How a Fruit Juice Cleanse Affects Your Body

If you are considering undertaking a juice cleanse diet then it is important to understand just how your body is going to react to such a major diet change. Your body is going to be receiving less than 1,000 calories per day, and won’t be taking in any fat or protein for the week that you are following the juice cleanse.

Starting the Juice Cleanse

With the first sip, hunger is satisfied with an intake of pure fruit juice which is high in sugar. The sugar raises insulin levels and the body’s cells are pumped full of glucose. Once all of the glucose has been absorbed sugar levels start dropping. This can lead to feelings of dizziness. Meanwhile your body knows it has not received sufficient calories and starts using stored energy in the form of glycogen which is stored in the muscles and liver.

Two Days In

By now all of the glycogen has been used up. This can lead to a feeling of weakness and lethargy. So now the body turns to the triglycerides which are stored in fat which is what leads to weight loss. However, supplies of protein are also taken from the body’s muscle. Even if you are managing to exercise every day there will be a loss of muscle mass as well as weight.

At Days Three and Four

Knowing that it is not receiving enough fuel the body goes into a semi starvation mode. It starts working on ketones, which is the fuel that the body makes from breaking down fat. This is the point when some people may also start to feel depressed as the brain is starting to fall short of amino acids. Muscle protein is breaking down and the resulting chemicals are forced through the kidneys as a secondary detox on top of the juice detox. This is also the point when the bathroom should be close by as diarrhoea is common in this stage. Dehydration is common now, a result of the diarrhoea.

After the week of Juice Cleansing

All of the fruit and vegetable juice that has been injected has rested the digestive system and allowed the liver and kidneys to eliminate a great many toxins from the body. There may also have been some substantial weight loss too. However, as soon as you return to a ‘normal’ diet you are going right back to adding extra strain on the digestive system. It makes sense to ease back into a normal eating pattern slowly. Sticking to fresh, whole foods for a while first.