PATHWAYS OF DETOXIFICATION

Fortunately for us, our bodies have their own natural detoxification mechanisms. In healthy people, these mechanisms function optimally and eliminate the vast majority of toxins in our bodies. There are two main detoxification pathways in our bodies: the Antioxidation pathway and the Liver Detoxification pathway. Both serve to neutralize and eliminate toxic substances from our bodies so that they do not negatively affect our health.

ANTIOXIDATION
We all know that we need oxygen to survive. Without oxygen our brain begins to breakdown in as little as 3 minutes. We are also aware that oxygen can cause damage in the form of rust on metal, browning of exposed fruit and turning food rancid. When you leave an apple on the table it eventually turns brown. This browning is oxidation at work (oxidation is a misnomer in that the processes can occur with any electron seeking molecule and does not necessarily have to include the oxygen molecule). This same process occurs within our bodies in a process called biological rancidification (another name for internal oxidation). Oxygen rich molecules called free radicals are the primary culprits in this process. Many of the toxins we consume on a daily basis act as free radicals. These free radicals are missing electrons that they “steal” off other molecules which in turn steal electrons from other molecules in a chain reaction. This chain reaction leads to biological rancidification. This process is the cause of many diseases and also associated with the aging process.

Antioxidants are molecules that block this chain reaction in its tracks. They do this by providing the free radical with the electrons it is craving thereby blocking any further damage that molecule could do. The essential antioxidants in this process are: vitamin C, E, B2, bioflavinoids, beta-carotene, glutathione, selenium and zinc. The reason these nutrients are essential in combination is that they work as a team and the antioxidative processes will not work well when one is missing. They feed electrons off each other in a chain reaction once the free radical is neutralized (vitamin C receives an electron from E, and E from B2 and so on). A diet that is lacking these essential nutrients allows the free radical damage to go on unchecked and can lead to premature aging and disease. The antioxidant process occurs throughout the entire body at the cellular level.

LIVER DETOXIFICATION
The liver is the main organ in the detoxification process. Once in the liver, toxins go through two phases before they are passed on to the kidneys, skin or bowels for elimination. Phase I involves the breakdown of these toxins into intermediary forms. Complex toxins are broken down into smaller subunits that are easier to eliminate. Once converted these subunits act as very dangerous free radicals that if not eliminated can cause serious damage. At this point, if the body does not have the proper nutrients and antioxidants than these subunits begin to do severe destructive work. In phase II these intermediary subunits are turned into safe, water-soluble molecules that are then packaged for final elimination and excretion. Since many toxins are fat-soluble, turning them into water-soluble molecules in phase II is a very important step. Like the antioxidative process both phase I and phase II processes require an adequate balance of nutrients that if missing will throw the whole process out of sync. Phase II for example requires many essential amino acids to processes and eliminate the intermediary forms created in phase I. Therefore a diet high in quality protein is essential. Phase I requires essential antioxidants to neutralize the free radicals that are created.

DETOX ORGANS
Once the toxins have been processed there are four main ways in which our bodies eliminate and excrete the toxins; through our sweat and tears, urine, feces and being expelled into the air. Our bodies pool together and collect the processed toxins that build up in our systems and eliminate them through these means. The main organs involved in the detoxification processes are the liver (mentioned earlier), kidneys, skin, bowels and lungs. Other organs and systems such as the spleen and lymphatic system play secondary roles.

LIVER
As mentioned earlier the liver is the most important organ when it comes to processing and eliminating toxins. The liver acts as a huge filtration system that filters toxins and other chemicals out of the blood. Some of the major functions of the liver include: filtration of the blood, storage for vitamins, mineral and sugars, manufacturing house for certain blood proteins, metabolizes fats, proteins, carbohydrates and hormones, and the creation center for certain immune complexes. Because of its vital role in our body’s natural detoxification process any detox program you partake in will focus heavily on supporting and helping the liver regain optimal function.

SKIN
The skin is another major organ of excretion. The skin has many tiny pores that constantly exchange gases with the environment. It is also highly permeable meaning it can absorb substances through it and deposit them directly into the blood stream. Like the liver, the skin also has the ability to transform toxins from fat-soluble or oil-based compounds, into water-soluble forms, which can then be removed by the kidneys or excreted in the form of sweat.

KIDNEYS AND BOWELS
The other major organs of detoxification are the kidneys and bowels. These organs produce the main and most recognizable sources of elimination; urine and feces. These two vehicles of elimination carry the most toxins out of bodies. The water-soluble toxins processed by the liver are then passed along to the kidneys. Drinking a lot of water allows the body to flush out a great majority of toxins out of our bodies through the urine created in the kidneys. Bile produced in the gallbladder is the essential detoxifying component of feces. The liver combines the toxins it processes with the bile it receives from the gall bladder and sends it to the large intestine and finally bowels where they are eliminated.

LUNGS
The lungs expel air out of our bodies. The main source of toxic gas produced in our bodies as a by product of the majority of metabolic processes is carbon dioxide CO2. Some other gases include nitrogen and nitrogen oxide. The lungs act as excellent barriers to toxins for our bodies. The mucus membranes pick up toxic residue that enters the lungs through the air we breathe and deposits it into the stomach. Once there the bodies detox pathways kick in to expel the toxins.

OTHER ORGANS AND SYSTEMS
The lymphatic system is composed of lymph which is an extracellular fluid that collects toxins and waste products from cells and sends them along to lymph nodes and eventually the blood stream where they are then processed by the major detoxification organs. Lymph also transports nutrients and other material into the cells. The spleen is an organ of the lymphatic systems which regulates blood cell amounts in the body. It is also a major factory for lymphocyte production.

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