02.What is in the box
Breaking down the ingredients
You'll have heard the claims before – specially designed with
this, professionally formulated
from that. There are “rare
combinations”, “unique blends”
and even “powerful super
foods”, all claimed to be the
next big thing. But what’s
really in the box? Of the
powders, potions and pills
we looked at, most contain
a combination of fruit and
vegetable extracts, liver
tonics, laxatives and
traditional weight loss
aids. And a number
of the ingredients that
popped up more than
once were flagged by
dietitians as being of
particular interest.
Caffeine
Known for its ability to stimulate
your central nervous system, caffeine is
present in two of these products, most
likely because of its ability to speed up
your metabolism. It’s generally accepted
that the caffeine in two to four cups of
coffee each day is harmless, however too
much caffeine can make you anxious and
may cause headaches or abnormal heart
rhythms. While the 4321 Slim Evolution
gives a precise measure for the amount of
caffeine in each dose on its label, its sister
product, the 4321 10 Day Body Boot
Camp, does not. It’s interesting to note
that while some products give you added
caffeine, others require it to be eliminated
for the duration of the detox, which
can cause headaches for those who
regularly consume coffee. Back to top.
Green tea
The two 4321 products also
contain green tea, considered to
have antioxidant properties and
the ability to improve mental
alertness (most likely because
of its caffeine content) and often
used as a weight loss aid. But
despite this, there is little reliable
data to determine whether this
age-old beverage will help to
cleanse or cut the kilos. Back to top.
Bitter orange
Also said to speed
up metabolism is bitter
orange, a key ingredient
in the Blackmores
Kickstart Detox. Experts
say there’s not enough
evidence to support
the use of this ingredient
for health purposes,
particularly
given reports
of its links to
fainting, heart
attack and
stroke. Bitter
orange should
be avoided by people
with high blood pressure and should
not be taken in conjunction with
caffeine, yet the Kickstart
Detox’s packaging and
the public summary
of the product in the
Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG)
fail to contain
such warnings. Back to top.
Super berries
Berries such as acai,
goji and cranberries
also appear in a number
of products. Cranberries have known
antioxidant properties and can help
prevent urinary tract infections, although
the evidence is not definitive and caution
should be exercised by those who take
blood-thinning drugs, such as warfarin
and aspirin, in taking a product that
contains cranberries. Goji berries should
also be avoided by people on warfarin.
There is no definitive scientific evidence
to support the claims that acai berries,
native to Central and South America
and promoted widely as a “superfood”,
promote weight loss. Back to top.
Extracts
Di Prima says while there’s nothing
dangerous about most of these
ingredients, the whole food is always
going to be better than a single extract. As
an example, beta-carotene, found in both
of the 48-hour detoxes, appears to be
associated with an increased risk of
lung cancer in smokers when taken
as a supplement, but eating a lot of beta
carotene-containing fruits and vegetables
is associated with a lower risk. Back to top.
Ingredients to encourage bowel movement
The inclusion of psyllium in the
Totally Natural Quick Cleanse and
Skinny Mini is designed to promote
regular bowel movements. Although not harmful in itself, psyllium
should not be taken with the
common painkiller aspirin
and people with diabetes,
heart disease or high blood
pressure should be especially
cautious – although the product
fails to provide this
warning on its
packaging. Rhubarb
and senna are also used
in some of the products
to promote regular
bowel movements.
However, if you eat a
sufficient amount of
high-fibre foods, such
as oats, grains and
fruits, this should not
be an issue for you. Back to top.
Silybin
Silybin, the
biologically active
element of milk thistle,
appears in the Bioglan
Intense Cleanse and
the Totally Natural Quick Cleanse.
Historically thought to protect and
improve liver function, laboratory studies
suggest this could be correct, although
clinical trials have not been able to link
the two. Found naturally in meat and
fish, taurine also appears in these two
products. Back to top.
Taurine
Taurine is thought to contain
antioxidants and may improve liver
function in patients with existing liver
disease (hepatitis),
however there’s no
evidence to support
the idea that taurine
can improve the
function of a
healthy liver.
The QuickTrim Fast
Cleanse (endorsed by Kim
and Khloe Kardashian)
claims you’ll slim down
and lose your bloat in
just 48 hours – although
the fructose and soybean
fibre may have exactly
the opposite effect on
some people, according
to McGrice. Back to top.
Chitosan
Chitosan, a dietary fibre
derived from the shell of crustaceans,
is popular in weight loss products for its
ability to bind small amounts of fat into
waste. As an ingredient in the 4321 10
Day Body Boot Camp, chitosan appeals
to those looking to shed excess kilos,
although this is not all it is
capable of shedding. Chitosan
does not distinguish between
different types of fat, which
means good fats, such as
omega-3s, can also be lost
in the process. More
importantly, good-quality
studies suggest the effect of
chitosan on body weight is
minimal. The US Food and
Drug Administration warns
directly against the use of
chitosan, which it says may
cause problems for those
allergic to shellfish. McGrice
says while chitosan may play
a role in weight loss, “there
are better things that can be done to
improve metabolism, such as exercise”. Back to top.
The expert view
Of the products we looked at, the majority came with the recommendation that the detox be undertaken in conjunction with a healthy eating plan. Di Prima says although the ingredients may not always have a scientific benefit, the upside of detox products is the way they encourage consumers to embark on new health regimes. “[On the detox], people will exercise more, eat better, cut out bad foods and lose weight. They attribute this to the tablet, but it is more likely actually the change to lifestyle that has made the difference.”
The worst of the worst
Lemon and sugar is perfect for pancakes, but what about detoxing? Dubbed an extreme and terrible dieting option by our dietitians due to its recommendation you eliminate all food for seven days, the Pure Natural lemon detox cost us $89.95 (plus the cost of a few lemons) at an inner city Sydney pharmacy. We decided to compare how much people are paying for this product, with the true cost of its ingredients, which likely have no real health benefits whatsoever. To buy similar ingredients from a supermarket – one litre of golden syrup, a packet of cayenne pepper, a 50 pack of senna laxative tablets and jar of sea salt – costs less than $25 (lemons not included).