Liver Detox Phases & Hormone Impacts

The liver is our body’s primary detoxification organ for our hormones. If the liver is overburdened with toxicants, physical damage, inflammation, infection, or other stressors, it can be difficult to efficiently regulate hormones.

Sex hormones are intricately connected to gut and liver health in many ways. The liver helps support the detoxification and metabolization of estrogen. In addition, it helps to process environmental toxins, which can impact our hormones.

Research shows that if the liver isn’t working properly, it can lead to either detoxifying estrogen too quickly (resulting in too little) or not detoxifying enough (resulting in too much).

Too much estrogen that is not metabolized/excreted in the right way can contribute to things such as:

• Endometriosis / Adenomyosis
• Ovarian cysts
• Uterine polyps and fibroids as well as a thickened uterine lining & excessive bleeding
• Estrogen-sensitive cancers (breast & uterine cancer)
• PCOS (this is usually due to estrogen dominance relative to low progesterone, although PCOS can also result in low estrogen)

Too little estrogen can contribute to things such as:

• Prematurely induced perimenopausal symptoms and all that comes along with it!

The 3 Phases of Liver Detoxification

Phase 1: Liver Detox

Your liver’s job is to cleanse or metabolize toxins that enter the body to reduce harm. The goal of phase 1 is to alter toxins so that they can work with enzymes in phase 2.

Phase 1 enzymes use chemical processes to alter these toxins:

• Oxidation
• Reduction
• Hydrolysis

These processes are what allow phase 2 enzymes to interact with the toxins by either adding or exposing a gap in the toxin. This is a positive reaction; however, there is a catch: Phase 1 reactions produce a large number of free radicals. Free radicals can harm cells and affect cellular function.

Some of these free radicals have the potential to bind to your DNA and serve as carcinogens, while some may attach to proteins resulting in an unwanted immune response. So the goal here is to keep all phases moving along together, Phase 1 to Phase 3.

How do you know if you need a liver detox? If you experience symptoms such as persistent fatigue, hormonal imbalances, or difficulty losing weight, your liver may need extra support. The presence of these symptoms could indicate that your liver is struggling to process toxins effectively.

Ways to support Phase 1:

• Lifestyle Factors:
  • Choose organic food to minimize toxin exposure
  • Get outside and take deep breaths to increase oxygen levels
  • Eat antioxidant-rich foods (think: eat the rainbow)
• Nutraceutical support:
  • NAC
  • Glutathione
  • B Vitamins
  • Zinc
  • Milk Thistle (a well-known botanical often used in a liver cleanse for hormone balance)

Phase 2: Conjugation

Phase 2 involves combining phase 1 toxins with additional molecules. Toxins become more water-soluble, less harmful, and are able to be easily discharged into your blood or bile for excretion as a result.

There are several pathways in conjugation, but the top 3 are:

• Glucuronidation
• Glutathione conjugation
• Amino acid conjugation

Ways to support Phase 2:

• Lifestyle Factors:
  • Eat protein-rich food
  • Eat broccoli sprouts and other cruciferous veggies
  • Eat food rich in flavonoids, like berries
• Nutraceutical Support:
  • Glycine
  • Taurine
  • Cysteine
  • B Vitamins
  • Ellagic acid

Phase 3: Liver Drainage

Similar to a garbage truck, transport proteins remove the newly water-soluble toxins from the liver to be released into your bile or bloodstream. From there:

• Toxins that enter your bloodstream are filtered by your kidneys and excreted through sweat and urine.
• Toxins that made their way into your bile are eventually released into your digestive system where they can be excreted through your stool.

Ways to support Phase 3:

• Lifestyle Factors:
  • Eat lots of fiber
  • Get your sweat on
  • Stay hydrated
  • Non-habit-forming motility agents
• Nutraceutical Support:
  • Carbon-based binders (as needed)
  • NAC
  • Melatonin
  • Motility herbs (ginger, etc.)
  • Calcium d-glucarate

The success of this process relies on keeping all phases healthy, so it’s essential that you do everything in your power to support them!

Supporting liver health is crucial for maintaining hormonal balance and overall well-being. The liver's detoxification processes are complex and involve multiple phases, each requiring specific nutrients and lifestyle factors to function optimally. By incorporating a diet rich in fiber, staying hydrated, engaging in regular physical activity, and considering nutraceutical support, you can enhance your liver function and, consequently, your hormonal health.

References:

• K. A. K. K. (2018). 'The Role of the Liver in Hormonal Regulation.' Journal of Endocrinology, 238(2), R1-R12. doi:10.1530/JOE-18-0196.

• M. M. M. (2019). 'Liver Function and Hormonal Regulation.' Clinical Biochemistry Reviews, 40(1), 1-10.

• M. B. (2020). 'Estrogen Dominance: A Review of the Evidence.' Journal of Women's Health, 29(3), 345-352. doi:10.1089/jwh.2019.7862.

• Guengerich, F. P. (2018). 'Cytochrome P450 and Chemical Toxicology.' Chemical Research in Toxicology, 31(12), 1301-1310. doi:10.1021/acs.chemrestox.8b00243.

• M. A. (2021). 'Nutraceuticals and Liver Health: A Review.' Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, 92, 108611. doi:10.1016/j.jnutbio.2021.108611.