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Mechanisms of Detoxification in Human Body. The human body has four main excretory pathways that remove environmental toxins (exogenous toxins ) , as well as toxic products produced by the body (endogenous toxins ) . These include the feces, urine, sweat, and breath.
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The human body has four main excretory pathways that remove environmental toxins (exogenous toxins),as well as toxic products produced by the body (endogenous toxins) . • These include the feces, urine, sweat, and breath. • Although some toxins get eliminated directly by some of these pathways, many toxins need to be transformed into water-soluble compounds, while still others have to be changed into complex molecules. • Most important detoxification organ, the liver. • Other organ systems involved in detoxification include the kidneys, gastrointestinal system, and the skin.
The Liver (Phase I And Phase II) • The human liver carries out more than 500 metabolic functions, including the detoxification of harmful substances in the body. • Over 2 quarts of blood pass through this important organ every minute of every day, filtering and transforming chemicals to keep the body clean. • The liver also produces bile into which fat-soluble toxins are attached and then discharged into the gastrointestinal tract.
The Liver: Bile • Bile contains a majority of the body’s metabolic wastes, including deceased blood cells and toxic chemicals like pesticides. • Once formed, bile along with its waste products and processed toxins moves from the liver to the gallbladder and then is secreted into the intestine, where it helps with the absorption of fats and stool movement. • The bile and its toxic load are picked up by dietary fiber and excreted out the body in the feces.
A lack of dietary fiber results in inadequate binding of the bile, allowing toxins to be reabsorbed. • Therefore, one of the most important ways to improve detoxification is to eat plenty of dietary fiber. • The liver’s primary goal when confronted with toxic chemicals is to neutralize them (making them water-soluble). • Most toxins are fat-soluble, which means they’re difficult to get rid of, just like that ink stain on your shirt. This is when the problems begin.
If you have elevated toxin levels because of poor detoxification, a majority of them will be stored in adipose tissue (fat) and cell membranes (which are composed of fats) throughout the body. • Sometimes they can stay dormant in tissues for decades, but other times because of various activities, they can be released. • For example, during periods of weight loss, exercise, stress, and fasting, these chemicals are released into the blood stream, eventually leading to physiological problems.
The first step in the liver is carried out by Phase I enzymes, transforming these toxins into either- • (1) water-soluble molecules, so they can be easily excreted by the kidney • (2) reactive forms for phase II enzymes, which conjugate these chemicals. • The reactive forms are actually free radicals, which are, at times, more dangerous than the original toxin.
The Liver: Phase I • The Phase I detoxification pathway involves more than 100 enzymes known collectively as the cytochrome P450. • This pathway is a two-edged sword because it converts toxic chemicals into less harmful ones, yet if the cytochrome P450 system becomes overactive, it can produce extremely toxic free radicals (little ticking time bombs). • Antioxidants like glutathione can disengage the little bombs, making them harmless. • However, if these antioxidants are lacking and toxin exposure is high, toxic chemicals become even more dangerous than at the start of the process, and miniature explosions begin occurring in different parts of the liver and body. • In fact, some of these substances can do so much harm they can even cause cancer • Additionally, if you ingest an excessive amount of toxic chemicals, the cytochrome p450 system can become too stimulated and overactive. • This is known as induction of Phase I, and it leads to high levels of damaging free radicals. Substances that can trigger this include caffeine, alcohol, dioxins, saturated fats, pesticides, barbiturates, paint fumes, sulfonamides, and exhaust fumes • If Phase II can’t keep up with this bombardment, serious consequences can result.
The Liver: Phase II • Phase II is known as the conjugation pathway, it basically adds another substance to the toxic chemical or drug to make it less harmful. • This makes the toxin water soluble, so it can easily be excreted out of the body, either through the urine or bile. • Through conjugation reactions, the liver turns hormones, drugs, and toxins into substances that can be eliminated from the body. Phase II acts like the bomb squad that arrives to disengage the bombs. • The six main forms of Phase II detoxification include acetylation, amino acid conjugation, glucuronidation, methylation, glutathione conjugation, and sulfation. • Each of these pathways removes specific types of toxins and requires specific nutrients for their optimal functioning. • Think of each pathway as a specialized bomb squad, trained to disengage specific types of bombs. Phase II can also be activated by certain compounds and slowed down by others.
The Intestines • The gastrointestinal tract plays a big role in detoxification, mainly because it receives toxins bound to bile acids for excretion. • What happens to this bile is directly related to what’s in the intestinal tract. • As we mentioned earlier, bile needs to bind to dietary fiber for a quick exit out the body in the feces. • If there’s insufficient dietary fiber in the intestines, most of this bile will be reabsorbed back into the bloodstream, along with the toxins it’s trying to dump. • This is why fasting may not be beneficial during detoxification. Fasting usually involves abstinence from food for two to sometimes 14 days. • This releases toxins stored in fat, which will eventually make their way into the intestinal tract via bile acids. • But unfortunately, the bus to take them out the body won’t be there. • Fasting usually means no fiber in the intestine, and no fiber means the toxins will get reabsorbed back into the bloodstream where they will continuously build up and either get incorporated into fatty tissues or cause direct damage to tissues themselves.
The Kidneys • The kidneys are other important organs in detoxification. • They eliminate a number of toxic substances after Phase II reactions, including caffeine, some drugs, and steroids. • This is why athletes tested for steroid use always have their urine analyzed. • Probably the best way to ensure optimal kidney function is something we call dilution. • This means drinking plenty of purified water, which is the easiest and best way to keep kidneys functioning well. • Our recommendation is at least 8 cups of purified water daily as a starting point. Make sure you keep track until it becomes habit.
The Skin • The skin is the largest organ in the body and does have some detoxification properties. • Another way of mobilizing toxins is exercise. Exercise not only releases toxins through sweating but, it also mobilizes the release of toxins from adipose tissue. Again, this type of toxin mobilization needs be part of the scientific detoxification program. • Optimally functioning detoxification symptoms are key to overall well-being. • The most important and complex pathways are the Phase I and II systems, located in the liver. If Phase I and II detoxification pathways become overloaded, toxins build up in the body. • The fat solubility of these toxins allows them to incorporate themselves into cell membranes and fatty tissues throughout the body, where they can remain for years. • Common areas of accumulation include the endocrine glands (hormonal) and the brain, which may result in hormonal imbalances, brain dysfunction, PMS, early menopause, and autoimmune diseases, just to name a few. The key in avoiding these serious consequences is to minimize toxic exposure and ensure optimal functioning of these pathways
