Detoxifying foot pads contain mainly vinegar and green tea extracts, according to a study done by Dr. Devra Davis on MSNBC. These ingredients are harmless and pose no safety issues for the majority of users. However, the adhesive used in the pads has proven irritating to some users. Overall, the foot pads are generally regarded as safe.
History
Detox foot pads are a form of traditional Japanese medicine, and, according to a report by Dr. Mercola, the original pads used bamboo vinegar that had been fermented for nine years. These pads had an effect on the kidney meridian, located on the feet, according to traditional Japanese medicine. Even these original pads, however, did not detoxify the body of heavy metals.
Misconceptions
None of the foot pads detoxify the body. The brown gunk on the pads is simply the chemical reaction of moisture plus the substances on the pads. In the pads tested by Dr. Davis the substance was simply green tea and vinegar. John Stossel, co-anchor of the ABC news program 20/20, asked for a report on ingredients from Avon and Kinoki, two manufacturers of these pads, but neither company responded.
Benefits
The pads act like poultices and some contain ingredients such as milk thistle, an herb known to be beneficial to the liver, according to Dr. James Duke, author of The Green Pharmacy. It is possible that some benefit may be obtained from placing the pads on certain areas of the body. Dr. Duke states, for example, certain pads contain cayenne pepper, a known pain reducer. If the pad containing cayenne pepper is placed over a painful joint or muscle it is possible that the user could experience pain relief.
Safety
The pads were included in a U.S. Food and Drug Administration import alert on May 11, 2007, because the detox foot pads are misbranded and claim to do something that they don't do. There is no known safety hazard associated with the pads. However, Avon and Kinoki were not forthcoming with their ingredients lists, so allergic reactions are possible, since there is the possibility of an unknown ingredient posing an allergic threat. Also, the adhesive used on the pads can be irritating to some people, according to the 20/20 report.
Considerations
Detoxifying foot pads are a popular health item, especially in Asian countries. Using the foot pads should not pose a problem and may do some good when treated as a poultice. According to a report on WPIX, a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, television station, the Center for Disease Control found 60 toxins in the 2,000 people it tested in 2005. However, detox foot pads may not be the most efficient method for detoxification.
Tags: foot pads, foot pads, according report, adhesive used, adhesive used pads, Avon Kinoki