4 simple tips to detox your home

While we may be careful about what we feed our bodies, the air in our home also affects our health. With a few simple precautions you can get rid of harmful toxins and clear the air. Krystin Goodwin (@krystingoodwin) has tips to help you detox your

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A widely shared video circulating on social mediapurports to show detox foot pads removing toxins from the bottom of the feet.

"Cleansing Foot Pads provides a healthy and fast effect to your body while you are sleeping," reads the text of aFacebook post shared April 21."From reducing inflammation, relieving the body, to detoxifying your body from all the impurities."

The video generated over 300,000 viewsand close to 500 interactionswithin two weeks. Several other Facebook users have shared similar posts.

But there is no credible evidence to support foot pads clearing the body of toxins. Experts told USA TODAY no scientific studies have been published proving detox foot pads work.

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USA TODAY reached out to the Facebook user who shared theclaim for comment.

There is no scientific evidence that proves detox foot pads are effective.

"One of the most common claims for (foot pads)is that they draw out toxins like heavy metals, and that is a claim for which there is very little evidence," said Dr. Murad Alam, vice chair of dermatology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

When the foot pad is removed, it appears dark and discolored,and that supposedlyreflects the toxinsexpelled from the body overnight, social media posts say.

But the discoloration stems from sweat reacting with chemicals in the foot pad,Alam said.

"There's some chemicals like vinegar (in the foot pad), andit's probably just a chemical reaction of moisture affecting the footpad," he said.

The Journal of Heavy Metal Toxicity and Diseases published a study in 2018 that examined whether foot pads remove metals from the body. The presence of metals in the pads before and after use was investigated in 53 participants. It concluded that"detox foot pad(s)did not induce the eliminationof studied metals through the feet."

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A 2008 National Public Radio report compared used and unused foot pads and shippedthem to a laboratory for analysis. The labfoundno significant changes between the used and unused pads.

The human body is well-equipped for filtering and eliminating unwanted substances without the use of any external device, experts say. The liver, intestines, kidneys and sweat glands in the epidermisremove toxins.

"Feet are not a detoxification organ," saidDr.Adrianne Fugh-Berman, a professor of pharmacology and physiology at Georgetown University. Fugh-Bermanadded that sweat eliminates few waste compounds compared to the kidneys and liver.

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In 2010, a federal judge, at the request of theFederal Trade Commission,banned the manufacturersof the Kinoki Foot Pads from selling their products. According to the FTC, the makers "falsely claimed to have scientific proof that the foot pads removed toxic materials from the body."

"There's no special characteristics of foot skinthat make foot skin more likely to be a way to take out toxins or other bad substances," said Alam.

Based on our research, we rate FALSEthe claim that cleansing foot padsdetoxify the body. Expertssaid there's no reliable evidence foot pads work.The pads' discoloration is primarily due to chemicals in the pads. The FTC has also charged a detox foot pad manufacturer with misleading advertising for claiming the pads detoxify the body.

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Fact check: No evidence that foot pads can detoxify the body, experts say - USA TODAY