3380: Does Deep Tissue Massage Release Toxins and Cause Flu-Like Symptoms on Massage Myths

Optimal Health Daily - Fitness and Nutrition

Optimal Living Daily LLC

Nutrition, Fitness, Health & Fitness

4.5 • 677 Ratings

🗓️ 1 May 2026

⏱️ 9 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3380: Dr. Neil Malik unpacks why some people feel sick after a massage, challenging the common belief that it’s due to “detoxing.” He explains how immune responses, muscle soreness, or unrelated factors may be at play, while emphasizing that the real benefits of massage are often psychological. Understanding this can help you better interpret your body’s reactions and enjoy massages with clearer expectations. Quotes to ponder: "There are studies out there that have shown that there are side effects to massage but usually those are very minimal not life-threatening and not likely to actually make you sick." "Anytime the immune system becomes activated we may feel fatigued or like we're coming down with a cold or the flu." "If you believe massage therapy helps you feel better in general it likely will." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Holland and Barrett's big payday event has landed. So now's a good time to check in with your body. Low on energy. Tummy gurgling. Struggling to focus. Maybe your body's asking for a little more support. This payday, give it what it needs. With buy one, get one free and offers on over 1,000 favourites online, plus hundreds of can't miss offers in store. Shop now, in store, online, and on the app.
0:23.1	Back your body, Holland and Barrett. Selected lines only, subject to availability. Range varies
0:27.5	online and in store. Ends 5th of May. See website for details.
0:30.8	It's another Q&A edition of Optimal Health Daily, and I'm Dr. Neil Malick, your host of the show.
0:36.4	As I always say, I want this to be a space where you can find relevant and good information.
0:41.7	Why might I be qualified to give this type of information, in case you're wondering about my
0:45.8	credentials and my education, when I'm not here recording these shows, I spend a lot of my time
0:50.3	as faculty within the California State University system.
0:53.6	I've published peer-reviewed studies
0:55.1	and have been interviewed by over 70 different media outlets for my expertise on basically all
1:00.9	the stuff I talk about on this podcast. So all of this to say that when I provide my commentary
1:06.3	after each episode and answer the questions you send in, I hope you feel as though it's coming
1:11.7	from a place of truth. All right, and with that, let's hear today's question as I help you
1:17.5	optimize your life. Hi, Dr. Neal. So I got a deep tissue massage yesterday, and as soon as I got home, I started to feel fit like a cold.
1:37.7	And I was just wondering, if you knew why that happens and what's causing it, I've done some research about detoxifying
1:48.0	and then there's a lot of debate about really if there's toxins being released or not.
1:54.0	So whatever perspective you can provide would be appreciated.
1:59.0	Thank you so much. Okay. Bye. Thank you for your question, caller. I'm sorry you
2:04.6	weren't feeling well after your massage. Getting massage is one of my favorite ways to relax and
2:09.4	de-stress, and from personal experience, I know that later on that day or even the next day, I sometimes
2:15.6	feel a bit out of sorts. I may start feeling symptoms similar
2:19.3	to what you mentioned, cold or flu-like symptoms. And like you, massage therapists have mentioned that
	...

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