WEEK 2 - What Supplements Should I take for Liver Detox? | Supplement Mastery Series
WEEK 2: Supplements for Liver Detox
Let’s be clear - I am never going to recommend anyone take supplements without first being properly assessed. In fact, before you continue reading this post, it’s best to review Week 1 of the Supplement Mastery Series.
Moving forward!
Liver detox and liver cleanses are a hot topic this time of year. Everyone wants a clean slate, and they’re working hard to be better people, healthier people.
While I am not a fan of hard and fast liver cleanses, I can understand the appeal.
So here in Week 2, we are going to talk about liver function, and answer the question, “which supplements should I take for liver detox?”.
Liver Function 101
The liver is a complex organ. Though this will not be an exhaustive overview of liver function and liver detox, we will cover many important factors.
The liver has many functions, including:
IT MAKES CHOLESTEROL - Yep! Dietary cholesterol has little effect on total cholesterol levels in the body (1). Elevated cholesterol and fatty deposits in the liver are caused by refined carbohydrates and sugars (i.e. processed foods). Our body needs cholesterol for things like cellular structure, transfer of nutrients, and hormone production.
IT ACTS AS A FILTER FOR TOXINS - The more obvious toxins you probably recognize, are things like alcohol, medications, recreational drugs, and caffeine. Some lesser-known toxins include excess hormones (cortisol, estrogen, thyroid hormones, testosterone, insulin), many components of processed foods (additives, fillers, colorings, preservatives), excess blood sugar, and debris and waste caused by pathogens like bacteria, viruses, yeast, and parasites. Nearly two quarts of blood pass through this “filter” every minute(2).
PREPARES TOXINS FOR ELIMINATION - The liver not only determines what is and is not safe to enter our bloodstream, but it also converts toxins into forms that can be eliminated from the body so that they do not get reabsorbed. This process is known as detoxification, and due to the many different types of toxins we are exposed to, whether environmentally, dietary, pathogenically, or internally, liver detoxification can be affected by many different factors. Once toxins are converted, the liver delegates them to the respective organs responsible for eliminating them. For instance, excess estrogen (fat-soluble hormone) will be converted to a water-soluble form, so that it can be eliminated through urine (kidneys) or sweat (skin).
HELPS REGULATE BLOOD SUGAR AND FAT STORES - When glucose (the smallest form of sugar) is present in the blood, insulin is released from the pancreas and shuttles the glucose into cells to be converted into fuel. The glucose that remains is converted by the liver into storage forms of glucose, including glycogen and triglycerides (stored in fat tissue). Similarly, when glucose levels are low, the adrenal glands respond by releasing cortisol to break down these stored forms of glucose, which then have to be converted (again, by the liver), back into glucose.
MAKES BILE - A lovely sounding word, bile is essential to two important functions:
It binds to certain fat-soluble toxins, which get absorbed by fiber, then escorted out of the body through feces. Most (99%) of bile is reabsorbed into the body, and without adequate dietary fiber, the toxins bound to bile will be reabsorbed with it.
It breaks down dietary fats into fatty acids that are needed to regulate inflammation, for eye, skin, and hair health, for cellular health, and can be used as a fuel source. Rather than being used as important nutrients for your body, fats that are not broken down into fatty acids will be eliminated through feces.
LET’S TALK SYMPTOMS
SYMPTOMS OF A TOXIC LIVER
If you have any of the following symptoms, it’s a good idea to get your liver assessed by a qualified practitioner, so that you can safely and effectively detox your liver.
psoriasis, eczema, or dermatitis
acne
chronic headaches
constipation
inflammatory and autoimmune disease
chronic fatigue
unexplained weight gain, or difficulty losing weight
trouble controlling blood sugar levels
Simply put, if you have a poor reaction to any environmental toxin or drug, you can be sure that there is likely a liver detoxification problem.
SOURCES OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND DIETARY TOXINS THAT BURDEN THE LIVER
As we discussed earlier, toxins come in many forms, such as excess hormones, food additives, herbicides and pesticides, heavy metals, carcinogens, byproducts from overgrown pathogens like yeast or bacteria, waste from parasites, medications, alcohol, caffeine, etc..
Here is a list of things you may not realize could be contributing to liver toxicity:
drinking water
cookware
cigarette smoke
car exhaust
poor quality supplements
dental fillings and metal hardware
air
certain nutrient deficiencies
HOW DOES LIVER DETOXIFICATION WORK?
LIVER DETOXIFICATION PHASES
Many are familiar with the fact that the liver has many phases of detoxification. For the sake of this article, I am going to discuss Phase I detoxification and Phase II detoxification.
It’s important to remember that liver detoxification varies widely from person to person based on genetics and toxic load. But the best thing we can do is to educate ourselves on how to support them as best as we can, and if things still don’t seem right, get evaluated by a practitioner who can help support you more specifically.
PHASE I LIVER DETOXIFICATION
Simply put, Phase I liver detoxification begins breaking down toxins, and in doing so, creates compounds that are more toxic than the original.
Phase I handles many types of toxins like chemicals from foods, medications, alcohol and caffeine. A series of enzymes collectively known as Cytochrome P450 are primarily responsible for the detoxification in Phase I.
Cytochrome P450 enzymes work in two ways (2):
They neutralize toxins, making them non-toxic, and water-soluble so that they can be removed from the body, OR…
They convert toxins to a more chemically reactive form that makes it easier for Phase II enzymes to neutralize them, making the toxins more toxic in the meantime
This means that it’s important for both Phase I and Phase II to be well supported. Toxins that are made more toxic by Phase I that cannot be effectively eliminated by Phase II, will be reabsorbed into the body, and cause further health problems.
It’s important to know that for every toxin metabolized by Phase I detoxification, a free radical is generated.
WHAT IS A FREE RADICAL?
Free radicals are common byproducts of all metabolic processes, and are the reason it’s important we consume a wide variety of antioxidant foods on a daily basis.
Here’s a great description from the National Library of Medicine (3):
“A free radical can be defined as any molecular species capable of independent existence that contains an unpaired electron in an atomic orbital. The presence of an unpaired electron results in certain common properties that are shared by most radicals. Many radicals are unstable and highly reactive. …
“These are highly reactive species, capable in the nucleus, and in the membranes of cells of damaging biologically relevant molecules such as DNA, proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids. Free radicals attack important macromolecules leading to cell damage and homeostatic disruption.”
Put another way, free radicals are unstable molecules, due to an unpaired electron, that damage other cells and tissues around them. In order to be neutralized, they need to be restabilized by having an electron donated by another molecule (antioxidants).
One of the most important antioxidants for neutralizing Phase I free radicals is glutathione, which we will discuss later in the post.
PHASE II LIVER DETOXIFICATION
Phase II liver detoxification takes the more toxic compounds, and adds a chemical to them which either neutralizes the toxin, or makes it water-soluble so that it can be eliminated through urine or sweat.
The process of adding a chemical in Phase II is called conjugation. Depending on the type of toxin being dealt with, each toxin will go through a different conjugation pathway, requiring different nutrients.
All phases of liver detoxification require that energy-production in cells is functioning well, primarily the mitochondria within cells. We’ll get into that more later, but what’s important to remember right now, is that supplements to support liver detoxification include both nutrients to support the pathways of liver detox, as well as cellular health within liver cells.
When the mitochondria are not functioning well, Phase II liver detoxification will slow down, causing a buildup of toxins that cannot be eliminated.
Conjugation pathways of Phase II liver detoxification include:
glucaronidation
sulfoxidation
glutathione
amino acid
methylation
sulfation
acetylation
FOODS FOR LIVER DETOXIFICATION
Here’s a list of factors that will slow or inhibit liver detoxification:
magnesium deficiency, and deficiency of other minerals
low-protein diet
benzodiazapines
antihistamines
stomach acid blocking medications
toxins caused by overgrown bacteria in the intestines
grapefruit juice (decreases activity of Cytochrome P450 enzymes)
low anti-oxidant diet
deficiency in B vitamins
use of food dyes
use of NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs)
Before we get into what supplements to take for liver detoxification, it’s important to know it is not a good idea to support Phase I liver detox without also supporting Phase II liver detox.
When answering the question, “what supplements should I take for liver detoxification?”, we have one more factor to consider:
LIVER CONGESTION
Remember, your liver is a filter. Before detoxification can occur, the liver needs to determine what is a toxin and what isn’t. It accomplishes this by filtering. If it is congested with fatty liver deposits, it cannot filter the blood effectively.
Fatty deposits in the liver, sometimes known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, are commonly caused by poor blood sugar regulation, and all that entails, such as:
diet high in refined foods
low fiber, protein, and quality fats in the diet
poor sleep
insulin resistance
poor digestion
adrenal dysfunction
Briefly put, fatty liver deposits are caused by the constant need to convert glucose into fat, and fat into glucose, in order to maintain energy production. To learn more about how this process works, read this article.
What Supplements Should I take for Liver Detoxification?
Here’s what you came for.
SUPPLEMENTS AND FOODS TO SUPPORT PHASE I LIVER DETOX
Support for Phase I is more about stimulating Phase I enzyme activity, whereas Phase II and liver decongestion will focus more on nutrients needed to facilitate each process.
brassica vegetables, such as cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts - contain multiple chemical factors that stimulate both Phase I and Phase II detoxification enzymes.
Oranges, tangerines, caraway seeds, and dill seeds - contain limonene, which induce Phase I and Phase II liver enzymes.
B vitamins, specifically B1 (thiamin) and B3 (niacin) - these nutrients are known to activate Phase I liver detox enzymes. Foods rich in B vitamins are sprouted whole grains (why sprouted?), organ meats, and nutritional yeast.
SUPPLEMENTS TO SUPPORT PHASE II LIVER DETOX
This list will provide nutrients to look for when shopping for supplements, rather than specific products. Additionally, here is a complete list of high-quality supplements that contain these nutrients, that I commonly recommend to clients for liver detoxification.
Glutathione - Needed for the glutathione conjugation pathway, to convert fat-soluble toxins like heavy metals, solvents, and pesticides, into water-soluble toxins. Additionally, glutathione is a powerful antioxidant used to protect the mitochondria to support energy production in cells and protect against free radical damage by destabilizing free radicals.
Glutathione is produced from methionine and cysteine, which are amino acids (building blocks of protein). Getting adequate protein in your diet is essential to the formation of glutathione, in addition to foods that contain glutathione (asparagus, avocado, walnuts).
Glycine - Glycine is the most commonly used amino acid the human body uses to combine with and neutralize toxins in the amino acid conjugation pathway. Other amino acids are also used, such as taurine, glutamine, arginine, and ornithine.
SAM-e (s-adenosyl-methionine) - synthesized from the amino acid, methionine, SAM-e is essential to the methylation pathway and requires cofactors choline, vitamin B12, and folic acid to be synthesized.
SAM-e acts as a methyl donor to certain toxins, such as excess estrogen. A methyl group contains four atoms: one carbon, and three hydrogen. Donating this methyl group to certain toxins deactivates them.
Cysteine - also synthesized from methionine, cysteine is essential to the sulfation pathway of Phase II liver detoxification. Eating a wide variety of protein-rich foods, and supporting your digestive health (to make sure you can properly break down proteins), are the two keys to ensure you get the nutrients needed for liver detoxification.
Molybdenum - a trace mineral required for most enzymes used in sulfur metabolism (sulfation and sulfoxidation pathways).
Acetyl-Coenzyme-A (acetyl-CoA) - this nutrient is needed for the acetylation pathway to eliminate sulfa drugs (antibiotics). This enzyme is not a nutrient that can be supplemented but is produced through glucose metabolism in cells. So, going back to cellular health, if you want to increase Acetyl-CoA, make sure you are supporting your cellular health and blood sugar regulation.
Vitamin B1 (thiamin) and B5 (pantothenic acid) - both nutrients are required for the acetylation pathway and are essential to glucose metabolism, which is how Acetyl-CoA is formed.
Vitamin C - A powerful antioxidant that is necessary for many functions in the body, but in this regard, it is essential to the acetylation pathway. Vitamin C has a short half-life (is quickly metabolized and eliminated), so getting it consistently in foods (brightly colored fruits and vegetables) and supplementation is important.
SUPPLEMENTS FOR LIVER CONGESTION AND FATTY LIVER DEPOSITS
Nutrients that support the clearing of fatty liver deposits are collectively known as lipotropic nutrients. Decongesting the liver will improve liver detoxification and fat metabolism (2).
Individually these lipotropic nutrients include (4):
choline - synthesized from methionine (notice a pattern here?) and serine. Needed for the transport of fats to and from the liver via chylomicrons.
betaine - synthesized from choline, and is needed for the re-methylation of homocysteine to methionine.
methionine - needed for the synthesis of SAM-e. Also serves as an antioxidant to protect liver cells from free radical damage.
vitamin B6 - elevated toxicity increases your body’s requirement for vitamin B6.
milk thistle extract - contains a factor called silymarin, which is a powerful antioxidant that protects the liver against damage from harmful chemicals by preventing the depletion of glutathione during detoxification.
dandelion root(5) - enhances bile flow and improves liver congestion.
artichoke leaf(5) - promotes flow of fat to and from the liver.
TAKEAWAYS
the liver performs many functions in the body, including the breakdown of fats, sugars, and detoxification
toxins include environmental factors, dietary factors, as well as internal factors such as byproducts and waste from bacteria and glucose metabolization, and excess hormones
the breakdown of toxins causes an abundance of free radicals, which cause damage to nerves, skin, blood, and other tissues
liver detoxification support requires improvement of bile flow, clearing of fatty deposits, good blood flow, as well nutrient support for detoxification pathways
while the focus of this article was on supplements, it’s important to remember that supporting elimination pathways in addition to liver detoxification, is equally important to ensuring you don’t reabsorb toxins. This article will teach you all about supporting elimination pathways (bowels, kidneys, skin, and lymph)
liver detoxification heavily depends on protein and other nutrients. Eating a diet rich in whole, unprocessed foods, balanced with fiber, fat, carbohydrates, and protein, is the best way to get these nutrients. Temporary supplementation will improve your efforts to support liver detoxification.
What’s Next?
In Week 3 of the Supplement Mastery Series, we will be discussing what supplements to take for Skin Care.
WANT MORE OF THIS SERIES?
WEEK 2 - Liver Detoxification
Questions or comments about detoxification? Please post them in the comments below.
REFERENCES
Fernandez, Maria Luz, and Anna Gabriella Murillo. “Is There a Correlation between Dietary and Blood Cholesterol? Evidence from Epidemiological Data and Clinical Interventions.” NCBI, PubMed, 23 May 2022, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9143438/#:~:text=Dietary%20cholesterol%20increases%20total%20blood,without%20affecting%20LDL%2FHDL%20ratio.&text=36%5D%20(2015)-,NHS%20(1980%E2%80%932012)%2C%20NHS%20II%20(1991%E2%80%93,HPFS%20(1986%E2%80%932016).&text=Higher%20egg%20intake%20is%20associated%20with%20lower%20prevalence%20of%20hypercholesterolemia.
Murray, M. T., & Pizzorno, J. E. (2014). The Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine (3rd ed.). Simon & Schuster.
Lobo, V., Patil, A., Phatak, A., & Chandra, N. (2010, July). Free radicals, antioxidants and Functional Foods: Impact on human health. Pharmacognosy reviews. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3249911/
M.D., A.R. G. (2017). Nutritional Medicine (2nd ed.). Alan R. Gaby, M.D.. https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/books/9781532322099
Murray, M., Pizzorno, J., & Pizzorno, L. (2005). The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods. Atria Books.
