Supporting Liver Detoxification
Symptoms of Poor Liver Detox (Liver Stagnation or Congestion)
• Lethargy, fatigue (especially upon arising)• Insomnia, difficulty getting to sleep at night• Headaches, migraines• Skin problems: acne, boils, rashes• Digestive bloating, stuffiness, nausea• Constipation• Poor concentration and memory, brain fog• General lack of wellbeing, malaise• Excess body fat, fatty liver, gallstones• Moodiness, irritability, depression, anxiety• Poor physical balance and fine motor skills, trembling
Nutrition and Detoxification
• Liver enzyme systems require nutrients to function
• Repeated exposure to toxins depletes those nutrients, resulting in a backlog of toxins
• Most people today have a poor diet with a high exposure to toxins which leads to a host of liver-related health problems
Basic Nutrients Needed for Liver Detoxification
• Vitamins: B-complex, C and E• Minerals: magnesium, zinc, selenium,
manganese• Amino acids: methionine, taurine, cysteine,
glycine and others• Essential fatty acids• Antioxidant nutrients from fresh fruits and
vegetables
Liver Detoxification
Phase One Detox
• 50-100 cytochrome P-450 enzymes• Oxidize, reduce or hydrolyze toxins, which break them into
smaller, electrically-charged substances• This process generates free radicals• Excessive exposure to toxic chemicals increases (induces)
phase one detoxification, causing it to become overactive• This generates excessive free radicals overloading the body’s
antioxidant systems and phase two systems• This gives rise to inflammation and liver damage
Phase One Inducers
• Caffeine• Alcohol• Saturated fats• Organophosphate
pesticides• Paint fumes• Exhaust fumes• Heavy metals
Signs of Phase One Problems
• Sluggish– Effects of caffeine and alcohol
are long lasting– General symptoms of liver
congestion
• Overactive– Multiple chemical sensitivities– Toxemia in pregnancy– A healing crisis
Phase One Enhancing Nutrients• Carotenoids: betacarotene• Vitamins: E, B1, B2, B3, C• Minerals: Selenium,
magnesium, iron• N-acetyl-cysteine• Cruciferous vegetables• Indole-3-carbynol• Limonene: oranges,
tangerines, caraway, dill• Bitter herbs: milk thistle,
dandelion, artichoke
Photo by Stephen Foster
Milk Thistle• Helps protect the liver
against chemical toxicity• Stimulates phase I and
phase II detoxification• Can be helpful for people
undergoing chemotherapy or taking other toxic drugs
• Helpful for cirrhosis of the liver and alcohol poisoning
• Stimulates bile flow and helps to clear liver congestion
Photo from Wikipedia
Blessed Thistle• Also helpful for clearing the
liver• Congested and swollen
liver, with flu-like chills, yellowish complexion, jaundice, hepatitis
• Frontal lobe headaches associated with the liver and digestion
• Lack of appetite with a weak stomach, mucus in the stomach, fermentation, gas and indigestion.
Photo from Wikipedia
Phase One Inhibitors
• Substances from foods and herbs– Naringenin (grapefruit juice)– Curcumin (turmeric)– Quercetin (onions)– Capsaicin (capsicum)– Eugenol (cloves)
• Drugs: benzodiazepines, antihistamines, drugs that block stomach acid secretion and others
• Toxins from inappropriate bacteria in the intestines• Phase one detoxification also declines with age, which
makes drugs and chemicals more toxic to the elderly
Antioxidants and the Liver
• Intermediate metabolites and the process that creates them have the potential to cause free radical damage
• The liver requires adequate quantities of antioxidant nutrients to protect itself in the detoxification process
Liver and Eye Health
• In TCM the liver and eyes are connected, so eye problems are as sign of liver problems
• Most serious eye problems are due to a lack of antioxidants, so a depletion of antioxidants in the liver will increase the risk of eye problems
• Many liver herbs “clear vision” in TCM
Sour Fruits to Aid the Liver
• Lycium (wolfberry, gogi)• Black cherry juice• Unsweetened lemon water• Schizandra berries• Mangosteen fruit and
pericarp• Blueberries, blackberries,
raspberries
Phase Two Detoxification
• Six detoxification pathways– Glutathione conjugation– Methylation– Sulfation– Acylation/Glycation– Acetylation– Glucuronidation
Glutathione Conjugation
• Glutathione is an intracellular antioxidant• It is synthesized from the amino acids cysteine,
glutamic acid, and glycine. • Glutathione conjugation is used to eliminate toxins
through the lungs, intestines and kidneys, as well as the liver.
• Exposure to high levels of toxins and heavy metals deplete glutathione faster than it can be replenished
Glutathione Helps Eliminate
• Fat soluble toxins: solvents, herbicides, fungicides, hydrocarbons and lipid peroxides
• Heavy metals (mercury, cadmium, lead)
• Nicotine and toxins from tobacco smoke
• Alcohol• It also recharges other
antioxidants
Nutrients for Glutathione Conjugation
• Cruciferous vegetables • Vitamin C• Alpha-lipoic acid• Raw whey protein• N-Acetyl-Cysteine• Milk Thistle• Amino acids: glutamine
and methionine
N-Acetyl-Cystine
• Precursor to glutathione, aiding glutathione production and glutathione conjugation
• Also aids sulfation• Helpful for heavy metal detoxification, detoxification
in acetaminophen toxicity, alcohol poisoning and chemotherapy
• Also helpful for lung detoxification in bronchitis, emphystema, pneumonia, tuberculosis and smoker’s cough
• Has also been used in programs for cancer and AIDS• Ingredient in Heavy Metal Detox, Milk Thistle
Combination and Perfect Eyes
Alpha Lipoic Acid• Plays a role in the Krebs cycle to help energy
production• Water and fat soluble antioxidant• Helps regenerate glutathione to aid glutathione
conjugation; aids heavy metal detoxification• Helpful for regulating blood sugar in metabolic
syndrome and diabetes• Helpful for diabetic neuropathy• Ingredient in Cellular Energy, Brain Protex
w/Huperzine A, Heavy Metal Detox and Super Antioxidant
Methylation• Methylation conjugates toxins to methyl groups,
particularly the amino acid methionine• It occurs in every cell of the body• Methylation is involved in many other body
processes besides detoxification, including:– Immune function– Maintaining DNA– Energy production– Mood balancing– Controlling inflammation
Methylation Detoxifies
• Hormones: estrogen, melatonin
• Neurotransmitters: Epinephrine and norepinephrine, dopamine, histamine, serotonin
• It converts pyridine, sulphites and hypochlorites into compounds excreted through the lungs
Disorders Associated with Poor Methylation
• Cardiovascular disease• Cancer• Diabetes• Brain and nerve disorders: Alzheimer’s disease,
adult neurological conditions, autism and other spectrum disorders, mood and psychiatric disorders
• Immune problems: allergies, chronic fatigue• Reproductive problems: miscarriages, infertility,
PMS and problems in pregnancy
Nutrients for Methylation
• Amino acid: methionine• B-Vitamins: B6, B12, Folic acid• Choline• SAMe (S-adenosylmethionine)• Bentaine (from beets)• The activity of the methyltransferase enzyme
is dependent on magnesium
Methylation Nutrients
• B vitamins: B6, B12, Folic acid
• Choline• Magnesium• Zinc• Methionine• SAMe
(S-adenosylmethionine)
SAM-e
• Major methyl-donor for liver detoxification and other methylation processes
• Helpful for liver diseases such as: cirrhosis of the liver, alcoholic liver damage, toxic chemical exposure, NSAID-liver damage and environmental chemical hypersensitivity
• Can also be helpful for depression, elevated homocysteine and inflammatory disorders (osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, joint injuries and osteoporosis)
Sulfation• Conjugates toxins to sulfur compounds• Sulfation requires sulphate and is limited by the
amount present in the body• Sulphate may be ingested from food, but is also
produced by the action of the enzyme cysteine dioxygenase on the amino acid cysteine
• Sulfoxidation, a final stage of methylation, transforms toxic sulfites into sulfate
• Sulfites are used to preserve food and can cause respiratory problems in some people
Sulfation Detoxifies
• Some drugs: acetaminophen• Some food additives: aspartame• Hormones and neurotransmitters:
cortisol, thyroid, steroidal• Toxins from intestinal bacteria• Various environmental toxins• Xenoestrogens• Phenolic compounds
Disorders Associated with Poor Sulfation
• Neurological disorders: – Parkinson’s disease– Alzheimer’s disease
• Environmental illness• Estrogen-dependent cancers (from xenoestrogens)• Poor sulfoxidation causes sensitivity to sulfates,
producing respiratory allergies and difficulty breathing
Sulfation Nutrients
• Amino acids: methionine and cysteine
• Sulfur-rich veggies• B vitamins: B1, B2, B12• Magnesium• Zinc• MSM• N-Acytel-Cysteine• Indole-3-Carbinol• Note: Excess B6 or molybdenum
inhibits sulfation
Indole-3-Carbinol
• Enhances both Phase 1 and Phase 2 Detoxification
• Helps break down estrogens (including xenoestrogens)
• Cancer preventative (breast, prostate, cervical)
• Glutathione conjugation support
MSM
• MethylSulfonylMethane • Crystalline derivative of DMSO• Organic sulfur compound found in
vegetables, fruit, meat and diary products• Aids sulfation in the liver• Has anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect• Ingredient in EverFlex, MSM/Glucosaine
Cream, Everyflex Pain Cream
Amino Acid Conjugation
• Also known as acylation• Attaching toxins to amino acids glycine, glutamine and
tuarine• Attaching toxins to glycine is also known as glycination• Taurine and glycine reactions require an alkaline pH: 7.8-8.0• Disturbed acylation by toxic overload decreases bile in the
gastrointestinal tract (may affect as high as 5% of the population)
Disorders Associated with Poor Acylation/Glycination
• Hepatitis• Alcoholic Liver Disorders• Carcinomas• Chronic Arthritis• Hypothyroidism• Toxemia in pregnancy• Excessive Chemical Exposure
Glycination Detoxifies
• Benzoate (widely used as a food preservative)
• Salycilates (aspirin)– Glycine is administered
to treat aspirin overdose
• Toluene (popular industrial solvent)
Acylation/Glycination Supplements
• Protein-rich foods• Amino acids: glycine,
taurine, glutamine, arginine, and ornithine
Acetylation
• Attaches acetyl co-A to toxins• Poor acetylation prolongs the life span of
drugs and other toxic chemicals in the body, thus enhancing their toxicity
• As high as 50% of the population are slow acetylators, 80% among those who are chemically sensitive
Acetylation Detoxifies
• Neurotransmitters: histamine, serotonin
• Salicylic acid• PABA• Sulfa drugs• Environmental toxins:
tobacco smoke, exhaust fumes
Nutrients for Acetylation
• Pantothenic acid (B5)• Vitamin C• Thiamine (B1)• Liberal consumption of
fresh fruits and vegetables
Glucuronidation
• Glucuronic acid is a metabolite of glucose• Glucuronidation attaches glucuronic acid to
toxins• For most individuals glucuronidation is a
supplementary detoxification pathway, a secondary, slower process than sulfation or glycination
Disorders Associated with Poor Glucuronidation
• Gilbert’s syndrome: elevated serum bilirubin levels
• May affect as high as 5% of the population• May have no serious symptoms, but
symptoms include: loss of appetite, malaise, fatigue
• Yellowish tinge to the eyes and skin may be a symptom of poor glucuronidation
Glucuronidation Detoxifies
• Food additives: aspartame, vanillin (synthetic vanilla), menthol, preservatives
• Metabolic byproducts: retinoids, bile acids, bilirubin• Bacterial toxins and some fungal toxins• Steroidal hormones: androgens, estrogens,
mineralcorticoids, glucocorticoids
Nutrients to Assist Glucuronidation
• L-glutamine• Aspartic acid• Magnesium • B-Vitamins: B3, B6• The monoterpene
limonene (found in citrus, dill and caraway EO) increases activity of this pathway
Elimination of Toxins
• Once conjugated toxins must be flushed from the body via the bile (colon) or kidneys
• Adequate bile flow is important for detoxification, as is fiber to bind toxins in colon and water to flush toxins from the system
Milk Thistle Combination
Vitamin A (beta carotene) 14,000IU
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) 480mg
Choline (bitartrate) 110mg Inositol 110mg Milk thistle seed extract N-acetyl-cysteine Dandelion root
Aids phase I and phase II liver detoxification pathways
Helps glutathione production
Protects liver cells from damage from toxins
Helpful for people who work around chemicals, hangovers, cirrhosis of the liver, fatty liver disease, gall stones and liver congestion
Liver Balance
Bupleurum root, peony root without bark, typhonium rhizome, cinnamon twig, dang gui root, fushen sclerotium with root, scute root, zhishi fruit, atractylodes rhizome, ginseng root, ginger rhizome, licorice root
Helps decongest the liver (relieves “constricted liver qi)
Harmonizes the function of the body
Reduces feelings of irritability, stuffiness under the rib cage and other symptoms of liver congestion
Helpful for gall stones, hangover, toxemia, PMS Type A and hepatitis
Heavy Metal Detox
Vitamin B6 5mg. Cilantro leaf Sodium alginate Apple pectin N-acetyl-cysteine L-methionine Magnesium (citrate) Kelp leaf and stem Alpha lipoic acid
Aids glutathione conjugation, methylation and sulfation
Helps the liver detoxify heavy metals and other chemicals
Helps bind heavy metals and toxins in the digestive tract
Comments, Questions and Answers
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