Herbal Detox is a colon cleanser designed by GNC to help cleanse your colon and the rest of your digestive system.
Because this product had about half of its users say that it was effective, while the other half said it was a waste of time, we decided to look into Herbal Detox to see what people did and didn’t like about this product.
The Good
True to its name, Herbal Detox only includes ingredients that are derived from nature or are, in other words, herbal.
However, using the word “herbal” to describe this product can be a misnomer since it generally makes the public think that this product is a safe one.
Unfortunately, there are many herbs that can be as toxic to the body as any chemical is.
The Bad
Herbal Detox has many herbs that, while they may be effective colon cleansers, could also make you violently ill if used in large amounts.
For example, the ingredient uva ursi extract, found in Herbal Detox, is derived from the bearberry; its Latin name, uva ursi, merely translates to “bear’s grape” because this particular berry is very common among bears.
Although this berry might be friendly to bears, it has proven to be extremely toxic in humans when taken in large amounts. It has been shown to cause nausea, green urine, bluish-grey skin, vomiting, fever and chills.
The level of toxicity varies from person to person; although the level at which most people get sick is after consuming around 20g, negative side effects can appear with as little as 1g.
Even though uva ursi can be safe, it is not the only ingredient found in Herbal Detox that flirts with the toxic levels. Fennel seed, a stimulant laxative, is such a powerful herb that it is used to make the highly alcoholic beverage absinth.
The Skinny
Despite the fact that toxins can be effective ways to cleanse the body of anything in the digestive system, it is not the only way. There are many safe and effective colon cleansers out there that will clean your system without jeopardizing your health.