Chapter Two Dealing with a Toxic World The liver is ground zero for dealing with toxins—and it’s where all of the contaminants within the body are broken down or transformed into a form that can be excreted from the body. As blood is pumped through the liver, it is filtered by rows of liver cells that are separated by spaces which act like a sieve through which the blood flows. This filtration process, known as the sinusoidal system, is designed to remove toxins such as dead cells, ammonia, metabolic waste, pathogens, drugs, alcohol, and chemicals from the blood stream. It accomplishes this herculian task thanks to specialized cells known as Kupffer cells which ingest and breakdown toxins. But this detoxification process isn’t quite as straightforward as it sounds. Because most toxins are fat soluble, they are extremely difficult to eliminate. Neutralizing them requires two primary detoxification enzymatic pathways known as Phase I and Phase II reactions. In a nutshell, Phase I is equivalent to putting your garbage in a bag and Phase II is like carrying it out of the house. Here’s how it works: Phase I: Phase I enzymes begin the transformation process that turns fat-soluble toxins into water- soluble molecules that are bound to bile.This transformation requires a specific family of enzymes, known as Cytochrome P-450 mixed function oxidase enzymes, that convert a toxic chemical into a less harmful substance through oxidation. However, as well as this works, the process produces harmful free radicals.What’s more, excessive levels of certain toxins like pesticides can disrupt the P-450 enzyme system. Detoxification (Biotransformation) Pathways Toxins (Fat soluble) Metabolic end products Micro-organisms Contaminants/Pollutants Insecticides Pesticides Food Additives Drugs Alcohol Phase 1 Phase 2 Waste Products (Water-soluble) Eliminated from Body Via: Gall Bladder Kidneys Bile Stool Urine 4 LOVE YOUR LIVER