The 3 phases of detox
Neil Goffart
Neil Goffart
Christmas turkey, ice-cream log, raclette, New Year’s champagne… After the festive season, you feel bloated and struggle to get your intestinal transit back on track. It is the perfect moment to start a detox and cleanse your liver.Discover today what the 3 detox phasesare and top up your vitamins with our advice.
Liver detoxification is, as the name suggests, a way of purifying the body through the liver. In practice, it is a succession of metabolic reactions that allow the body to transform toxins into derivatives it can easily eliminate through the digestive tract (faeces and bile), the skin and sebum, the lungs, the kidneys and urine.
Why is this detox described as hepatic? Although intestinal and kidney cells also have a part to play in the purification, it is above all the liver cells, known as hepatocytes, that carry out the detox.
How does detox work? Most toxic substances are fat-soluble, meaning they dissolve readily in fats and therefore cannot be carried by the blood. The liver’s capacity can sometimes become saturated, however, and it is then no longer able to eliminate these harmful molecules as they arise. They are consequently stored in adipose tissue (peripheral fat), where they cause enzymatic pollution, the destruction of cells and even of organs. The role of detoxification is to make the toxins soluble and hydrophilic, so that they dissolve more readily in water and the liver can eliminate them.
All year round, but especially after the festive season, our liver takes considerable strain from our lifestyle (sleep, physical activity) and above all from our diet. Bad fats, salts, sugars, alcohol and other excesses from within the body (known as toxins), as well as pesticides, pollutants, heavy metals and additives (external toxic substances), overload our metabolism with waste, which then runs at a slower pace.
Read also: 10 ingredients to avoid for optimal intestinal transit
These polluting molecules, known as xenobiotics, are meant to be cleared naturally by the body through the filtering action of the emunctory organs: liver, intestines, lungs, kidneys and even the skin. Together they filter the blood and collect the toxins in order to eliminate them through perspiration, urine and stools, among others. Because amniotic fluid and breast milk can also serve as exit routes, the detox phase is not advised for pregnant or breastfeeding women.
A liver in poor health can have serious consequences. It is therefore essential to let the metabolism rest and to cleanse it with a liver detox. Stimulating the emunctory organs, draining the body and eliminating toxins will rebalance your body and restore your energy — what is known as a return to homeostasis.
Thanks to a natural detox period, you can then work on several goals depending on your needs: losing weight, regaining energy, reducing your stress and your fatigue.
Officially, there are two phases in liver detoxification [1]: activation and conjugation. A third phase is nevertheless often considered, namely the transport of the metabolite and its elimination. We explain these phases in detail below.
During the activation phase, fat-soluble toxins are converted into oxidised derivatives through three reactions: oxidation, reduction and hydrolysis by the complex cytochrome P450 (CYT) enzyme systems. The toxins thus oxidised nevertheless remain unstable free radicals and may generate oxidative stress. Glutathione, an effective antioxidant, is therefore tasked with protecting and stabilising these reactions. The CYT enzymes [2] then catalyse, with the help of cofactors (vitamins, zinc, magnesium…), endogenous (toxins) and exogenous (toxicants) biotransformations, each capable of metabolising harmful substances (medicines, alcohol, pesticides, hormones…).
The next step is to transform these newly formed toxicants so that they can be eliminated more easily. The reactions of the conjugation phase attach a hydrophilic group to the intermediate metabolites, in other words a group that promotes their dissolution in water. This makes them easier to eliminate.
During phase 2, several enzymatic reactions overlap to graft different functional groups onto the derivatives that have been oxidised:
The molecules obtained after phase 2 must now be carried from the liver to the body’s exit routes, where they are eliminated for good. Bile, stools and urine, the blood and the kidneys are what expel this waste.Protein transport is made easier by alkalising the organs, which can be achieved by eating vegetables and citrate. Take care not to overdo it, though.
There are several ways of looking after your liver and your body in general. The most important are to stay well hydrated by drinking plenty of water, to eliminate toxins through perspiration by taking regular physical exercise and to adjust your diet. Avoid overly fatty food and processed foods, and eat good proteins, fruit and vegetables and omega-3.
Discover as well 7 plants for a successful natural detox.
What happens after the detox period? Your newly cleansed body will experience a surge of energy, visible at every level: skin and hair, muscles, joints, breathing, intestinal transit, sleep… At first you may feel a little tired and your mood may fluctuate: this is normal. Detoxification is a change that demands a great deal of energy to clear waste from the body. To keep the benefits of the detox for as long as possible, avoid junk food, drink water and favour healthy foods.
Read also: is a low-salt diet good for our health?
Our team is here to help you
Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 7pm.
Saturday from 10am to 5pm.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Liver detoxification can be described in three broad biotransformation stages. Phase I transforms certain compounds, notably through the cytochrome P450 enzymes. Phase II carries out various conjugation reactions in order to alter their solubility and their reactivity. Phase III then involves membrane transporters that take part in exporting them to the bile or the blood before elimination. These phases are a model, however: not every substance necessarily goes through the three stages in that order.
Glutathione takes part in certain phase II mechanisms, notably through conjugation reactions catalysed by the glutathione S-transferases. These reactions can help neutralise and eliminate certain reactive metabolites. This pathway must nevertheless be distinguished from sulphoconjugation, which mainly uses sulphotransferases and a sulphate donor called PAPS. Speaking of « sulphoconjugation by glutathione » as though it were one and the same reaction is therefore biochemically inaccurate.
Perspiration is not a major route for eliminating waste or xenobiotics compared with the kidneys and the gastrointestinal tract. Some substances can be detected in sweat, but a thorough physiological review concludes that the contribution of the sweat glands to their overall elimination appears small and that there is no solid evidence of a mechanism able to increase that elimination selectively. Physical activity remains good for health, but not because it « flushes out toxins » through sweat.
Certain foods and food compounds can modulate the activity of enzymes involved in biotransformation, but that does not mean they « cleanse » the liver. One scientific review reports data on cruciferous vegetables, alliums, certain citrus fruits and several phytonutrients. The findings come from a mix of cell, animal and human studies, however, and the effects can vary with the dose, genetics or interactions with medicines. A varied diet therefore remains preferable to a strategy built on a handful of « detox » foods.
Détoxivits currently combines milk thistle, dandelion, artichoke, fumitory and broccoli, along with NAC, taurine, vitamins, zinc and selenium. The published dosage is two capsules a day, split across two meals, for 10 to 15 days. Certain plant claims remain « on hold » at European level and may be used in Belgium under conditions. Détoxivits should not, however, be presented as able to « cleanse the liver », remove specific toxins or treat a liver condition.
Health Advice
Cycle menstruel : zoom sur les menstruations et les hormones
Comment fonctionne le cycle menstruel ? Découvrez le rôle des hormones, les différentes phases du cycle, ce qui se passe pendant les menstruations et les approches favorisant le bien-être féminin.
Florence Soupart
Candidiasis : which foods to eat to avoid candida albicans
Candidiasis is common in humans, yet complex to treat. To reduce the risk of developing candida albicans, follow an anti-candida diet.
Neil Goffart
About LEPIVITS
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.
clear
formulas
justified
ingredients
honest
communication
a documented quality standard.
