What is detoxification?

This is a process through which toxins are removed from the body. These toxins are neutralized, transformed or gotten rid of from the body. The common sources of these toxins are the diets we take, the drugs we use, and exposure to the environment.

Why should I undergo detoxification?

As mentioned earlier, detoxification is the process of removing toxins (harmful substances) from the body. When these toxins are left to remain in your body, they result into many negative health effects. The benefits of detoxification are therefore many, and they are equal to ‘healthy’ living. Some of these benefits include the following:-

Detoxification results into increased energy levels. Energy is very important for our bodies to remain active. When detoxification is done, it helps how bodies much, by increasing the energy they get.

detoxification

Detoxification improves our immunity. Detoxification will help recovering drug addict regain immunity. When a person is recovering from addiction, the level of immunity determines how fast the person will recover. The increase in this immunity leads to quick recovery from addiction and improved resistance from illnesses. This improves the health standards of the person.
Addiction is known to have a negative effect on the mental focus. When a person is recovering from addiction, detoxification helps the person regain mental focus.

Which are the phases of detoxification?

There are two important phases of any successful detoxification. These phases are normally categorized as phase I and phase II. These two phases are biochemical processes which facilitate the body to get rid of toxins. These two phases are based on the ability of the body to gradually get rid of waste.

What happens at these phases?

The following is a brief description of what happens at each of the phases of detoxification.

Phase I of detoxification

In this first stage, it is all about solubility. All the chemicals which are not soluble to water are converted to comparatively electrically charged or polar fusions with the help of enzymes which append a reactive or a polar group. This occurs in a manner that little changes in molecules can occur during the second phase. This makes it possible for the body to naturally excrete them when they finally dissolve in water.

Most of the changes that occur during phase one involve oxidation and reduction.

Phase II of detoxification

This stage builds on the result of phase one. In this stage, different chemicals are either conjugated or added to the existing chemical. Consequently, the toxic chemical now changes to water soluble compound and therefore it can be excreted from the body. Sometimes xenobiotic possesses a cluster on the chemical from before. In such a scenario, detoxification is not necessary at phase I. The xenobiotic should therefore be directly decontaminated during the process of conjugation of the chemical in the phase.

Which are these essential amino acids helpful in phase II detoxification?

Amino acids are useful in the process of conjugation. This conjugation is sometimes referred to as acylation. Some of these amino acids include:-

Glycine – this amino acid offers secondary help. It supports glutathione synthesis. It also helps in reduction of toxicity of some substances like phenols or benzoic acid. This amino acid prepares the body early before addiction recovery by reducing the amount of toxins within the body.
Glutamine- this is another important amino acid, which is essential for phase II detoxification. The advantage of this amino acid is that; it helps to heal the GI track and also reduces craving for addictive drugs, a property which helps very much during drug addiction recovery.

detoxification

Taurine – this is a very important amino acid in detoxification phase II. It is known to enhance metabolism and play an important role in the detoxification of ethanol. It also prevents hepatic fibrosis.
Cysteine- this is regarded as a very special amino acid. It is a sulfur containing amino acid, which is synthesized in the liver. These amino acids are normally involved in many metabolic pathways. This amino acid has advantage over the other amino acids in that; it can be converted into many other forms. For instance, it can be converted into cysteine and taurine. Researchers have found that cysteine can form glutathione, which is a known powerful antioxidant and detoxifier that functions in many different enzymes systems.
Methionine- this is an essential amino acid, and our bodies cannot manufacture it. It must be taken with our diets to our bodies. This amino acid is known to be an important cartilage forming substance.
Tyrosine – this is an essential amino acid, which is used in the synthesis of structural protein. This amino acid has a key role when used in phase II of detoxification, since it is used in the production of neurotransmitter. This amino acid is involved in many important functions and it is sometimes considered to be all purpose amino acid. Another advantage of tyrosine is that it has been found to sharpen brain. This is a very helpful property for a person recovering from addiction, which in many cases paralyzes the functioning of the brain.

Detoxification process is a serious treatment procedure and should only be carried out by professional who are certified and really understand what they do. At Awaremed Wellness and Resource center, we understand all steps and phases of detoxification. If you need help with any addiction treatment, call in and keep reading our blog.