphthalein; it was made in Hong Kong [7]. The SFDA called the claim misleading and baseless, and told consumers not to use it and to get rid of any they had [7].

These SFDA warnings are about slimming products; we didn't find one about detox teas as such.

Your liver and kidneys already do this

Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Health said in May 2026, according to a Saudi news site, that the body clears toxins naturally through the kidneys and liver, without needing outside help, and that the idea that some juices or products detox the body isn't medically accurate [8]. The juices can be part of a healthy diet, it said, but shouldn't be seen as a substitute for what the body does itself [8].

In Voltra

In the Eat tab you log food by photo, search, barcode or by describing it, and see each day against your daily calorie target, so you can see how a juice-only day compares. Voltra's calculated target never goes below 1,200 kcal a day. If you type in your own target below your estimated resting burn, or below 1,200 kcal when there are no body stats, Voltra warns you once when you save it, but doesn't block it.

Frequently asked

Do detox diets help you lose weight?

Not for long. Juicing and detox diets can take weight off at first because they're low in calories, but a 2017 review cited by the US National Institutes of Health found they tend to lead to weight gain once a normal diet resumes.

Does a juice cleanse remove toxins?

There's no good evidence that it does. Saudi Arabia's health ministry says the liver and kidneys clear toxins naturally, and that the idea that some juices or products detox the body isn't medically accurate.

Are juice cleanses safe?

Not for everyone. Juices high in oxalate, such as those made from leafy greens and beets, have been linked to kidney failure in case reports, in people with kidney disease or other risk factors. Laxatives in some detox programmes can cause diarrhoea and dehydration.

Are detox teas safe?

We found no SFDA warning about detox teas as such, but the SFDA has found banned drugs in products sold as natural slimming teas and pills: sibutramine in a herbal slimming tea, and sibutramine and phenolphthalein in Magrim Super Power Slimming.

Sources

Klein AV, Kiat H (2015). Detox diets for toxin elimination and weight management: a critical review of the evidence. J Hum Nutr Diet 28(6):675–686. Abstract.
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, US National Institutes of Health (2025). “Detoxes” and “Cleanses”: What You Need To Know. Last updated March 2025.
Getting JE, Gregoire JR, Phul A, Kasten MJ (2013). Oxalate nephropathy due to 'juicing': case report and review. Am J Med 126(9):768–772. Abstract. A case report and a review of 65 Mayo Clinic patients.
Makkapati S, D'Agati VD, Balsam L (2018). "Green smoothie cleanse" causing acute oxalate nephropathy. Am J Kidney Dis 71(2):281–286. Abstract. A single case.
الهيئة العامة للغذاء والدواء (٢٠١٠). الهيئة العامة للغذاء والدواء تحذر من شاي أعشاب مغشوش بمواد صيدلانية محظورة لإنقاص الوزن. In Arabic. Warning dated 9 June 2010.
الهيئة العامة للغذاء والدواء (٢٠١٤). تحذير حول خطورة بعض منتجات تخفيف الوزن. In Arabic. Warning dated 26 February 2014.
الهيئة العامة للغذاء والدواء (٢٠١٨). "الغذاء والدواء" تحذر من مستحضر Magrim Super Power Slimming لغشه بمادتين دوائيتين محظورتين. In Arabic. Warning dated 12 December 2018.
صحيفة غراس الإلكترونية (٢٠٢٦). تحذير صحي: لا تعتمد على منتجات الديتوكس حلاً لإزالة السموم. In Arabic. A news report of a Saudi Ministry of Health statement, 5 May 2026.

Sources checked on 30 September 2026.

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