Detoxification: what it is and how it is carried out in the body

The word detox can refer to many things: from natural metabolic processes that occur in our body to the first phase in therapies for overcoming addictions.

In this article we will see several of the definitions of this term, types of detoxification, mechanisms metabolic factors involved, how it is performed in therapy and we will reflect on the meaning of the word "Detox".

• Related article: "Types of drugs: know their characteristics and effects"

What is detoxification?

Detoxification is understood as metabolic, medical or pharmacological process that involves the elimination of toxic elements for the body. Normally, in healthy people, detoxification is a metabolic process that takes place in the kidneys and liver, organs which are responsible for reducing the toxicity of substances produced by the body itself and eliminating them from the same.

This same word is also used to refer to the process by which an organism recovers its homeostasis, it is In other words, you are healthy again, after having consumed or been exposed to a toxic, voluntary or unwittingly. This is the definition used in the medical field for people who have been intoxicated or suffer from some type of addiction.

Poisoning can also occur due to organic problems, which makes it necessary to use antidotes, dialysis or liver and kidney transplants.

Types

Since the definition of detoxification is very broad, and is used in various fields of health sciences, it is necessary to briefly explain some types of detoxification.

1. Alcoholic detox

Alcohol detoxification is the process by which alcohol is eliminated from the body of a person who consumes this substance in large quantities and frequently.

It is a dangerous type of detoxification, since the withdrawal syndrome in alcoholics can cause serious health problems and even death. For this reason it must be controlled by professionals.

• You may be interested: "Alcoholism: these are the effects of dependence on drink"

2. Detox to other drugs

The world of drugs is very broad, and for this reason there are substances that, although their withdrawal syndrome is not pleasant, stopping them suddenly does not imply a serious risk for the health of the person.

Be that as it may, the treatment for the cessation of these substances must be carried out by professionals, and usually resorts to the use of antidotes that counteract the effects of the substance consumed and accelerate its elimination.

3. Metabolic detox

Due to the metabolic reactions that occur in our body, certain products of these are toxic and need to be treated to avoid causing damage to it. Through various physicochemical processes, such as reduction, oxidation, conjugation and excretion, the body is capable of reducing the toxicity of these substances and eliminating them.

The most important enzymes in this process are cytochrome P450 oxidases, UDP-glucoronosyltransferases and glutathione S-transferases.

The liver: the "detox" organ

The liver, along with the kidneys, is the main organ involved in detoxification of the body. Regardless of whether the person is detoxifying from drugs, alcohol or drugs, the detoxification processes to achieve homeostasis and health are practically similar.

Thanks to the action of the liver, detoxification naturally present in our body occurs through two phases, simply called phase 1 and phase 2 of detoxification.

During phase 1, the liver works on fat-soluble toxins, activating the cytochrome P450 enzyme system. This system produces enzymes that bind to fat-soluble toxins, reducing their toxicity and preparing them for the next phase. In phase 2 these toxins are excreted thanks to the action of the kidneys, and therefore expelled to the outside of the body.

In order to carry out the metabolic processes that allow the body to detoxify, it is necessary to have a healthy liver and kidneys. Otherwise, the person who does not have good liver and kidney health may have symptoms such as nausea, headaches in the morning, eye spills, constipation, skin problems and pain in various parts of the body.

Detox treatment

Detoxification is the first phase of addiction treatment, to which they are subjected immediately after being admitted to a rehabilitation center or starting therapy on their own feet. People with addiction problems need detoxification treatments, in which they will undergo a pharmacological and psychological therapy that will help them to get rid of the drug to which they have become addicted.

It not only implies overcoming physical dependence on one or more substances, but also motivating the person to move on and understand the difference between what is a psychological demand and what is an organic need.

As we were already commenting previously, detoxification of substances or alcohol is understood to be the elimination of drug from the patient's body and achieve physical stability, without the body missing the substance harmful. This process must always be carried out under the supervision of professionals, especially doctors and psychiatrists, although the work of psychologists and the patient's own vision of their own should never be ignored. problematic.

The joint work of several health science professionals will favor the power control withdrawal symptoms, if it occurs. Doctors will prescribe drugs that help counteract the effects of the syndrome, in addition to helping the body achieve homeostasis. If there is food intolerance or the condition is very serious, fluid therapy may be used.

The evolution in the detoxification phase can be very significant and can even lead to radical changes. The first two days of treatment are crucial and withdrawal symptoms are avoided by all means. With the passage of time, the patient becomes calmer, has a more vision hopeful and positive about the future, you sleep better, your appetite returns and your general well-being is increased.

Once the detoxification is over, drug addiction treatment continues with drug cessationThat is, the person does not need high doses of the drug to feel its pleasant effects, and then reintegration comes, which consists of encouraging the person not to relapse again.

• You may be interested: "Treatment of addictions: what does it consist of?"

Alternative medicine and "detox" diets

Certain currents typical of alternative medicine and "healthy-style" movements ensure that they are capable of eliminating "toxins" from the body through very varied treatments, which can range from the use of herbs typical of traditional medicine, taking juices of all kinds, to treatments in which electrical currents are applied or electromagnetic.

It is usual that in this type of treatment, characterized by being, on many occasions, pseudoscientific, the definition of what a toxin is is not clear, making the validity of their techniques more than questionable.

Given the the liver and kidneys automatically detoxify the body and they are responsible for eliminating materials that may pose any kind of harm to the body, it does not have a lot of sense to think that it is necessary to apply treatments that can hardly work and are not necessary.

Substances that facilitate detoxification

As we have seen, most diets that call themselves "detox" or that claim to eat exclusively a certain vegetable for a period of time have not been shown to work. In fact, the scientific community considers that the vast majority of products and services that are promoted under the word "detox" are scams. However, this does not mean that following a healthy diet is not a protective factor for health and facilitates the detoxifying action of the liver and kidneys.

While they are not a panacea, nor do they guarantee that a person will miraculously recover from their liver ailments, there are certain plants that have been used for a long time in indigenous communities, and that they have been linked to improvements in health status. These include burdock root, Lewisia rediviva and purslane, which stimulate digestion and encourage the liver to work.

There are foods that help the liver perform its function correctly, as is the case with cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cabbage help the action of cytochrome P450 enzymes. So would vegetables that contain sulfides, such as onions and garlic.

But in the same way that there are foods that would help in the detoxification process, there are others that their consumption can increase toxicity, especially if you are sensitive to alcohol. These foods include breads and fermented products. Also foods rich in carbohydrates increase endogenous alcohol production. The fermented ones transform alcohol into acetaldehyde, damaging the intestinal flora and can cause chronic candidiasis.

Bibliographic references:

• Danielson P (2002). "The cytochrome P450 superfamily: biochemistry, evolution and drug metabolism in humans". Curr Drug Metab. 3 (6): 561–97.
• King C, Rios G, Green M, Tephly T (2000). "UDP-glucuronosyltransferases". Curr Drug Metab. 1 (2): 143–61.
• Sheehan D, Meade G, Foley V, Dowd C (2001). "Structure, function and evolution of glutathione transferases: implications for classification of non-mammalian members of an ancient enzyme superfamily". Biochem J. 360 (Pt 1): 1–16.
• American Psychiatric Association (APA). (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishing.
• World Health Organization (1992). International Classification of Diseases and Health Related Problems, Tenth Revision (ICD-10). Geneva.