'Detox' or 'juice' diets such as that undertaken by Shane Warne are risky for heart health, experts say

If the sudden death of cricketer Shane Warne sent shockwaves around the globe, the subsequent revelation that the spin bowler was on a «fluid-only» diet for two weeks prior has sounded the alarm on the dangers of extreme dieting for heart health.

After Warne's death from a suspected heart attack in Thailand, his manager James Erskine said the cricket legend had recently finished a «ridiculous diet» where he consumed only «black and green juices» for two weeks.

Nicole Bando, an accredited dietitian based in Melbourne, said so-called «detox» or «juice» diets were potentially dangerous because they involve the removal of whole food groups, including important nutrients, from a person's diet.

«If you do [a juice diet] for five or more days, it can actually lead to a dilution in electrolytes — which are the salts in our blood,» she said.

«These include potassium which is involved in conducting electricity, and therefore the function of the heart.»

Professor Garry Jennings, chief health advisor at the Heart Foundation of Australia, said such diets introduced the possibility of heart complications.

«There is a potential risk — particularly in people with some kind of underlying heart problem — that if you put your body fluids completely out of whack, you might be more likely to suffer a heart attack,» he said.

People with other underlying conditions — such as diabetes, kidney and liver problems — are also at risk of «severe consequences», Professor Jennings added.

«What can happen [with extreme dieting] is that if the heart is not bathed in the right mixture of electrolytes and nutritional chemicals, then your heart gets more irritable.

»So if you were to have a heart attack, it's much more likely to lead to something more serious, such