Updated: October 2026
In short: According to the sources we checked, a body cleanse doesn't cleanse your body any further, because the liver and kidneys do that anyway. For cleansing diets, studies showing a benefit for weight are lacking. Weight loss comes from the low calorie intake and often returns. What makes more sense is a deliberate break from alcohol, sugar and heavily processed food, which you can also do without a cleanse.
Body cleanse, cleansing diet, purification cleanse: around the turn of the year, after a holiday or after a long weekend, many people search for exactly that. The wish behind it is understandable, because you want to feel lighter and clearer again. We honestly put in context what's behind the term, what the liver, kidneys and others do anyway and what you can realistically expect from three, five or seven days. This article doesn't replace medical advice.
What is a body cleanse and what does it involve?
"Body cleanse" is a popular term. A body cleanse or cleansing diet is supposed to free the body of pollutants. According to the consumer advice centre (Verbraucherzentrale), such cleanses often last 5 to 21 days, with juice and soup days and giving up processed foods. Depending on the provider, teas, powders, capsules or enemas are added.
In everyday life you come across many names for the same principle: purification cleanse, cleansing diet, 3-day, 7-day or 10-day body cleanse, gut cleanse, liver cleanse. What they share is the promise of getting something out of the body that can't even be detected there.
Doesn't the body take care of this itself anyway?
It does. The Verbraucherzentrale calls the liver and kidneys the body's main metabolic and excretory organs, and elsewhere it also counts the lungs. In healthy people they work reliably, without any cleanse at all. The following overview shows who does what.
| Organ | What it does |
|---|---|
| Liver | Breaks down foreign substances, alcohol and many medicines |
| Kidneys | Filter the blood and excrete breakdown products via urine |
| Gut | Excretes indigestible matter and substances released via bile |
| Lungs | Breathe out volatile substances |
| Skin | Releases water and small amounts of salts via sweat |
You'll find more on the liver in the article The Liver: How Does Our Metabolic Organ Actually Work?.
What does science say about the cleansing diet?
A review by Klein and Kiat in the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics from 2015 comes to a clear conclusion: there is very little clinical evidence for cleansing diets. Some small studies reported effects on liver enzymes or pollutants, but these studies have methodological weaknesses and small participant numbers. The authors are not aware of randomised controlled trials on commercial cleansing diets in humans.
The US institute NCCIH puts it similarly: there is no convincing research supporting cleansing diets for weight management or eliminating harmful substances. And the Verbraucherzentrale quotes the German Nutrition Society with the statement that in a healthy body there is no accumulation of waste and deposits of metabolic products.
Can you lose weight with a body cleanse?
In the short term yes, but not because of any cleansing effect. If you eat little, you lose weight. The NCCIH describes that with cleansing diets an initial weight loss results from the low calorie intake, but people tend to regain weight as soon as they eat normally again. The Verbraucherzentrale also sees no evidence for long-term fat reduction through cleansing diets and warns of the yo-yo effect with crash diets.
As a guide for a healthy pace, it gives 500 grams up to a maximum of 1 kilogram per week. If you want to know how much weight is realistic on a Juice Cleanse, read Losing Weight With a Juice Cleanse. How to roughly estimate your needs is shown by the calorie calculator.
How long does a body cleanse last: 3, 5 or 7 days?
There is no duration that demonstrably cleanses the body faster. So the question of 3, 5, 7 or 10 days is more a question of what does you good in practice. Short breaks of two to three days are easier for many people to keep up than two weeks. The Verbraucherzentrale lists tiredness, poor concentration and reduced performance as possible side effects of longer cleansing diets.
| Duration | What is realistic |
|---|---|
| 1 to 3 days | A deliberate break from alcohol, sugar and ready meals. The weight loss consists mainly of water and bowel contents. |
| 5 to 7 days | More effort and more hunger. According to the sources checked, no additional cleansing effect. |
| 10 days and longer | Only makes sense with medical supervision, because the risks of deficiency and exhaustion rise. |
For the question of how long a reset makes sense, the article helps What Is the Optimal Fasting Duration?.
Body cleanse at home: what can you do yourself?
You need neither powders nor expensive packages for it. Instead of cleansing products, the Verbraucherzentrale recommends a healthy and varied choice of foods, giving up nicotine and alcohol, drinking enough and exercise. That is unspectacular, but it's what the body really needs.
- Leave out alcohol for a few days, more on this in Coffee, Nicotine and Alcohol
- Drink plenty of water or unsweetened tea. Even water with lemon, cucumber or mint is in the end water: good because it's sugar-free, but without a proven cleansing effect
- Eat light and rich in vegetables, reduce sugar and ready-made products
- Go for walks, sleep enough
- If you want to fast for 3 days, discuss it with your doctor beforehand, especially if you take medication or have pre-existing conditions
When is a body cleanse not a good idea?
During pregnancy, breastfeeding, diabetes, eating disorders or being underweight, skip cleanses and talk to your doctor. The NCCIH names further risks: anyone who uses laxatives in cleansing programmes risks diarrhoea, dehydration and poorer nutrient absorption. Large amounts of water and herbal tea without food can lead to electrolyte disturbances. Unpasteurised juices can contain germs, and juices from oxalate-rich vegetables such as leafy greens or beetroot can promote kidney stones.
The Verbraucherzentrale also warns: many cleansing products act mainly as diuretics, which with long-term use can lead to mineral loss and affect the action of medication, such as the pill or painkillers. As for cleansing teas, read Cleansing Tea for Weight Loss.
Body cleanse at a hotel or cleanse holiday: is it worth it?
A hotel with peace, exercise and light food can give you rest, and that is the real effect. An additional cleansing effect is not documented there either, according to the sources we checked. Look especially critically at offers that mention harmful substances, waste or healing promises, and get medical advice beforehand if you have pre-existing conditions.
An overview of Juice Cleanse, therapeutic fasting and intermittent fasting is given by Types of Fasting: Which Is Right for Me?. For background on Juice Cleanses, read Juice Cleanse: What's Behind It?.
Pairs well with frank.
If you'd like to take a break with light meals, you'll find our Juice Cleanse and the Soup Cleanse. Both are a deliberate time out with a clear structure, nothing more.
You might also like
- Juice Cleanse - What's Behind It?
- Losing Weight With a Juice Cleanse: How Much Weight Is Realistic?
- The Liver: How Does Our Metabolic Organ Actually Work?
Frequently asked questions about the body cleanse
What does a body cleanse really do?
According to the sources we checked, no additional cleansing effect, because the liver and kidneys do that anyway. Realistic are a deliberate break from alcohol and sugar and a short-term weight loss through fewer calories.
What's the difference between a cleansing diet and a purification cleanse?
In everyday use, both mean the same: a time-limited eating programme that supposedly frees the body of harmful substances. The terms are not medical terms, and no uniform procedure exists.
Can I lose weight with a body cleanse in 7 days?
In seven days of eating little, you mainly lose water and some fat. According to the NCCIH, people often regain weight as soon as they eat normally. A healthy pace is, according to the Verbraucherzentrale, 500 grams to 1 kilogram per week.
Does fasting for 3 days make sense for a cleanse?
Three days off alcohol, sugar and ready meals can do you good. You don't need a cleanse in the sense of an additional elimination; the liver and kidneys do that themselves. If you take medication or have pre-existing conditions, talk to your doctor first.
What risks does a body cleanse have?
Tiredness, poor concentration, mineral loss from diuretic products, diarrhoea and dehydration with laxatives and interactions with medication. With pre-existing conditions, clarify with a doctor beforehand.
Do I need a body cleanse after alcohol or the festive season?
Not in a medical sense. A few days without alcohol, enough water, light food and exercise are helpful. If you drink alcohol regularly, have your liver values checked by a doctor.
Note: This article is for general information and does not replace medical or therapeutic advice. If you have symptoms or pre-existing conditions, are pregnant or take medication, please speak to your doctor first.
