Monday, February 13, 2012

Detoxifying The Body: What Your Liver Does

By Kingsley Jones


The liver plays an extremely vital role in the functioning and maintenance of the body. Serving as a digestive helper, the liver breaks down nutrients and also builds-up and reinforces tissues in the body. The liver also works to store important vitamins and minerals needed for healthy functioning. In addition to this, the liver eliminates harmful toxins from the body through what is known as the liver detoxification process. Because of the importance of this organ, it is important to understand what this detoxification process entails and how it benefits your body.

First, blood is filtered by the liver at a rate of approximately two quarts every minute. This quick moving blood is pushed through this organ where harmful bacteria and toxic matter are removed. Then, the next step in detoxification involves what is known as bile excretion. Bile excretion is the process whereby bile, a fluid that is produced in the liver daily, takes the negative toxins to the digestive tract. There, this toxin laden bile is then removed through the excretory processes where these harmful chemicals can no longer impact the body.

The third step in the detoxification process is broken down into what are commonly known as Phase I and Phase II. Both of these phases deal with enzymatic processes and are completed to ensure and extensive amount of free radical toxins do not escape into the body. Phase I of this process is focused on transforming a chemical that is toxic into a more neutralized substance. Using other mini-processes such as oxidation and reduction among others, this phase produces less damaging free radicals in place of toxins and Phase II of the process is meant to clean these free radicals up.

Phase II of this step of the detoxification process involves the neutralization of free radicals produced in Phase I. Used in this step is glutathione. Glutathione is used to neutralize the free radicals and stop them from becoming damaging to the body. If either Phase I or Phase II is not working adequately, these radicals escape toxically and are transported throughout the body, causing widespread damage. That is why every step in the process of liver detoxification becomes so vital.

The liver detoxification process may appear complex and such a vital process no doubt is. Without detoxification of the liver, the body would not rid itself of improper and harmful toxins. This would raise the susceptibility of an individual to cancer and other diseases associated with harmful toxins escaping into the body. Make sure to check with your healthcare provider in order to ensure that this vital organ is working properly or if you have any concerns.




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