Ionic foot baths are said to painlessly pull toxins from the soles of your feet. However, skeptics have raised red flags claiming the practice is a complete sham. It’s important to differentiate the holistic health practices that actually positively impact your health, versus the practices that are fake. Is it possible to detox with an ionic foot bath? Is it actually backed by science? Is the skepticism warranted?
Keep reading to learn more about these popular foot soaks!
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What Is An Ionic Foot Bath?
Ionic Foot Baths (also known as “ion detox foot baths“) are thought to “pull toxins” from your feet. They are often used in spas, beauty salons, and holistic health centers. Footbaths are commonly used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) or “Chi Medicine.”
The process involves soaking your feet in a foot basin with water, salt, and a low-level ionizer that releases an electrical current. It’s oftentimes marketed in infomercials as being “rejuvenating” because it can “pull toxins from your body in just 20-30 minutes.” Users are supposed to soak their feet in the salty water with the electrode as the water clouds up. Ionic foot bath providers then read a chart to tell the user what specific organ corresponds to the color of the dirty water.
At the end of the foot soak, the water is a disgusting sludge color, oftentimes with floating specks, bubbles, or foam.
The sludgy water is marketed to be full of “organ toxicants”.
What Comes With An Ionic Foot Bath?
Many ionic foot bath sets are different, so it depends on the specific unit, however, they usually come with:
- A basin/plastic tub
- Sea salt
- 1-2 arrays (the electrodes)
- Plastic basin liners for easy cleanup
- Instruction manual
- Armbands (found in some)
How Do Ionic Foot Baths Work?
When water is ionized, it is broken up into H+ ions and OH+ ions. Due to the added salt and minerals in the water, the ionizer voltage creates rust. It’s essentially very accelerated corrosion.
But here’s the catch: the water will change colors regardless of if your feet are in the basin.
The water will always cloud up regardless if feet are soaking.
The water’s color can be influenced by any impurities found in the water (which is not uncommon in tap water). You can read more about toxins found in water here. It can also be impacted by the natural oils that skin releases, dead skin cells, foot lotion, sebaceous glands, and more.
Many videos showing how they work: here, here, and here (… the list goes on).
Why Detoxification Is Important
Our liver and kidneys are used for detoxification. These are our “built-in” detoxification systems – very important ones, at that!
The lymphatic system detoxifies, however, it’s not uncommon for these systems to be overburdened due to all of the toxins found in the daily world. If these health systems are compromised, they could use a bit of help with the detoxification process. This is why regular detox can be very helpful (make sure you’re working with a qualified naturopathic doctor).
Think of your body like a sink with a running faucet. Our kidneys and liver serve as the sink’s “drain.” If the drain starts to become clogged, the water in the sink may begin to overflow… leading to health conditions and symptoms. Supporting your body through detoxification (like clearing the “drain”) can help.
The skin is the largest organ.
If you’re interested in other detoxification methods check out: Sauna Health Benefits & Who Should Not Use A Sauna and Dry Brushing 101 – How To Dry Brush For Detox.
Skin is not impermeable, so when skin is soaked it can absorb and release toxins from the body (like with sweat). This is one of the arguments that ionic foot bath proponents tout. However, there are many detoxification methods that are likely significantly more effective, such as lymphatic drainage, sauna, IV therapy, dry brushing, rebounding, colon hydrotherapy, etc…
Let’s dive into the claims…
Ionic Foot Bath Health Claims
Ionic foot bath companies claim that the color of the water corresponds to a specific area of the body that’s being detoxified.
For example, foot spas reference a table that can detail the following information:
- Orange Water: joints or muscles
- Brown Water: liver (such as from smoking, waste products…)
- Black Water: liver
- Black Floating Flecks: heavy metals
- Green Water: kidneys, bladder, urinary track
- White Floating Foam: yeast, fungus, mucus
- Red Flecks: cellular debris, blood clots
- Bubbly Water: digestive system, lymphatic system
- Yellow Water: kidney bladder
- Floating Oil: fat
They claim that it aids in:
- Immune system health
- Better skin
- Increased energy
- Stress relief
- Lymphatic drainage
- Removing unwanted toxins
- Improved circulation
- Improve joint pain (like arthritis)
- Reduces inflammation
Feedback On Ionic Foot Baths
I asked my 15,500+ Instagram community about their experiences with ionic foot baths. Here are some highlights:
- “So from my research the color will turn a copper with no feet, but the color will indicate organ supply.”
- “Everyone in my family did one and they came out a different color.”
- “My mom did one years ago and felt absolutely no difference.”
- “I’ve felt parasites painfully leave by feet during one.”
- “I had a lot of yeast in mine and was later diagnosed with systemic candida, but I don’t know.”
The verdict is out – some people are in support, while others just don’t know.
Let’s dive into the pros & cons of foot baths:
Arguments In Favor of Ionic Foot Baths
A very limited number of studies show the true efficacy of ion foot baths.
- Foot baths in general (without the ion generator) can contribute to improved sleep quality and stress relief. [1, 2] Foot baths can be incredibly relaxing!
- Increased glyphosate excretion (NOTE: this study was funded by AMD, which are ion foot bath IonCleanse manufacturers. The researchers were paid by AMD to speak publicly on the use of the technology. There is a very clear conflict of interest.) [3]
- A 2009 survey of 126 participants said they experienced pain relief, increased energy, improved sleep, and more. [4] Keep in mind that this survey was extremely small and limited, nor is it a double-blind placebo study.
- A 2009 study saw a significant difference in aluminum and arsenic in the blood of 31 participants. [5]
Arguments Against Ionic Foot Baths
However, despite those positive small claims, the
- A very small 2011 study showed that the IonCleanse system didn’t remove any toxins from the body. [6] This small-scale study was supported by holistic health research foundations, which means there was a limited conflict of interest.
That being said, the studies in favor of ionic foot baths are poorly conducted and very, very small scale. Research takes money. Just because there are no large-scale studies on ionic foot baths, doesn’t mean it’s completely false, but the data we do have is extremely inconclusive.
There are very few studies showing that ionic foot baths actually work.
Are There Risks To Ionic Foot Baths?
Luckily, there are very few risks to using an ionic foot bath. Anyone with open foot sores or cuts should not use one. Diabetic patients, those who struggle with blood sugar regulation, women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, or those with implanted electrical devices (like pacemakers) should also use caution.
If ionic foot baths actually do “detox” as they say they do, there’s a potential for detox symptoms, such as fatigue, headaches, nausea, dizziness, or vomiting. These are very rare.
As always, speak with your doctor before beginning any detoxification practices.
Financially, however, there are risks. Most ionic foot baths in spas are about $20-$30 – these charges can easily add up. Some at-home foot baths are sold anywhere from a couple of hundred dollars to upwards of a thousand dollars. Would I personally spend the money on one? No – instead, opt for better detox protocols. [Related: if you want to improve your financial health, read this article]
What About Foot Pads?
Some companies also sell “footpads” for detoxification, which are intended to work similarly to foot baths. Users can “read” the color of the foot pads according to a provided chart.
Many of these foot pads will change color due to certain ingredients, like wood vinegar. When they’re exposed to heat and moisture (two things that are very common on feet), they can change color. They can even change color when they’re exposed to steam.
Usually these foot pads are scams, however they likely won’t lead to many side effects, if any.
In Summary – Detox With An Ionic Foot Bath
So… do they really work? Is it snake oil? From my research, they’re scams (…sorry, friends). I’m not convinced of the health benefits. Believe me, I wanted to love them, but I don’t see how they provide any benefits different than a normal foot bath without the ionizer.
It is a simple chemistry experiment: water + salt (a conductor) + electrodes = electrolysis, which creates rust.
Epsom foot baths (which contain magnesium) and other detoxification methods can be more beneficial.
Do I think that spas that use ionic foot baths are intentionally scamming their customers? Nope, they’re just uninformed. Do I think ionic foot baths will likely harm you? Also no… besides maybe hurting your wallet.
To learn more about salt you can eat, check out: What Are The Healthiest Salt Brands? Minerals In Salt 101
Save the below image on Pinterest for future reference:
Frequently Asked Questions
Click on the below FAQs to learn more about detox with an ionic foot bath!
What Is An Ionic Foot Bath?
Ionic Foot Baths (also known as “ion detox foot baths“) are thought to “pull toxins” from your feet. They are often used in spas, beauty salons, and holistic health centers. The process involves soaking your feet in a foot basin with water, salt, and a low-level ionizer that releases an electrical current.
How Do Ionic Foot Baths Work?
When water is ionized, it is broken up into H+ ions and OH+ ions. Due to the added salt and minerals in the water, the ionizer voltage creates rust. It’s essentially very accelerated corrosion.
Why Is Detoxification Important?
Our liver and kidneys are used for detoxification. These are our “built-in” detoxification systems – very important ones, at that! The lymphatic system detoxifies, however, it’s not uncommon for these systems to be overburdened due to all of the toxins found in the daily world. If these health systems are compromised, they could use a bit of help with the detoxification process. This is why regular detox can be very helpful.
Are There Risks To Ionic Foot Baths?
Luckily, there are very few risks to using an ionic foot bath. Anyone with open foot sores or cuts should not use one. Diabetic patients, those who struggle with blood sugar regulation, women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, or those with implanted electrical devices (like pacemakers) should also use caution.
Would you try an ionic foot bath?
Let me know your thoughts in the comments below! You can watch our web story here.
xoxo,
Want to read more? Check out my other articles here!
Information from: Health And Med, Mel Magazine, Blue Skyes, Spectrum Foot Clinics, Medicine Net, Healthline, Cleveland Clinic, Rahav Wellness, Advanced Foot Detoxification, Medicine Net
Copyright In On Around LLC 2022 ©. The statements made on this website have not been evaluated by the FDA (U.S. Food & Drug Administration). They are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The information provided by this website should not be used as individual medical advice and you should always consult your doctor for individual recommendations and treatment. The information contained in this site is provided on an “as is” basis. Related to this site, there are no guarantees of completeness, accuracy, usefulness, or timeliness. In On Around LLC assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions in the content of this site.
