Detox - Oh My God!

Oh you don't need these detoxes. Your liver and kidney do it just fine!

Can you drink a glass of poison and wait for your liver to do the magic? Or do you expect to land in the hospital? Given the number of people who die of poisoning, the answer is quite clear.

The other day, I came across two posts on LinkedIn. One was from a wellness coach promoting a 5-day detox program that promised to change your life. The other was from a self-proclaimed newly certificate-minted science influencer who confidently declared, "Your liver and kidneys detox your body perfectly, and you don’t need any external help!" The truth? Both extremes miss the mark.

The best way to explain this is a severe infection. Yes, your body has white blood cells that along with a plethora of other cells will fight off the infection. But when it gets overwhelmed, you need support. You might need antibiotics or antivirals or anti fungals or anti whatever. You need it for a short time to help your body fight the infection. A detox is exactly like that. It has its role, has to be done for a short time and has to be targetted.

But detox is one of the most abused words in the wellness world. Gut fix! Detox juice! Magic cleanse! You’ve heard it all. But detox is neither a quick fix nor something your body can always handle effortlessly and endlessly. Let’s dig deeper and explore the actual science behind detox: biotransformation.

What Is Biotransformation?

Biotransformation isn’t just about processing food or eliminating external toxins. It’s also essential for handling internal by-products like hormones that our body produces naturally. Hormones, once they've served their purpose, need to be altered and safely excreted. Without proper biotransformation, these substances can accumulate, potentially leading to imbalances and health issues.

Biotransformation is the process by which the body chemically alters substances to either eliminate them or make them less harmful. While it occurs in various organs, the liver and kidneys are the primary sites where this magic happens. But since we’re not here to do a PhD on the subject, let’s keep it simple and focus on the liver, the body’s primary detox powerhouse. The next two paragraphs might get a bit technical, but I promise it’s worth sticking around.

The liver's biotransformation process occurs in phases:

Phase 1: Functionalisation Reactions

Phase 1 reactions are all about making substances more chemically reactive so they can be processed further. Think of it as prepping the toxin for elimination. The main types of Phase 1 reactions include:

• Oxidation: Adding oxygen molecules to a substance. This can increase its reactivity and solubility.

• Reduction: The opposite of oxidation, this removes oxygen or adds hydrogen.

• Hydroxylation: Introducing a hydroxyl group (OH), making the substance more polar and water-soluble.

Phase 1 reactions often produce intermediates, which can sometimes be more reactive (and potentially harmful) than the original toxin. Heard of free radicles? Or reactive oxygen? Yup! But that’s where Phase 2 comes in.

Phase 2: Conjugation Reactions

Phase 2 reactions are like packing up the toxin so it can safely exit the body. Here’s where we see processes like:

• Methylation: Adding a methyl group to neutralize and stabilize the substance.

• Glutathione conjugation: Binding the toxin to glutathione, which helps detoxify reactive intermediates.

• Sulfation: Adding sulfate groups to enhance solubility.

These reactions help the body eliminate the toxin through urine or bile. Both phases need to be in balance; if Phase 1 produces too many intermediates without sufficient Phase 2 support, toxicity can build up. If Phase 1 isn't optimal, toxins don't leave your system and can play havoc.

Ok the jargon is over, I promise.

But what I've written here is only ONE of the body's detox process. There are a million more!

The Problem with Magic Cures

Here’s where it gets tricky. The wellness industry loves to sell 'one-size-fits-all' detox cures.

Take glutathione, for example. It’s marketed as a miracle detoxifier. And yes, glutathione plays a crucial role in Phase 2 detox. But if your phase 1 is bad, what happens when you gulp down glutathione supplements? Yup, you won’t magically detoxify your body if that pathway isn’t the issue. If your Phase 1 or methylation pathway is underperforming, glutathione might not be the fix you need.

Capacity and Mood: Understanding Detox Limits

The truth lies somewhere in the middle. Yes, your body has an innate detox system, but it operates within a capacity limit. If the toxin load exceeds what your liver can handle, or if your body’s pathways are compromised by chronic inflammation, nutrient deficiencies, or hormonal imbalances, detox may not happen efficiently.

Even within capacity, detox efficiency can vary based on other factors. Think of your liver as having a "mood." If it's overwhelmed by poor sleep, high stress, or overexposure to toxins, it’s not going to function optimally. Supporting your body’s detoxification doesn’t mean following fads but rather addressing the underlying factors that influence these pathways. This applies then to all the organs where some amount of detox happens. And so, quite a few things can go wrong.

So detox or no detox?

So, what’s the takeaway? Detox isn’t about drinking a green juice and hoping for the best. Nor is it about ignoring the need for support. It’s about understanding your body’s unique needs, identifying which detox pathways may need help, and making sustainable changes that promote overall health. So yes, there is some truth to doing things to help your body detox, the problem is the one size fits all approach.

In the end, talking to someone who takes the time to understand your body—someone who can assess what your specific needs are and create a tailored plan—beats trying every trend or gimmick. Stay curious, stay balanced, and remember—your body’s systems are designed to protect you. But like anything else in life, they need the right conditions to thrive and there are times they need a little bit of help.

Now the next time someone tells you about detox, you know!