The 5 Best Nutrients for Detoxification

Our bodies are designed to regularly remove harmful toxins and other substances from our systems, but lifestyle factors as well as our nutrition and general health can hamper its abilities to detox efficiently. We can help our bodies’ detox process by giving it the nutritional resources it needs to do its job. The liver is the main detoxifying organ in our body. If you want to help your body detox, choosing nutrients that support healthy liver function is the first step.

Glutathione is a unique antioxidant in that we can actually produce it in our bodies within the liver. It performs all types of beneficial activities including regenerating other antioxidants like vitamin C and E so they can be recycled back into action. Glutathione also helps to flush heavy metals like mercury out of the body. While glutathione is present in some foods, it is usually in insignificantly small amounts. Supplementing directly or using other nutrients to stimulate glutathione creation can help increase your levels of this master antioxidant.*

Milk thistle is known for its antioxidant qualities and ability to stimulate glutathione production. The body responds to efforts to increase this vital antioxidant indirectly. The silymarins within milk thistle are the active compounds that are believed to stimulate the metabolic pathway that produces glutathione in the liver.* Our Super Thistle formula contains not only milk thistle standardized to 80% silymarin but other liver-support ingredients like glutathione, artichoke extract and N-acetyl-cysteine, all of which support glutathione synthesis in the liver.*

Vitamin C is everyone's go-to when they have a case of the sniffles, but its detoxification benefits are often overlooked. Vitamin C is particularly adept at inhibiting lipid peroxidation.* Basically, the cholesterol that we need for various processes can get damaged. When this damage occurs, oxidized cholesterol can form toxins called HNE (4-Hydroxy-2(E)-nonenal). HNE toxins can cause cell death in otherwise healthy cells and other types of damage that can lead to stiff and inflexible arteries and circulation issues. Vitamin C can help cholesterol lipids stay in tip top condition instead of becoming oxidized which leads to toxin production.* If these toxins are already present Vitamin C can lessen the damage that HNE can inflict on other cells.*

It wasn’t until the 1990s that the benefits of alpha lipoic acid started to become more clearly known. Similar to glutathione, it also regenerates depleted antioxidants.* For liver health, alpha lipoic acid can recycle glutathione and enhance the liver’s production of this antioxidant.* Alpha lipoic acid, like vitamin C is a metal chelator, meaning it can bind to heavy metals so they can be removed from the body. Alpha lipoic acid’s versatility is spotlighted by the fact that it is used in many of Nature’s Lab’s products including our Six Daily and One Daily multivitamins and of course our Alpha Lipoic Acid 600 mg supplement.

Turmeric’s curcuminoids are what gives this ancient herb its remarkable anti-inflammatory benefits. Turmeric has been used for everything from gut health to joint mobility. It’s uses continue to impress as it also supports liver health by soothing inflammation.* Research shows turmeric may be helpful in reducing the concentration of heavy metals in tissues and organs of the body.* Along with vitamin C and alpha lipoic acid, turmeric supports the body’s metal detoxification process.* You can find the detoxification benefits of turmeric combined with digestion-enhancing ginger in our Turmeric Complex formula.