Stop believing in detox schedules – many organs are on duty 24 hours a day”

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Beijing, People’s Daily Online, August 21 – The prize-winning competition titled “Talking About the Rumors Around Us – A Special Event for the 2017 National Science Popularization Day,” organized by the Science Popularization Activity Center of the China Association for Science and Technology and People’s Daily Online’s Science Popularization China platform, has now come to an end. During this event, many netizens expressed skepticism regarding the widely circulated “human body detoxification schedule” on the Internet. So, is the “human body’s detoxification schedule” scientific? What is its relationship with the \"timing of circulation of the twelve meridians\" in traditional Chinese medicine? How should the human body detoxify scientifically? Is there really a “human body detox schedule”? From 9 p.m. to 11 p.m., it is important to keep the body at rest so that the lymphatic system can effectively eliminate toxins ； It is essential to be in a deep sleep state between 11 p.m. and 1 a.m. so that the liver can eliminate toxins ； Defecation should take place before 7 a.m., as this is the time when the large intestine eliminates toxins… Many people have seen such claims online. So, is there really any scientific basis to the \"human body’s detoxification schedule\"? Zhu Xinyi, an associate chief physician in the Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine at Zhongda Hospital affiliated to Southeast University, said in an interview with the Yangtze Evening News that this claim is not scientific. Zhu Xinyi explained that everyone has their own biological clock, and the idea that a certain organ eliminates toxins at specific times is unfounded; since the human body’s systems for metabolism, excretion, and detoxification are highly efficient, there is no need to deliberately \"eliminate toxins at set times.\" What are the “timing patterns of the twelve meridians” in traditional Chinese medicine? Traditional Chinese medicine talks about the \"timing of the flow of the twelve meridians.\" What is the difference between this and a \"human body’s detoxification schedule\"? According to the Yangtze Evening News, the term \"meridians\" in traditional Chinese medicine refers to systems within the human body, rather than specific organs; for example, the Lung Meridian denotes the entire respiratory system, including the lungs. Therefore, the concept of meridian circulation time in traditional Chinese medicine should not be misinterpreted as the detoxification time of individual organs. How to enable the body to detoxify scientifically? If there is no scientific basis for a \"human body detoxification schedule,\" then how should people carry out scientific detoxification in their daily lives? According to Xinhua News Agency, the so-called toxins in the human body originate from two sources: internal and external. Internal toxins include the “by-products” produced by the body during its normal physiological activities” ； External toxins mainly come from smoke, alcohol, drugs, environmental pollution, and unhealthy eating habits*. Under normal circumstances, the various organs in the human body, along with the internal detoxification system composed of antioxidant enzymes, are constantly working to eliminate toxins day and night. Therefore, by avoiding smoking, drinking alcohol, and consuming high-sugar and fried foods for a certain period of time, it is possible to reduce the burden on the body’s detoxification processes. However, if one wants to maintain health in the long term, it is necessary to stick to a healthy lifestyle over time, so that the body’s detoxification system can function more effectively and protect our health. (Actual*Student Liu Ruoxin)