| Detoxification foot baths | |
|---|---|
| Foot detox, ionic cleansing, ionic foot bath and aqua/water detox | |
 A person receiving a detox foot bath treatment | |
| Alternative therapy |
Detoxification foot baths, also known asfoot detox,ionic cleansing,ionic foot bath andaqua/water detox arepseudoscientificalternative medical devices marketed as being able to remove toxins from the human body. They work by providing anelectric current to anelectrode array immersed in a salt water solution. When switched on, theelectrodes rapidlyrust in a chemical process calledelectrolysis which quickly turns the water brown. This reaction happens regardless of whether or not a person's feet are immersed in the water, and no toxins from the human body have ever been detected in the water after use.
Detoxification foot baths first became popular with consumers in the early 2000s and quickly became popular in spas due to the theatre of the visible brown water and sludge produced by the devices.[1] One manufacturer of the device, known as Aqua Detox, states that the concept is based on research from the 1920s to 1930s byRoyal Rife, an inventor who claimed his Rife Devices could "devitalize disease organisms" by vibrating them at certainfrequencies.[2][3]
Detoxification foot baths consist of two major components, a simple container in which to place the feet and an electrode array. Usually afragrant, warm salted water is used as theelectrolyte and the customer's feet, along with the array, are immersed in this water. Inside the array are two metal electrodes, between which a current flows, causing the electrodes to rust rapidly due to electrolysis.[4] This reaction quickly turns the salt watersolution brown, and flakes of rust may also be visible in the water.[5] Electrode arrays used in this application degrade quickly, and usually need to be replaced after roughly 16 hours of use.[3]
Proponents of detoxification foot baths claim they are capable of helping the human body in numerous ways.[5] Effects like "re-balancing the cellular energy" of the body, helping with headaches and sleeplessness, tokidney,liver, andimmune system function are regularly stated.[6] More serious claims such as helping withheavy metal toxicity andautism spectrum disorder have been made by various proponents.[7][8]
Some spas and manufacturers provide charts to show their customers the different areas of their bodies from which toxins originate. In these charts, the color of the water in the foot bath, after treatment, purportedly defines the source of toxins in the body.[7][4][9]
| Water color and consistency | Associated area of the body from which "toxins" originated |
|---|---|
| White foam | Thelymphatic system |
| Yellow | Thekidneys,bladder,urinary tract orprostate area |
| Orange | Thejoints |
| Dark green | Thegall bladder |
| Red with flecks | Blood clot material |
| Black | Theliver |
| Brown | The liver, cellular debris, andtobacco |
| Black with flecks | Heavy metals |
There is noscientific basis to the claims of these charts.[7][4][10]
Inside Edition visited several spas inNew York City in 2011 to investigate detox foot treatments. At each spa they visited, they were told that the treatments would improve their overall health, and that the change in the color of the water was due to the release of toxins from their bodies.Inside Edition then purchased a detox foot bath and had it examined byelectrical engineer Steve Fowler, at his lab. After examining the device, he concluded that "Everything you see here is just rust, this is nothing more than two pieces of metal rusting, it has nothing to do with toxins. It is just a simple chemistry experiment."[4]
In his 2008 bookBad Science,Ben Goldacre discussed his experiences investigating the science behind detox foot baths. After reading an article inThe Daily Telegraph about them, he suspected the brown water could be rust. He then set up his experiment using a bucket of water, a car battery, and two large nails. Hisexperiment quickly changed the color of the water in the bucket to a dark brown with a sludge on top.[1][11]
With this information in mind, he sent a friend to a local spa to get a treatment and to collect water samples before and after. The samples were sent to the Medical Toxicology Unit atSt Mary's Hospital inLondon to be analyzed. The water sampled before the detox foot bath was activated, contained only 0.54mg per liter ofiron, and after the treatment was complete, it contained 23.6mg per liter. For reference, Goldacre's water sample from his original experiment contained 97mg per liter.[1][11]
Goldacre approached several manufacturers of the devices regarding their claims about removing toxins from the body. None of them could explain which toxins were being removed from the body or if any were at all. With that information, he decided to have his water samples tested forcreatinine andurea, two of the smallest breakdownmolecules that the human body creates. Neither of these molecules was found in the samples, just theiron oxide rust.[1][11]
Joe Schwarcz also explained that putting the iron and aluminum electrodes in water will produceiron oxide, showing as various shades of brownish residue. Themagnesium andcalcium naturally present in human sweat increase the electrolytic reaction. After trying the apparatus and getting the brown residue even when the bath is running without the presence of human feet,Timothy Caulfield concluded that "this is a really good example of what's ultimately nothing but amarketing scam."[12]
