DETOXIFICATION

By DR. Peggy J. Locke

What does Detoxing mean?

Our body has to be able to clear itself of xenobiotics, better known as environmental toxins, endotoxins (gut toxins), and even the body's own endocrine and urinary pheonolic (metabolic waste) substances. Therefore it is not enough to simply do a Detox and think that we've done our body a great service. Granted you may have begun to help your body process things more efficiently, however, unless a Phase 2 portion of any Detox is done there could very well be an imbalance as well as an insufficiency of critical nutrient production. This insufficiency could result in an increased toxic load on the body and eventually show up down the road in the form of illness.

There are two mechanisms that your liver uses to remove toxins. The first portion of the detoxification process (Phase 1) is to make toxins more available to the second part of the detoxification (Phase 2) by changing them into forms which your body can expel through the urine or stool. In this way the toxins will not end up in body tissue, which also include the brain and central nervous system. Toxins that get caught in the body's tissue can be released slowly into the blood stream, eventually causing chronic illness.

The Phases of Detoxification

Phase I Detox

This phase of detoxing is the oxidation-reduction for caffeine and gut toxins. This helps take stress off of the liver by clearing the gut of toxins. This Detox is what the general population believes is the only detoxification that is necessary. However, to completely detoxify the body there has to be a second phase to this process.

Phase II

The sulfur/oxidation pathway is for the molecular conversion, of toxic intermediate metabolites of metabolic waste (drugs), into a water-soluble form for excretion and elimination. This pathway includes the following: conjugation of glutathione, sulfation reactions, peptide conjugation, and more.

What are the consequences of impaired Detoxification you might ask?

1. Toxic exposure results in increased production of free radicals being produced which are damaging to the body. Natural antioxidants which your body could normally produce, decrease as the toxins in the body increase. This can even result in various disorders from arteriosclerosis to many auto-immune disorders, inflammatory disease and even a Leaky Gut.

2. With elevated levels of toxins there is a depletion of glutathione, sulfates, glycine and glucuronide conjugation. This continued exposure to toxic free radicals can be a contributing factor to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, allergies, Fibromyalgia, Leaky Gut, chronic bronchial illnesses and many other chronic disorders.

It is a well known fact that by the time any disease process shows up on a blood test, or liver panel, there is already liver damage present. What we like to do is correct the problem before there is any damage done.

When the two phases of detoxification are out of balance, our body is more prone to illness. The best way to determine the level of toxicity you have is done through testing which is available through our clinic, or through your health care practitioner. This Detoxification Profile can determine the level of toxicity you have and will help the doctor make a better informed decision as to the protocol needed to help you on the road to wellness!

• Do you smoke or use tobacco products, or are you around someone who smokes in your presence?
• Are you often exposed to automobile exhaust fumes?
• Do you live or work in a building that has new carpeting, paint or furniture that may be giving off odors or gases?
• Have you ever used toxic chemicals such as insect sprays or herbicides at home or at work?
• Do you have one or more alcoholic drinks per week?
• Have you taken prescription drugs two or more times in the past year?
• Do you often eat meat grilled over a charcoal fire?
• Do you suffer from gastrointestinal problems?
• Do you have allergies, sinus problems or joint pain?
• Are you frequently tired from a normal day's activity?

If you answered "Yes" to two or more of these questions, you may be reacting to increased toxic exposure and burdening you body's own detoxification ability.

You might want to know why all this insistence on detoxifying the body? If anyone has lived in the United States in the 80's and 90's it is a given that they are toxic and to add any kind of supplemental program on top of a toxic system would be like putting fertilizer on a toxic dump and saying it's ready for planting.

Call our clinic today and speak to DR. Locke about getting stared on the assessment of hepatic detoxification. DR. Locke can determine the limit of specific pathways in the liver to develop a more precise treatment plan for you.

References
Empty Harvest: DR. Bernard Jensen and Mark Anderson, 1973, 1990; 145-155. Detoxification Profile: Great Smokies Diagnostic Laboratory, Application Guide; 1-6. Smilkstein MJ, DR. Douglas, MR Daya: Acetaminophen poisoning and liver function (letter), New England Journal of Medicine 1994; (Nov 10): 1310-11.