What are the best supplements for detox?

When it comes to detox, it can be hard to separate fact from fad. You might know that you need to go beyond a celery juice cleanse – but how do you identify a supplement that will actually make a difference?

At IMI, we always advocate for personalised detox – which involves meeting with a naturopath, who assesses your symptoms and refers you for the right tests to confirm whether your body is dealing with excess levels of toxins.

These tests assess various factors – from identifying mould, environmental toxins and heavy metals in your body, to assessing your levels of oxidative stress – excess free radicals which cause damage to organs and tissues.

Then, a naturopath will design a personalised treatment plan to heal any issues identified during testing.

However – if you’re looking to boost your capacity for detox without the extra steps, and are not concerned by any of the symptoms you may be experiencing, these supplements provide support for your liver – the primary organ for detox, while ensuring all the phases of detox are carried out, so toxins are removed safely and completely. 

A crash course in detox

There are three phases of detox. During phase I, your body breaks toxins down. In this process, they become smaller or water soluble molecules – but often these are more toxic than the original substance.

In phase II, your organs neutralise these molecules and prepare them to be excreted by binding them to antioxidants, amino acids and chemicals. This process is also known as conjugation and occurs in your liver, kidneys, intestines and lungs.

In phase III, your body excretes toxins – either via the kidneys in urine; the digestive system as faeces; or through the skin as sweat.

Ineffective detoxes, like juice cleanses, often complete phase I, but don’t sufficiently enact phase II, leaving your body to cope with an overload of more toxic substances.

Our naturopaths have highlighted a synergistic team of supplements that support all phases of detox to remove toxins safely from your body.

Liver Support | Vital Nutrients

Your liver is the primary organ for detox – and its exposure to pollutants leaves it particularly vulnerable to damage.

Liver Support features milk thistle – famed for its ability to support better liver health. Rich in antioxidants, it helps rebalance the high levels of oxidative stress that your liver is exposed to.

Studies show that milk thistle is protective against mould, bacteria, drugs, alcohol and chemical toxins like pesticides and heavy metals.

Liver Support provides additional antioxidant protection from curcumin, artichoke, dandelion, schisandra and more.

Studies show that curcumin, artichoke and schisandra are protective for the liver – even when its function is impaired.

Artichoke supports the liver in the production of bile – which plays an important role as the carrier of toxins through the digestive system, so they can be excreted in a bowel movement.

Liver Support by Designs for Health is a favourite in-clinic among naturopaths for the well-rounded herbal support it provides.

Whole Fiber Fusion | Vital Nutrients

Detox and digestion are connected. Your liver receives blood from the digestive system and just like the brain, has bi-directional communication with the gut, making it sensitive to gut-related changes.

Your digestive system is key to the final phase of detox: transporting toxins out of your body.

Fiber plays a key role here, boosting levels of good bacteria in the gut, which supports nutrient absorption and healthy bowel movements, ensuring effective waste removal.

Fiber helps support the production of secondary bile acids which are made by good gut bacteria. Studies show that people with poor liver health are more likely to have lower concentrations of secondary bile acids in their faeces.

Dietary fiber also supports the function of your kidneys – your other primary detox organs.

As well as supporting the removal of toxins, soluble fiber supports phase II of detox, binding to toxins to prevent reabsorption in the gut.

Our naturopaths use Whole Fiber Fusion by Vital Nutrients to support healthy bowel movements every day. A supportive dose of fiber is paired with probiotics, to nourish gut health and any digestive upsets – which are another symptom of toxic overload. 

PaleoGreens | Designs for Health

Rich in fiber and antioxidants, this formula helps reduce oxidative stress and support healthy bowel movements.

It contains spirulina, which is high in chlorophyll, and known to help protect against and remove heavy metals – particularly arsenic.

This formula features foods abundant in sulforaphane, like kale, broccoli sprouts and cauliflower. Sulforaphane helps increase levels of glutathione in the body.

PaleoGreens by Designs for Health helps support the conjugation and elimination phase of detox. 

When to seek naturopathic support

We may ignore recurring or persistent symptoms in the hope that they go away by themselves, or because we dismiss them as ‘normal’ or unimportant. Your baseline should be one of health and wellness – and if that’s not the case, it’s time to address it.

You only get one body, and honouring it with the care it deserves is key.

Symptoms that indicate it’s time for a naturopathic detox include –

-          Fatigue, brain fog and struggling to concentrate

-          Digestive problems and cravings

-          Mood swings

-          Skin problems or conditions

-          Pain and headaches

If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms from time to time, or consistently, it’s time to get it checked out. Our naturopaths can identify whether what you’re experiencing is toxic overload, or something else. They can refer you for the right tests to confirm their diagnosis, then create a personalised treatment plan to remedy the root cause.

References
S Fanoudi et al, Milk thistle as an antidote or a protective agent against natural or chemical toxicities: a review, 2018.
W Biel, Proximate composition, minerals and antioxidant activity of artichoke leaf extracts, 2019.
D A Averill-Bates, Chapter Five – The antioxidant glutathione, 2023
D A Kieffer et al, Impact of dietary fibers on nutrient management and detoxification organs: gut, liver, and kidneys, 2016.
S Bhattacharya, The role of spirulina in the mitigation of heavy-metal toxicity: an appraisal, 2020.