Detoxing 101: Your Innate Detox Pathways

An array of products are available on the market promising a healthier body via internal cleanses, juices, teas and whatnot. But do you really need to empty your wallet to detox your way to a healthier body?

Not surprisingly, the body is equipped with several detoxification pathways that work in harmony to remove harmful toxins.

Liver

The liver is the body’s main detoxifying organ. It metabolises and excretes exogenous toxins via a two-phase process called functionalisation and conjugation. Around 50-100 enzymes encompass this system, with each one able to process certain types of chemicals.

Kidneys

The kidneys play a significant role in keeping the cardiovascular system healthy and functional by filtering toxins from the blood. They also remove unwanted metabolites including ammonia, urea, uric acid, creatinine, hormone metabolites, haemoglobin metabolites and water-soluble toxins, and excrete excess nutrients like B vitamins, sodium and vitamin C.

Colon

The gastrointestinal tract is the primary gateway between the internal body and the external environment. On average, it will process over 22 tonnes of food in an individual's lifetime. Because of this, it’s equipped with a defence system that protects against toxins and pathogens while allowing the digestion of food.

One method in which it detoxifies toxins is by binding them to dietary fats and excreting them through stool.

Skin

The skin is the body’s largest organ and serves to protect internal organs from exogenous toxins, chemicals and bacteria. It contains a variety of enzymes to aid in detoxification and excretes toxic chemicals and metals through perspiration.

Lymph

The lymph system plays a crucial role in immune and metabolic health and is composed of lymphatic fluid that collects metabolic waste, bacteria, toxins and dead cells. The waste is then moved through the veins and eventually excreted via sweat, urine and bowels.

Lungs

Pollutants are ingested through the respiratory system, which is why the lungs are equipped with certain defences. The lungs are major pathways of chemical excretion and eliminate low-molecular-weight compounds. On estimate, 850 waste products are excreted through the lungs every hour.

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