Effect of toxic trace element detoxification, body fat reduction following four-week intake of the Wellnessup diet: a three-arm, randomized clinical trial

Abstract

Background: Detox diet are known as a popular dieting strategies that helps toxins elimination and weight manage but there is very little clinical evidence. The Wellnessup diet (WD) used in the present study designed as a healthy meals based on organic plant based diets including various vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts and phytonutrients. Methods: To evaluate the effects of 4 week intake of the WD on toxic trace element detoxification, body fat reduction, and safety parameters. Forty-five women with body mass index (BMI) of 23.5-30 kg/m 2 were recruited. Thirty of them were assigned 1:1 to the test group (WD, 15 subjects) and control group 1 (calorie-restricted diet, CRD, 15 subjects) in a single blind and randomized, and the remaining 15 subjects were assigned to control group 2 (maintaining regular diet, MRD). The primary outcome were toxic trace element levels in hair (29 types of heavy metals), and the secondary outcomes were changes in anthropometric and urinary organic acids. Results: The levels of four toxic trace elements in hair decreased in the WD group after the diet compared to before the diet. Ni, Rh, Sn, and Ga were significantly lower in the WD group than in the CRD or MRD group (p < 0.05). At the end of the trial, both WD and CRD groups had lower BMI, Waist Circumference(WC), Hip Circumference(HC) and WHR compared to the baseline values (p < 0.05). Compared to the WD group, the CRD group had a greater mean change (p < 0.05) from the baseline for weight loss (− 3.22 ± 0.48 kg vs − 1.88 ± 0.95 kg vs) and fat free mass (− 2.08 kg vs − 1.09 kg). The weight, BMI, body fat mass, fat free mass, WC, and HC of the CRD group were significantly decreased compared to the MRD (p < 0.05). No significant changes in any safety parameter were observed. Conclusions: Use of WD might have several beneficial effects and safety such as body fat reduction and improving some the element detoxification through caloric restriction but did not reducing body fat mass more than calorierestricted diet.

Clinical, cellular and molecular approaches to oxidative stress in athletes' bodies: a systematic and integrative review

“…At the end of the trial, both WD and CKD groups had lower BMI, Waist Circumference, Hip Circumference, and WHR compared to baseline values (p < 0.05). Compared with the WD group, the CKD group had a greater mean change (p < 0.05) from baseline for weight loss and fat-free mass [44].…”

Excretion of Heavy Metals and Glyphosate in Urine and Hair Before and After Long-Term Fasting in Humans

“…The decrease in lead concentrations may reflect the lower dietary exposure as food intake was interrupted during fasting. In another study, a calorie reduced diet for 4 weeks in 15 subjects led to a significant decrease of arsenic in hair ( 23 ).…”

“…While some evidence is available to support the detoxifying properties of some plants in laboratory animals ( 21 ), limited evidence supports the claim for beneficial effects of detox diets because they are generally not tested with properly designed clinical trials in humans ( 22 ). Only one study describes toxic trace element detoxification caused by a switch to an organic plant based diet in a multi-armed randomized clinical trial ( 23 ). In addition, some herbal remedies produced with poor-manufacturing practices can also cause liver injuries ( 24 ) because they are frequently contaminated with heavy metals ( 25 ).…”