The 3 Phases of Detox
Many scientists promote the idea that there is only one actual disease affecting the body: toxaemia – which is the scientific name for toxins in your bloodstream.
With this, what they try to explain is that if the body can be kept free of toxins and toxicants, and if good nutrition is provided, it will be able to heal itself from any disease.
And if you take a look at all the effective natural healing methods, you’ll see that they combine some type of detoxification process.
An efficient detox will mix a good nutritional diet and a superb supplement in order to:
- lower the amount of chemicals going into your body,
- give you enough nutrients to enhance your body’s natural functions
- and support your body to remove toxins from the body in a quick and safe way
This process is done in 3 different phases.
Phase 1: Oxidation
Phase 1 detox occurs in the liver. As you may know, your liver filters toxins out of one-third of your blood every minute as it passes through it.
It uses oxygen and enzymes to burn toxins, and that’s why it’s called “oxidation”.
The only purpose of this process is to make the toxins more soluble in water – since in their original form they are only fat soluble. This means toxins can only be stored in fat tissue.
Making them water soluble makes them easier to excrete by the kidneys or the bowels.
The toxins are then attached to a vitamin (especially antioxidants). But this new compound is very toxic – even more toxic than the compound being detoxified – and needs to be shuttled into phase 2 immediately to prevent free radical damage.
Benzene, for example, is a dangerous organic solvent and carcinogen found in gasoline and cigarettes. When oxidized during Phase 1, it produces benzene quinones, which are a source of increased toxicity.1
In order to complete the detoxification of benzene, your liver relies on Phase 2 enzymes.
Phase 2: Conjugation
The highly reactive toxic metabolites from Phase 1 need Phase 2 treatment right away.
A high level of antioxidants are needed to neutralize these substances, offset free radical damage and protect your liver and cells.
Sulfur, specific amino acids and organic acids bind to these intermediate products from Phase 1, which makes them safe to be eliminated.
The most important amino acids in Phase 2 Detoxification are cysteine and methionine, as they are main sources of sulfur.
Bioflavonoids also play an important role during this phase, facilitating the detoxification process by stimulating enzymes.
Some other Phase 2 detoxification helpers include:
- Curcumin
- S-adenosyl methionine
- Milk thistle (silymarin)
- Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli sprouts
Phase 3: Elimination
This last phase starts also in the liver, and then moves to the kidneys and bowels, and it’s the simplest one.
The xenobiotic conjugates may be further metabolized, but the main function of this phase is to get the toxins out of your body.
The now water-soluble compound is sent to the kidney for excretion and it gets eliminated through the urine or through the feces.
Make sure you eat a healthy diet and add the right supplementation to help your body get rid of toxins that might be harming you and putting your health at risk.
Take a look at our formulas and how they can help you live toxin-free here.
Footnotes:
- Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 1996 Jan;136(1):49-56. “Differences in rates of benzene metabolism correlate with observed genotoxicity.” Kenyon EM, Kraichely RE, Hudson KT, Medinsky MA.
