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Evidence Based

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Should You Try a Gut Detox?

Written by Dr. Michael Ruscio, DC on June 25, 2025

Written by Dr. Michael Ruscio, DC on June 25, 2025 — Reviewed by Hilary Watts

• What Is a Gut Detox?|
• Does a Gut Detox Work?|
• Science-Backed Strategies|
• Colon Cleanses|

If you struggle with recurring stomach pain, bloating, diarrhea, or other digestive symptoms, you may consider a gut detox or cleanse. Trendy gut detox protocols claim to eliminate toxins, boost your gut microbiome, banish bloating, and even boost energy. These claims are captivating, but do gut detoxes really work? 

I’ll tell you up front—gut detox protocols may work for some people, but most haven’t undergone clinical trials yet, meaning there’s no guarantee they’ll do what they claim. That doesn’t mean gut detox cleanses have not helped anyone, but we don’t quite understand how they’ll affect each person’s unique system. Given that some ingredients could worsen issues for people, it’s important to take a more nuanced approach. 

Let’s look at what a “gut detox” really is, what’s in those store-bought protocols, and how to support the body’s natural detoxification pathways. I’ll also give you other gut reset methods that have been backed by clinical research.

What Is a Gut Detox?

Technically, a “gut detox” is not a medical term, but a common term many people and doctors use for a protocol that is supposed to remove toxins and residual fecal matter (poop) from the intestines, colon, and gastrointestinal system.

Most often, gut detox kits include 1:

• A  high-fiber supplement
• A “support” supplement containing probiotics, herbs, or enzymes
• A laxative tea  

Many detox kits claim to help remove toxins and parasites and get rid of fecal matter that allegedly builds up and sticks to the intestinal walls 1.

While a “gut detox” may not be a medical term, detoxification of the body is a real process. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) defines detoxification as “the process of removing a poison or toxin or the effect of either from an area or individual” 2. 

Our body detoxifies every day through the following pathways:

• Liver (major detox organ that helps toxins leave the body through urine or bile)
• Kidneys (send toxins out in urine)
• Gastrointestinal tract (sends toxins out in poop)
• Lungs (send toxins out as we exhale)
• Skin (sends some toxins out in sweat) 

There is also a natural detoxification process inside cells called autophagy that helps clean up damaged cells and encourages cell growth.

Do Gut Detoxes Improve Gut Health?

Understanding the promise of gut detoxes can be confusing, as packaged gut detox products may make different kinds of claims about what they do. 

If you have been shopping for a gut detox product, you probably noticed various claims, like:

• “Flushes impurities and toxins from your gallbladder, liver, and colon.”
• “Gets rid of all the nasties and creates a better environment for good bacteria and nutrient absorption.”
• “Reconstructs the gut!”
• “Supports healthy detoxification!” 

Despite these attention-grabbing claims, none of the products we’ve examined specify what toxins are being removed or how the detox helps improve the gut microbiome. Many of these gut detox protocols do contain individual herbal antimicrobials that have proven gut health benefits and can help balance the microbes in the gut. Therefore, it is certainly possible that some of the ingredients in a protocol can improve symptoms in some people. 

But do these products provide a real “detox”? Or, do they support our bodies’ built-in detox methods?

Are Gut Detox Claims Backed by Science?

The best research supporting a detox supplement was a randomized controlled trial (gold standard type of study) that investigated the effects of a detoxification supplement containing several different herbs, some known to have gut health benefits. However, the study found that the detox supplement did not provide any benefits compared to a placebo for gut symptoms, waist circumference (weight loss), or body composition 3.

Further, many protocols contain large amounts of fiber, which may help some people. However, in many people with long-term gastrointestinal problems (such as irritable bowel syndrome 4 and inflammatory bowel disease 5 fiber can worsen symptoms. This is largely because certain kinds of fiber can ferment in the gut, which may cause gas, bloating, and diarrhea in some people, especially if they suddenly eat a lot of fiber when they hadn’t eaten much daily before.

So, while a gut detox might help an individual, we lack strong research showing these kits are broadly effective or safe. A more effective and lower-risk approach may be introducing helpful ingredients (like herbs or fiber) one at a time and in the right context.

What Actually Supports Gut Detox? 

Although the idea of a gut detox that clears all toxins may not be supported by evidence, some health-promoting activities, such as fasting and elimination diets, can help improve gut health and improve symptoms. Here are four evidence-based ways to support your body’s natural detox processes and help reset your gut.

1. Sauna

Sauna therapy may help support the body’s detox processes by:

• Promoting sweating, which assists in excreting toxins 6 7
• Reducing inflammation 8

Some studies suggest regular sauna use may support cardiovascular, metabolic, and even immune health 9 10. Limited research suggests that sauna therapy doesn’t have a measurable effect on the gut microbiome or intestinal barrier function 11, but sauna use remains a promising support for overall detox.

2. Exercise 

Regular physical activity can play a crucial role in supporting detoxification and gut health. Exercise can improve:

• Bowel regularity and motility 12
• Circulation and lymphatic drainage 13
• Levels of good gut bacteria like Bifidobacteria and Akkermansia 14
• Production of anti-inflammatory compounds in the gut, like butyrate 14

Aerobic exercise, resistance training, and even moderate-intensity walking have all been linked to improved gut health outcomes. Like sauna therapy, exercise may complement other gut-supportive practices and enhance your body’s natural detox systems.

3. A Gut Reset With an Elemental Diet 

The elemental diet was originally formulated as a medical food for severe gastrointestinal issues. However, more and more research is showing how the elemental diet can be used in a short-term fashion to help calm inflammation and let the gut rest from the process of digesting whole foods. That short rest and repair is why we call it a gut reset. 

Using an elemental diet to lower inflammation and nurture the gut microbiome may help keep toxins from crossing from the gut barrier into the bloodstream (as in leaky gut). It may also help the gastrointestinal system clear toxins, serving as a “detox” of sorts, although this hasn’t been studied directly. But the elemental diet has benefits beyond detoxing, making it a more holistic approach to gut health. 

Research has shown elemental diets may:

• Improve symptoms in people with Crohn’s disease 15
• Be as effective as prednisone (an anti-inflammatory drug) at sending Crohn’s disease into remission 15
• Improve irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) 16, celiac disease 17, and rheumatoid arthritis 18

After the elemental diet is over, we coach clients to follow it with an anti-inflammatory elimination diet. Many studies show that elimination diets can improve many gastrointestinal conditions 4 19 20 21 22, in particular, because they eliminate foods that can be harmful to the lining of the gut.  

There are many types of elimination diets, but I generally start my clients on a Paleo diet-based framework, eliminating potential food irritants such as whole grains, beans, dairy, and processed sugar. It also limits some dairy foods, such as kefir, that can cause gut distress in some people.

If you have already tried a Paleo diet and you still experience symptoms, you could try a low-FODMAP diet, which eliminates fermentable carbs that often cause bloating and diarrhea and can be helpful for people with IBS and IBD 4 23.

There are quite a few options for elimination diet frameworks. For help navigating them, check out: Elimination Diet Meal Plan & Recipes for Gut Healing. 

4. Intermittent Fasting 

If you have intermittent gastrointestinal symptoms and have made some changes to your diet without seeing improvements, layering in intermittent fasting may be a helpful strategy to get the needle moving. 

Both short-term extended fasts (such as a 5–10 day fast) and intermittent fasting (fasting 14–18 hours per day) may result in better measures of digestive health, such as:

• Reducing IBS symptoms 24
• Improving the composition of gut bacteria 25 26 27
• Reducing intestinal permeability 28

Intermittent fasting is probably the most accessible form of fasting for most people 29. If you stop eating a few hours before bed and delay eating a few hours after you wake up, you can easily achieve a 14-hour fast.  

Intermittent fasting increases a natural cellular detoxification process known as autophagy that helps clean up damaged cells and encourages cell growth 30. One study even found that intermittent fasting improved gut bacterial diversity and levels of butyrate-producing bacteria, which is an energy source for your gut cells 27. 

For these reasons, adding intermittent fasting to your routine can be a great way to give your gut a rest and help it detox and start to heal. However, it’s important to avoid fasting and then eating inflammatory foods during your eating window—that may negate the benefits of fasting. 

I recommend practicing intermittent fasting with an elimination diet because both interventions can be helpful for resolving gut problems. 

What About a Colon Cleanse?

Colon cleanses (also called colon hydrotherapy, colonic hydrotherapy, or colonic irrigation) are often recommended for improving intestinal symptoms such as bloating, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and, in particular, constipation.

I wrote an in-depth article about the efficacy of colon cleanses, Why Colonics Aren’t Helpful and What Works Better Than a Colon Cleanse, but here is a quick summary.

Overall, there is insufficient evidence to support the use of colon cleanse therapies to improve overall health or gut health. There have been a few small studies about colon irrigation, and one small study (not a clinical trial) found that it was associated with better bowel movements in people with poor bowel control. However, most of the participants in the study had unpleasant side effects from colon irrigation 31.

One argument in favor of getting a colon cleanse, as well as a gut cleanse, is that both of these things rid the gut of residual feces thought to be toxic to the body. This theory of autointoxication—that residual stool in the gut causes disease—has been disproven 32 33. 

Colon cleanses come with serious risks, like intestinal tears or infections 33, and since research hasn’t shown clear benefits but has shown real dangers, I do not recommend them. 

Your Healthy Gut Plan

If you have been struggling with chronic issues with your digestive system, such as bloating, diarrhea, and abdominal pain, doing a gut reset rather than a gut detox or cleanse can be a great way to improve your digestive system and overall wellness. 

A gut reset is designed to give the digestive system a rest, repair the gut lining, and improve the gut microbiome. 

While a gut reset is not forever, it can be a bit overwhelming to plan and follow on your own. You can download our free Gut Reset Guide to get clear, practical steps for starting your reset, choosing the right approach for your needs. And if you’d like personalized support, our experienced team at our virtual clinic is here to help guide your healing journey.

The Ruscio Institute has developed a range of high-quality formulations to help our clients and audience. If you’re interested in learning more about these products, please click here. Note that there are many other options available, and we encourage you to research which products may be right for you. The information on DrRuscio.com is for educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.