Detoxification

Our bodies have a pathway devoted to detoxification. While we hear, and maybe have even tried, detox cleanses, they may not be all they purport themselves to be, and may even be unsafe for people with certain conditions or susceptibilities (HHS, 2025); however, what we eat, how we sleep, exercise, and manage our stress on an everyday basis can all play roles in our own detoxification pathway.

GOAL of DETOXIFICATION PATHWAY

Also known as biotransformation and elimination, this pathway transforms substances such as hormones, medications, drugs, and environmental toxins into something that is able to be eliminated from our bodies.

PHASES of DETOXIFICATION

There are three phases of detoxification. 

Phase 1 takes place mainly in the liver, and it converts the (fat-loving) substances to more (water-loving) substances that are considered intermediary metabolites. We don’t want these metabolites hanging around for long because they can be more toxic than the original substances (Hodges & Minich, 2015).

Phase 2 also takes place in the liver (as well as other areas of the body). During this phase, the intermediates are converted to more water-soluble substances that are safer for our bodies and that are ready for elimination. The methods by which this is done are called methylation, glucuronidation, sulfation, and glutathione conjugation (Hodges & Minich, 2015).

Phase 3 is the elimination phase. This is where the water-soluble phase 2 substances get excreted through urine, via the kidneys, stool, via the intestines, sweat via the skin, and breath via the lungs. 

THE BATHTUB ANALOGY

I love the bathtub analogy to explain the detoxification process.

Picture a bathtub...

Phase 1 is the water coming out of the faucet. How is the pressure–is it coming out full force, or is it just dribbling out? Are your phase 1 enzymes, which help convert substances into intermediaries working well? Are you able to complete Phase 1 in a timely manner? Do you have all the nutrients you need to support this phase?

Phase 2 is the drain. Is the drain open and working, and water is emptying at a satisfying rate, or is the drain partially or fully closed and the water can’t get through? Are your phase 2 pathways open and nutritionally supported to keep up with phase 1? If this phase is working more slowly than the first one, then intermediaries are building up, and they have the capacity to create a toxin overload.

Phase 3 is the sewer line out. Is this line clear and working, or is there a clog somewhere in the pipe, keeping the water from reaching the sewer? This is the excretion part of detoxification. How are you peeing and pooping? These two exits are the avenues for estrogen excretion. We want to make sure they are active daily. Diet and exercise are crucial players here, but stress and sleep definitely play important roles!

When we work together, we start with phase 3 and work backwards to make sure each step is working at optimum levels.

REFERENCES

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2025, March). “detoxes” and “cleanses”: What you need to know. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Retrieved from https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/detoxes-and-cleanses-what-you-need-to-know

Hodges, R. E., & Minich, D. M. (2015). Modulation of Metabolic Detoxification Pathways Using Foods and Food-Derived Components: A Scientific Review with Clinical Application. Journal of nutrition and metabolism, 2015, 760689. Retrieved from https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4488002/