Ionic Detox Foot Bath: Does It Work?

Ionic foot detoxes have risen in popularity over the years. You can easily find a spa or holistic treatment center offering a foot detox as a service, or just as easily pick up a detox machine to use at home.

However, do ionic detox foot baths really work?

You’re right to always question therapies before going ahead and having an open mind.

Although, in my experience, you often need to give something a try and see for yourself too. However, let’s take a look at what ionic foot detoxes are and what evidence there is to back up their claims:

What Are the Health Benefits with Detox Foot Baths?

According to the manufacturers of detox baths, as well as some of the claims from spas offering the treatments, you should expect any/all of the following:

• Balancing your pH levels
• Reducing inflammation
• Promoting healing and wellness
• Purging heavy metals
• Strengthening your immune system
• Cleansing internal organs, such as your liver and kidneys

How Do Ionic Foot Baths Work?

Depending on whether or not you buy into the baths working, they work by pulling toxins from your body through the bottom of your feet that are in the foot bath.

The ionizing bath adds a charge to the water which gives the hydrogen a positive charge. This is then supposed to absorb the negatively charged toxins you’re carrying in your body.

It’s a simple, painless process. The color of the water is then said to show the area of your body that has been affected the most and can tell you more about your health and the amount of toxins you’re carrying.

Evidence and Studies into Detox Baths

There have been a few interesting studies into the claims that detox baths help with all of the above-mentioned benefits.

One such study (source) holds a lot of weight for me. A group of volunteers were given a course of ionic foot detoxes under controlled conditions and monitored.

All of the health and wellness benefits advertised by the manufacturers were looked at, and the conclusions were very interesting.

The professors included there was no real evidence to suggest that the footbaths drew out any toxins through the users.

The good news is there was also no evidence that the footbaths have any kind of negative impact. But the findings are surprising.

I’ve had a foot bath myself, so has several people I know. While I didn’t feel any effects that I can quantify, I know people who swear by these footbaths as helping them feel a lot better.

This may be a placebo effect. But, it also may not.

As I mentioned in the opening comments, you really have to try alternative therapies for yourself before making your mind up completely in my opinion.

If it helps you feel better, then it’s working, regardless the reasons why you feel better, right?

Conclusion

If you’re interested in ionic detox foot baths and want to try one out for yourself I recommend you do so.

All the evidence and the studies suggest they don’t do as advertised, but that’s not to say that you’re not going to feel better after having one.