Panchakarma Retreats: What to Know Before You Go

Read this first

This page does not list, rate or recommend any retreat, clinic or school. It is a checklist of things to ask. Panchakarma includes procedures such as induced vomiting, purgation and enemas, [1] [2] [3] and retreats may add heat treatments and strict diets. Those can cause dehydration and salt imbalance, and a remote retreat may be far from a hospital. Talk to your own doctor before booking, especially if you are pregnant, older, or have a long-term condition. Vomiting and diarrhea can cause dehydration, which can be life-threatening: get medical help right away if signs of it come with confusion, fainting, no urination, a fast heartbeat or fast breathing. [4] In the US, call 911 for an emergency, or Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 if you may have swallowed something harmful (other countries: Poison Help by Country).

What a retreat is

"Retreat" is a marketing word, not a medical or legal category. It can mean anything from a few spa massages and yoga classes to a residential programme run by Ayurvedic doctors. Some programmes call themselves panchakarma, the group of Ayurvedic cleansing procedures (see Panchakarma and Ayurvedic cleansing: an overview). Others only borrow the name. Our page on Ayurveda retreats and travel for treatment covers the travel side.

What research shows about retreats

A systematic review of 23 studies of residential health retreats (not only Ayurvedic) found that all reported benefits after the stay. But the studies were mostly small, poorly described, had little follow-up, and none reported adverse effects, so the review could not draw firm conclusions about safety. [5] A study of a six-day panchakarma-based programme that also included herbs, a vegetarian diet, meditation, yoga and massage found changes in blood metabolites in 65 healthy people compared with 54 controls. [6] That shows the body's chemistry changed; it does not show a health benefit. Several of its authors were affiliated with the Chopra Center for Wellbeing and the Chopra Foundation. [6]

Overall label: insufficient evidence that a retreat improves long-term health, and insufficient evidence about its harms, because harms are rarely recorded. [7]

Questions to ask any retreat

• Who will examine me, and what are their training and registration? Can I check this with the issuing body?
• Will my medical history and current medicines be reviewed before any procedure? Is my own doctor welcome to contact the centre?
• What happens in a medical emergency, and how far is the nearest hospital? Is a doctor on site overnight?
• Will you tell me in writing which procedures are planned and what the risks are, and may I decline any of them?
• Where do the herbal products come from, and have they been tested for lead, mercury and arsenic? NCCIH warns that some Ayurvedic preparations contain these metals at toxic amounts. [8]
• Can I keep taking my prescribed medicines? (Never stop them on advice from a retreat; talk to your prescriber.)
• Do you promise cures or "toxin removal"? If so, see below.

Red flags

• Claims to cure serious disease, or advice to stop prescribed medicine. See red flags in Ayurvedic practice.
• A "one program for everyone" schedule, or no health check at the start.
• Fasting, purging or enemas offered as a "detox" for general wellness. Colon cleansing, fasting and laxatives can cause dehydration and dangerous electrolyte imbalance. [9]
• No clear information on staff qualifications, complaint procedures or emergency care.
• Pressure to buy large amounts of herbal products to take home. For product safety see Ayurvedic products: heavy metals and quality.

After you come home

Tell your doctor what treatments and products you had. [8] Watch for warning signs (see warning signs after Ayurvedic treatment). If you have a bad reaction, see reporting a problem.