The beginning of the year is traditionally a time for “detoxing“. Teas, juices and treatments promise to cleanse the body after the holidays. But what exactly does detoxification mean, and can we even help it with supplements? From a chemical and biological point of view, the term “detox” is more of a marketing metaphor than a precisely defined biochemical process. Every chemical reaction has its substrate, mechanism and end product; without these, “detox” is just a marketing term with no biochemical meaning.
In chemistry, a toxic substance (toxin) has a precise meaning – it is a compound that, at a certain dose, interacts with biological molecules and causes a measurable negative effect.
Toxicity is a quantitative property. The dose, method of exposure and the organism’s ability to process or eliminate the substance are decisive factors2.
Most of the “toxins” referred to in detoxification programmes are not specified in any way. Without knowing the chemical identity of a substance, it is impossible to talk about targeted detoxification. This is because it is unclear:
The liver is our main detoxification factory. Every day, it processes metabolic products, drug residues, alcohol, and substances ingested through food or from the environment. This process is continuous and consists of two phases:
Phase I: enzymes, particularly cytochromes P450, alter the chemical structure of substances through oxidation, reduction or hydrolysis. Simply put, this involves preparing the substance for further conversion.
Phase II: substances bind to polar molecules, such as glutathione, and become water-soluble so that the body can excrete them in urine or bile.
Many people ask whether detoxification treatments work as a liver cleanse. The truth is that chemically, they cannot replace the enzymatic activity of the liver or trigger the miraculous process of “flushing out toxins”. Some substances, such as silymarin, an extract from milk thistle, are a mixture of flavonolignans with antioxidant properties that can protect liver cells from oxidative stress, stabilise cell membranes and promote tissue regeneration. Detox teas and treatments often only increase hydration, reduce alcohol or heavy food intake, and create a feeling of lightness. Such products can therefore indirectly protect the liver and support its natural function, but they do not replace enzymes or chemically remove toxins.
There are ways to keep your liver in good condition and enable optimal detoxification. It is important to maintain a healthy diet and sufficient protein intake, which supports the production of detoxification enzymes and glutathione, hydration of the body, and limiting excessive alcohol or medication intake. All other supplements can only help protect cells, promote regeneration, and support existing mechanisms, not trigger a “miracle detox”.
An interesting and well-documented fact is that the rate at which many substances are broken down in the liver is strictly limited by enzyme capacity. For example, ethanol is broken down in most adults at a rate of approximately 0.1–0.15 g of alcohol per kilogram of body weight per hour, regardless of whether the person drinks coffee, “detox” tea or takes various nutritional supplements. This data has been repeatedly confirmed in clinical studies and clearly shows that enzymatic processes have their fixed physiological limits that cannot be circumvented by simple interventions.
This principle captures the essence of the entire discussion about detoxification. Detoxification processes in the human body do not work like a switch that can be accelerated by a treatment or short-term intervention. It is a basic, continuous, precisely regulated chemical activity that proceeds at its own pace. Nutritional supplements can protect liver cells or support their regeneration, but they do not replace enzymatic reactions or fundamentally change their speed. If we really want to help the liver, there is no shortcut in the form of a “cleanse” – the most reliable way remains long-term care for its natural function.
Mária Zajičková, PhD.
organic chemist, science populariser
1. Klaassen CD. Casarett and Doull’s Toxicology: The Basic Science of Poisons. 9th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Education; 2019.
2. Eaton DL, Klaassen CD. Principles of toxicology. In: Klaassen CD, editor. Casarett and Doull’s Toxicology: The Basic Science of Poisons. 9th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Education; 2019. pp. 13–49.
3. Nelson DL, Cox MM. Lehninger Principles of Biochemistry. 8th ed. New York: W.H. Freeman and Company; 2021.
4. Polyak SJ, Morishima C, Shuhart MC, Wang CC, Liu Y, Lee DY. Identification of hepatoprotective flavonolignans from silymarin. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2010;107(13):5995–5999.
5. Lieber CS. Metabolism of alcohol. Clin Liver Dis. 2005;9(1):1–35.
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