Detoxification Dietary Supplements to Support & Promote the Process ©2006 Huntington College of Health Sciences Literature Education Series On Dietary Supplements By Gene Bruno, MS, MHS (MCS). MCS is a condition in which a person Smart Supplementation™ is a free series of experiences various symptoms in response to educational literature created by Huntington being exposed to certain types of chemicals, College of Health Sciences (HCHS) as a public primarily (but not limited to) those of petroleum service. Although copyrighted, it may be freely photocopied and distributed, but may not be and coal-tar derivation. The possible symptoms altered in any way. Smart Supplementation™ are many and may include headaches, fatigue, is not intended as medical advice. For depression and an overall feeling of malaise and diagnosis and treatment of any medical being sick. MCS seems to develop after condition, consult your physician. consistent, long-term exposure to certain chemicals at home or in the workplace. In her 1962 groundbreaking book Silent Spring , Eventually, the person develops intolerance to Rachel Carson wrote: “For the first time in the these chemicals, and starts suffering from MCS. history of the world every human being is now For many MCS people, a sensitivity reaction will subjected to contact with dangerous chemicals, occur when exposed to even minute amounts of from the moment of conception until death.” Of the offending chemicals which, in turn, can lead to severe symptoms characteristic of the MCS course humans have always been exposed to 3 potentially harmful chemicals from plants and condition. other sources, but Rachel Carson’s point is well taken. Modern living exposes all of us to an Of course an individual may suffer from toxic unprecedented number of chemicals on a daily overload without having full-blown MCS. In basis. This includes environmental toxins such fact, the most common symptom of toxic as heavy metals, pesticides, industrial overload is probably fatigue. Other common compounds and chemical byproducts, symptoms include headache, muscle and joint medications, cosmetic additives, inorganic pain, irritability, depression, mental confusion, chemicals, etc. These chemical substances gastrointestinal and/or cardiovascular which are foreign to the biological system are irregularities, flu-like symptoms or allergic reactions including hives, stuffy or runny nose, referred to as “xenobiotics.” 4 5 sneezing and coughing. The good news is that the body was designed to detoxify and excrete xenobiotics. The bad news Furthermore, some researchers have suggested is our bodies may not always be equipped to that toxic overload may contribute to handle the volume of modern, environmental autoimmune diseases including inflammatory and rheumatoid arthritis 6 7, and neurological pollutants and toxic substances. This problem 8 may be exacerbated by the fact that the refining diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson’s. of many of our foodstuffs has caused them to provide considerably less of the nutrients that How to deal with toxic overload are essential to the detoxification process. 1 2 The question of how to deal with toxic overload has a multipart answer which includes adapting Ramifications of toxic overload to a healthier diet and reducing exposure to The ramifications of toxic overload can vary xenobiotics. The books Multiple Chemical from one individual to another. One possible Sensitivity by Gibson (2000, New Harbinger ramification is multiple chemical sensitivities Publications, Inc.) and Staying Well in a Toxic 1 Huntington College of Health Sciences • 800-290-4226 • www.hchs.edu World by Lawson (1993, The Nobel Press) can use dietary supplements to support and provide good direction on how to do this. promote liver detoxification. Another part to the answer is to help your liver to become more proficient at detoxification. Amino acids and trimethylglycine That’s what this article is really about. So now Certain amino acids are used in phase 2 as the let’s have a brief overview on how the liver goes water soluble substance that is conjugated about detoxification. (attached) to the toxic molecule. These amino acids include glycine, taurine, and glutamine .17 Detoxification by the liver Clinically, supplementation with these amino Water soluble toxins can pass through our acids has shown great benefit for patients with bodies unchanged and be eliminated in the stool, toxic overload, especially when body cleansing sweat or urine. Fat soluble toxins, however, was undertaken contemporaneously. 18 cannot be excreted without undergoing Likewise, methyl groups also act as conjugating metabolic transformation (detoxification) in the agents in phase 2. 19 Trimethylglycine (betaine) liver so that they can become water soluble. is a donor of methyl groups, and may be useful Liver cells have sophisticated mechanisms to as such in biochemical reactions in the liver. 20 break down toxic substances. These include both endogenous (produced by the body) and Milk Thistle exogenous (obtained from the environment; i.e., In herbal medicine, Milk Thistle ( Silybum xenobiotics) substances. Every drug, chemical, marianum ) is arguably the premium liver herb. pesticide and hormone, is broken down or The active component in Milk Thistle is its metabolized via detoxification pathways in the flavonoids collectively called silimarin; and the liver called “phase 1” and “phase 2.” 9 10 11 majority of Milk Thistle-related research has been conducted on this component. Silimarin Phase 1 has long been recognized for its ability to benefit Phase 1 utilizes cytochrome P450 enzymes people with liver disorders, including hepatitis 21 produced in the liver. These enzymes initiate 22 23 24 and cirrhosis. 25 reactions that generally involve exposing or adding a “functional group” to the toxic Some toxic molecules pass through the molecule. This process of making the molecule glutathione conjugation pathway. A deficiency more reactive is required as the first step in of this conjugating amino peptide can reduce the increasing its water solubility for excretion. clearance of solvents from the bloodstream. Some chemicals are already highly reactive and Research shows that silimarin protects against they have functional groups, so they can bypass glutathione depletion 26 , and increases liver phase 1 and go right to phase 2. The majority, glutathione status. 27 Since glutathione is one of however, first need phase 1 activation. the primary conjugating agents in phase 2, this is Unfortunately, phase 1 does generate free a significant contribution by Milk Thistle in radicals which mean that there is greater supporting detoxification by the liver. 28 potential for oxidative damage at this time. 12 13 In addition, Milk Thistle also provides liver Phase 2 protection by stabilizing liver cell membranes. It Phase 2 involves the coupling (attaching) or alters the structure of the outer cell membrane in conjugation of a water soluble substance which such a way as to prevent the penetration of the is endogenously produced or sourced by the liver by toxins into interior of the cell. Milk body, to the toxin. This makes the toxic Thistle also increases the regenerative ability of molecule more water soluble and therefore less the liver and the formation of new liver cells. toxic. If the molecule is large, it is then excreted Further studies concluded that other actions of via the bile. Otherwise, it is excreted in the silimarin include preventing the recirculation of urine. 14 15 There may even be a phase 3 for toxins and regeneration of damaged liver cells. detoxification 16 , but that won’t be addressed in Other studies indicate that Milk Thistle may this article. prevent liver damage from liver poisoning prescription medications. 29 30 Now that we’ve briefly examined the process of liver detoxification, let’s take a look at how we 2 Huntington College of Health Sciences • 800-290-4226 • www.hchs.edu Turmeric The problem is that beta-glucuronidase, a Turmeric ( Curcuma longa ) is a bright yellow, bacterial enzyme found in the intestines, can ancient spice and a traditional remedy that has break the bond that attaches the glucuronic acid been used as a medicine, condiment and to the toxin. Now the toxin can be reabsorbed flavoring based on records dating back to 600 back into the bloodstream, thereby contributing BCE. Turmeric and its curcuminoids also to the total toxic load on the liver; not a good exhibit strong antioxidant activity 31 , enhance thing. There is, however, a way to inhibit beta- cellular resistance to oxidative damage 32 , and glucuronidase from breaking the bond in the first enhance the body's natural antioxidant instance. It involves D-glucarate, or calcium D- glutathione levels; which in turn aids the liver in glucarate. detoxification. 33 Turmeric has also been found to have hepatoprotective (i.e., liver-protective) D-glucaric acid is a natural substance found in properties against a variety of liver-toxic many fruits and vegetables such as apples, chemicals and drugs. 34 35 36 37 38 grapefruit, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts. Calcium D-glucarate is the calcium salt of D- N-acetylcysteine glucaric acid typically used in dietary N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is the precursor to supplements. Calcium D-glucarate has been glutathione. 39 It stimulates glutathione synthesis shown to inhibit beta-glucuronidase. 53 As a and promotes liver detoxification; as well as matter of fact according to data released from acting as a powerful scavenger of free radicals. 40 the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer 41 Historically the most prevalent and well- Center, Calcium D-glucarate inhibited beta- accepted use of NAC has been as an antidote for glucuronidase by 57% in the blood, 44% in the acetaminophen (Tylenol®, paracetamol) liver, 39% in the intestines, and 37% in the poisoning. 42 The resultant liver toxicity is due to lungs. 54 Such an inhibition of beta- an acetaminophen metabolite that depletes the glucuronidase may do much to protect the action liver cells of glutathione and causes liver cell of the glucuronidation pathway.