We’ve all experienced it. While deep in a twist or a challenging, sweaty yoga practice, the teacher reassuringly mentions that twisting and building heat will release toxins from your body.

But can yoga actually help detoxify the body?

The short answer: We don’t know.

“Sometimes yoga instructors mention that twists or other poses might be helpful [for detoxifcation], but there’s no scientific basis for that,” says Herpreet Thind, PhD, MPH, a researcher at UMass Lowell who studies the benefits of physical activity and yoga for chronic disease prevention and treatment.

See also: Benefits of Yoga: 38 Ways Your Practice Can Improve Your Life 

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