Much of the information and misinformation surrounding the concept of detox diets
and supplements could only be murkier and more perplexing if it was written by
William Shakespeare in unrhymed iambic pentameter. This may be due, in part, to the
knowledge gaps that exist in the literature regarding how detoxification processes work
in concert to keep us from acute toxicity. The science (often described as the meat
of the matter a.k.a., the “steak”) certainly doesn’t exist in large enough quantities to
justify the hype (or “sizzle”, to extend the metaphor). It may also be due to the lack
of one dedicated detoxification “system”, like the muscular or cardiovascular system,
further allowing speculation and “marketing” (a.k.a. effectively-targeted speculation) a
megaphone for popular science.