Basic concepts and physiologic function

Detoxification is a complex process that demands nutrients over and above what are needed for normal daily functioning. Detoxification is an active process that involves at least two steps:

1) Oxidation: In a process that generates free radicals, an molecule of reactive oxygen is added to the toxin that is being processed. The purpose of this first step is to make the toxin ready for the second stage of the detoxification process. If nutrient supply is insufficient, then the first oxidative step may not proceed efficiently or the free radical damage from the biochemical reactions may increase oxidative stress and lead to tissue damage.

2) Conjugation: The second phase of detoxification is the conjugation stage, wherein a molecule such as taurine, glycine, or glutathione is covalently bound to the toxin to increase its solubility in water. After the conjugation step, the toxin is ready to be excreted in the bile or urine. If nutrients are not sufficiently available for this second step, then the oxidized toxin cannot be excreted efficiently and may cause secondary damage by interacting with body tissues and DNA.