by Jes Williams @feelmoregooder

What Does It Mean To Detox?

Detoxification is process that your body is naturally equipped to carry out. This system processes primarily involves the liver and kidneys, though other aspects of the gastrointestinal tract, as well as your lungs, skin, and cellular mitochondrial function come into play as well.

So, since our bodies innately do this - why do we need to support it? Well, ideally, our lifestyles, habits, circadian rhythms, and nutritional profiles would exist in a way that all of our systems function in concert with one another and work optimally.

However, habits of modernity (like a disregulated circadian rhythm), malnutrition or a nutrient-depleted diet (filled with empty-calorie foods with little to no nutrient value), and overconsumption of pharmaceutical pills, etc. “bog” down our detoxification pathways.

You can think of it this way: we need to get out of our bodies’ way and give it the tools it is designed to utilize to thrive and function its best. More true nourishment both from the standpoint of habits and nutrition, and less burning the candle at both ends without pitstops to refuel. This rampant, mismanaged stress from every direction takes a toll - and leaves many of us feeling that we “need to detox.”

Detoxification Has Three Phases

Gastrointestinal detoxification involves three different phases. These phases are referred to, respectively, as functionalization (phase I), conjugation (phase II), and elimination (phase III).

In functionalization, antioxidants, b vitamins, glutathione, and flavonoids are used. In conjugation, nutrients like glycine, taurine, glutamine, and NAC are utilized. And lastly, elimination is supported with humic & fulvic acids, fiber, and sufficient hydration.

Is Detoxing a Fad?

Just like every other topic under the wellness umbrella, the answer to this is nuanced. Some mainstream detox practices are absolutely worthy of the fad label. If your protocol or product is rife with artificial ingredients, artificial sweeteners, and/or ingredients that are known to cause negative side effects - it’s likely that you’re dealing with something that is taking a “quick-fix” route and not going to beneficial to your health long-term.

Additionally, many “quick fix” detox products do not actually target all three phases of detoxification, which can render them either ineffective or cause “detox flu” reactions - which make sense when you understand that the body is not siloed. Supporting the entire process of detox from start to finish makes the most sense, both in terms of effectively detoxing and also to avoid unpleasant symptoms (which are your body’s healing responses and requests for change).

However, there are ways to support your body’s detoxification pathways that can and will support your long-term health. Plant compounds like sulforaphane (found in a bioavailable, functional dose in our product BrocElite) are shown in the literature to support all three phases of detoxification. (1)

Best Practices for Detoxing

Continuing with the concept we just addressed with supporting systemic detoxification from start to finish, it’s important with any protocol (or simply incorporating a new, detox-targeting product/supplement) that you are carrying supportive habits for elimination which include having access to a restroom, exercising adequately, getting sufficient sunlight & fresh air, sweating, and staying hydrated so that your body can optimally eliminate toxins and waste both through your skin and bowels.

Interestingly, a study showed that 93% of participants had BPA in their sweat. (2) This perhaps tells us that being able to sweat (using exercise, sauna, steam rooms, hot tubs, etc.) is a vital adjunct to anything you ingest for detox. Often times when your body can not eliminate completely through your organs, it will do so through your skin - which explains detox-related breakouts. You can help prevent these by focusing on hydration and adding in plant compounds that support your detox organs.

Sulforphane for Detox

Uniquely, sulforaphane aids all three phases of detox (functionalization, conjugation, and elimination). This attribute is advantageous and important, as you are seamlessly supporting each phase of your gastrointestinal detoxification system, without leaving out support for important processes - which are vital for effective purification. You can get sulforaphane in a functional, bioavailable dose in our product, BrocElite.

In the literature, we see that sulforaphane upregulates canonical pathways in genes implied in phase I detox. (3) Too, sulforaphane significantly enhances the body's detoxification process by activating the Nrf2 pathway, leading to increased production of phase II detoxification enzymes. This helps to eliminate toxins from the body, particularly airborne pollutants like benzene and acrolein. (3)

Finally, sulforaphane also plays a role in phase III detox by indirectly facilitating the elimination of those neutralized toxins through its influence on the Nrf2 pathway, which regulates the expression of transporter proteins involved in excretion.  (4)

Melanin for Detoxing

Having a tan helps you detox heavy metals? Yes! Having a tan goes far beyond skin deep. It’s time we look past the facade of the vanity discussion when it comes to having a tan and building melanin. Melanin’s role in our physiology is incredible and far reaching.

Did you also know: we have three types of melanin? The melanin in your skin (eumelanin) is just one kind. You also have neuromelanin and pheomelanin.

“Metal chelation is often invoked as one of the main biological functions of melanin.

In order to understand the interaction between metals and melanin, extensive studies have been carried out to determine the nature of the metal binding sites, binding capacity and affinity.

These data are central to efforts aimed at elucidating the role metal binding plays in determining the physical, structural, biological, and photochemical properties of melanin.

Melanin has a high affinity for metal ions, and pigmented tissues contain significant amount of metal elements in vivo.

Because metals are precisely regulated in the body, the involvement of melanin in the metabolism of metals is of great importance and has recently attracted much attention.” (15)

What About Juice Cleanses?

You might be surprised: we aren’t here to bash cold-pressed juice, just want to suggest a few caveats. We would opt for low-sugar green juice to make it more blood-sugar friendly (fruit is perhaps more important to consume with its intact fiber to reduce the blood sugar spike).

If you are consuming low-sugar (maybe the only fruit in it is lemon or lime), this is a massive nutritional improvement for many individuals who reach for a soda when their energy levels are low. This is especially the case given that only 1 in 10 adults in the United States meets the amount recommended for fruits and vegetables. (11)

For many, it can be a healthy choice. Too, since digestion is second being thermoregulation (regulating body temperature, especially when exposed to drastic temps) for amount of bodily energy required, giving your GI tract a break from digestion introduces it’s own list of benefits and can help your organs catch up with their “housework.”

As far as detoxing with juice - the same “rules” apply as they do for other methods. You ideally want to support all pathways. And you want to be taking a systemic approach - so making sure to do the other elimination practices we mentioned earlier is imperative.

Are There Positives to Juice Cleanses?

A 16 oz juice contains about 2.5 pounds of produce - so, when you look at it through that lens of nutrition, juice can be an excellent choice. And, it doesn’t contain anything artificial, like many “detox products” do. However, it’s important to look at this inclusion of juice as a nutrient-surge, rather than a quick fix for health; a kickstart for some healthier habits, of sorts.

Another thing that cold pressed juice offers is the whole food matrix, which changes the availability of nutrients, such as amino acids or vitamins, that are required for many phase I and phase II detoxification reactions. The literature shows that the increased intake of vegetables is protective of nonalcoholic fatty liver issues, and overall risk of mortality from all causes. (7, 8)

Additionally, a 2017 study showed that juice cleanses actually improve your microbiome and can aid weight loss, as it states: “the 3-day vegetable/fruit juice-based diet induced significant changes in the intestinal microbiota which were associated with weight loss, and increase in the vasodilator NO, and decrease in lipid oxidation.” (9) The bacteria implied have been linked with healthy metabolism and overall gut health. (10) Notably, the general well-being score was increased at the end of the study.

Another study exists where they utilized juicing to help aid mood and neurological disorders. Juicing was used as an adjunct to eliminate toxins from the body.

To suggest an improvement, it may be a better idea to simply incorporate more low-sugar, chlorophyll-rich green juices into your protein-focused dietary approach, this way you are getting the nutrient-dense dose of phytochemicals from the juice as well as the phase II detox supporting aspect from dietary protein (which we will dig into shortly). (12)

Negatives of Juicing

A negative to juicing is that the expenses of it can add up fast, and many do it in a way where they are only drinking fruit juices - which we mentioned is not ideal for systemic health when looking at blood glucose.

An important asterisk here is that the sugar from fruit comes with beneficial enzymes that drinks like soda do not. So, in that way, they are absolutely a better choice. But, when we are talking optimal, keeping the sugar (without the fiber) lower is advisable.

Protein to Support Detoxification

Eating adequate protein is a commonly overlooked aspect of detoxification. High-quality, lean protein is needed for phase I & II detoxification, where various enzymes, nutrients, and amino acids do their job. Protein is important “for the benefit of providing a substrate to these enzymes, it is generally thought that dietary protein is required for an effective detoxification protocol.” (6) The role of protein in detoxification is perhaps part of why long-term juice cleanses (void of protein) are suboptimal.

Circadian Aspect of Detox

If you’re familiar with our previous blog posts on sunlight and circadian rhythm, then you understand now that circadian rhythm dictates many things within your body. The liver and your detox pathways are no exception. “In the liver, more than 350 genes involved in metabolism and detoxification are expressed in a circadian fashion, with a biological rhythm of 24 hours.” (16)

References:

1. https://vetmed.tamu.edu/peer/detoxification/
2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22253637/
3. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4572790
4. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0278691599000824
5. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5438379/
6. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4488002/
7. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31364650/
8. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10181083/
9. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28526852/
10. https://organicpress.com/pages/ucla-school-of-medicine-study-abstract
11. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8258457/
12. https://agrilifetoday.tamu.edu/2021/03/10/juicing-technique-affects-nutritional-properties-of-vegetables/
13. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5871207/
14. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8876337/
15. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2533804
16. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/05/170504121737.htm