Champneys Detox Pads – the clinical trial
February 16th, 2008
OK, so I’ve read a lot of the comments on the recent Champneys Detox Pads debunking articles, and I felt I should address them. Thanks everyone for your input, those who weren’t smart were at least funny, so it’s all entertaining.
A lot of you have mentioned that I should have used distilled water instead of tap water. That’s kind of a flawed logic, because it makes the assumption that there are toxins in tap water and these are exactly the same as the ones in you body but nevertheless, I’ll pick up a bottle of distilled water next time I’m in Tesco and do it all again, just for you.
A lot of you mentioned that these pads were being advertised heavily in the States. For all who haven’t experienced the mind-boggling bullshittery of Kinoki pads, here it is:
Someone mentioned that I should have done a chemical analysis of the used pad to see what it had absorbed. That’s not going to happen, because I don’t have a mass spectrometer. Anyway, isn’t it up to the makers of these pads to prove that they work as advertised? After all, Champneys are proud of the fact that their pads are ‘tested and approved’:
So, I guess this means that Champneys, or manufacturers Trading Angels must have some gee-whiz super-duper Scientific Studies, right? The answer is: Yes, and No. Through my fiendish network of science punks I was able to get my hands on this, the clinical so-called proof that these pads work:
This is the study undertaken by Midwest Clinical Trials to investigate what exactly is behind these pads. The first shock to you fellow sceptics – unlike many ‘trials’ for dodgy products, this doesn’t rely on self-reporting of improvements. No, this uses proper scientific measurements! Before you get too excited though, let’s look at what it is they’ll be measuring.
But what about the toxin-sucking powers of these pads?
Chemistry of the absorbed moisture is not a part of this study
Say what? How on earth does anyone know if these pads work if no-one has actually studied their detoxification powers? Champneys have some serious explaining to do. Anyway, there was a small increase in the amount of moisture absorbed on Day 10 compared to Day 1. So rather than the pads getting cleaner over time (and therefore allegedly less full of toxins), the opposite is true! Although with a trial consisting of just 30 volunteers, it’s difficult to say whether this rise is even statistically significant.
So there you have it – clinical proof that Champneys Detox Pads definitely absorb moisture. That is all.
Entry Filed under: General
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12 Comments
1. badchemist | February 17th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
Once I start my new job I’ll get hold of some of these myself and analyse them before and after use with controls on all solvents etc used. Then we’ll now once and for all whether they actually extract any toxins. My guess is no.
2. Ed Hewitt | February 20th, 2008 at 7:09 am
Probably when wet creates a hypertonic solution, drawing crap across via osmotic pressure differentials… Of course, I could be wrong and they could just be pure bunk…
3. Garulon | February 27th, 2008 at 1:48 pm
Love the blog but…
” I’ll pick up a bottle of distilled water next time I’m in Tesco and do it all again, just for you.”
IIRC doesn’t tap water contain _less_ impurities than a typical bottle of Yuppie Juice? Anyway, distilling isn’t so hard, you just need some water, a pan, a heat source and erm, a condenser. Easy!
4. Ed | March 1st, 2008 at 10:04 am
The thing that suckered me into buying those Kinoki’s was the “Hair analysis” before and after “treatment”. According to their tests, the person had tested postive for lead, mercury, etc. and in the test after treatment there was no toxins found.
Explain that? I have my pads right here, I havn’t right them yet, I feel like I want to get a blood tox done first before and after. If there is little to no change I want to file a lawsuit.
5. Timothy Jacobs | March 3rd, 2008 at 5:49 pm
So, they’re like a placebo… for your feet.
6. curren Katz | March 24th, 2008 at 9:22 pm
my guess on the ‘hair analysis’- first, this is not considered to be a great assay for this purpose. Also, I suspect they found one person who happened to have a second hair sample that was negative for the substances and used that single subject. Obviously, you need a sample. There needs to reliably be negative results for the substances after the usage of the pad (P
7. wayne | May 11th, 2008 at 5:48 pm
Detoxing is simply the only way to maximise our health as well as to lose weight we need to clean our bodies minds and spirits in order to experience real health and vitality.
Whatever means it takes we have to do it
8. Jesse | May 31st, 2008 at 4:26 pm
Aren’t heavy metals supposed to be retained by our bodies? For example mercury tends to bio-accumulate in the brain. So the claim by this product is that the pad, and powder within, somehow draws these toxic chemicals out of wherever they bioaccumulate into the blood stream and down to the feet where they pass through the soles of the feet.
Wouldn’t there remain a trace amount of the toxins on the skin of the foot afterwards? Another thing is that if these heavy metals were all drained out of our body and concentrated on the feet wouldn’t some people be getting really irritating rashes on the soles of the feet?
Our North American and European bodies are chalked full of toxins that exist in the water, in the cheese burgers, and in the air. But it seems that an easy detox that doesn’t involve natural excretions would be a bit of a stretch. If you want to detox and lose weight don’t think a magic foot pad will do it. Eat well and exercise.
I want to believe that these things work but I am highly sceptical.
9. K | June 14th, 2008 at 7:51 am
As you are, I am highly skeptical of these pads…but isn’t it possible that they do help your body in some way? Many people have reported improvements on amazon.com, and a couple of people have actually said that the pads are cleaner each night they use them. How would that happen if the results are only because of their sweat? Do they sweat less every night? That wouldn’t make much sense.
On the other hand, I suppose there is a .02% chance that Kinoki (the brand I researched on Amazon) manufactures the pads to absorb different amounts of moisture and puts them in order so that you use them until Oh look! Your body’s free of toxins! But I admit that is a long shot, so I almost want to believe they work to some degree.
10. K | June 14th, 2008 at 8:11 am
Couldn’t figure out how to edit my comment, but I made one mistake–the comments I was referring to on Amazon were actually for BodyRelief, not Kinoki. The Kinoki comments were mostly really negative.
11. BETTY | August 8th, 2008 at 1:19 pm
I USED MY FIRST PATCH. IRRITATING AND DIFFICULT BECAUSE THE INSTRUCTIONS SUGGEST WEARING COTTON SOCKS OVER THE PAD.I CAN’T STAND ANYTHING ON MY FEET WHEN I SLEEP.
SNAKE OIL SALESMAN WILL MAKE A FORTUNE WITH THIS PRODUCT. THE APPEARANCE OF THE PAD IN THE MORNING IS DISGUSTING.IT LOOKS LIKE YOU POOP OUT YOUR FEET! i BELIEVE IT IS JUST A CHEMICAL REACTION FROM THE SWEAT OF YOUR FEET WITH WHATEVER IS IN THE PAD. iT CONTAINS A VINEGAR WHICH EVERYONE KNOWS DENATURES PROTEIN.
12. Sue | September 24th, 2008 at 11:43 pm
i have been using these for a few days now. I can’t stand things on my feet let alone these so i put them on the back of my legs. the bad reaction i noticed was i was having troubles sleeping again. and i am on a pill to help me sleep so it must also pull out my needed meds which does not seem to be a good thing. Also has anyone else noticed a bacon smell on used ones?
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