# Does Crying Rid the Body of Physical Toxins?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-crying-rid-the-body-of-physical-toxins/456028>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 10, 2008, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-crying-rid-the-body-of-physical-toxins/456028 "2008-07-10T19:35:34Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 2

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\
**Post date:** [July 11, 2008, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-crying-rid-the-body-of-physical-toxins/456028/21 "2008-07-11T22:32:19Z")

</div>

[QUOTE=Qadgop the Mercotan]  
When I see “purge the body of toxins”, I consider any claim which follows to be suspect.  
[/QUOTE]  
My kidneys purge the body of toxins, so I am a handsome and intelligent man.

It works! It works! You’re a genius!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\
**Post date:** [July 11, 2008, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-crying-rid-the-body-of-physical-toxins/456028/22 "2008-07-11T22:39:19Z")

</div>

[QUOTE=Qadgop the Mercotan]  
When I see “purge the body of toxins”, I consider any claim which follows to be suspect.  
[/QUOTE]  
Yeah, but if you ionize their polarons to reduce antioxidant potential, that’s the real deal.

Stranger

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Oy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bc8723/32.png) [@Oy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oy)\
**Post date:** [July 12, 2008, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-crying-rid-the-body-of-physical-toxins/456028/23 "2008-07-12T03:14:55Z")

</div>

Thanks, Qadgop!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\
**Post date:** [July 12, 2008, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-crying-rid-the-body-of-physical-toxins/456028/24 "2008-07-12T03:55:48Z")

</div>

Has any study been done to determine if the act of crying spurs other processes in the body to remove “toxins”, flush out stress related chemicals and hormones, or if chemicals and hormones released during crying neutralize those same stress related substances?

I would consider this a more likely outcome than their suddenly being gathered up by some unknown means and flushed out our eyeballs.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Oy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bc8723/32.png) [@Oy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oy)\
**Post date:** [July 12, 2008, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-crying-rid-the-body-of-physical-toxins/456028/25 "2008-07-12T04:46:13Z")

</div>

On the one hand, I find it highly unlikely that tears would cause the kidneys and/or liver to function any differently. On the other hand, I find it highly unlikely that emotion would cause water with various salts in it to overflow down one’s cheek, so obviously my opinion of likelihood doesn’t really enter into it.

[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-crying-rid-the-body-of-physical-toxins/456028.md?page=1)