Phase 2

What happens in phase 2?

Phase two is called the conjugation pathway because it takes the products from phase one and binds them with phase two substances (conjugates) to render it less harmful and more water soluble for easier excretion.

Phase II conjugates include: amino acids, sugars, glutathione (which is stimulated by N-Acetyl-Cystine), methionine, sulfur (found in garlic, onions and cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cabbage) and acetyl co-A. It is very important that phase two is working quickly and efficiently after phase one, as there is growing scientific evidence suggesting that certain diseases are the direct result of damage to the body from poor Phase 2 detoxification. Some of the diseases that may be caused by toxic intermediate metabolites and free radicals include:

• Cancer
• Parkinsons
• Fibromyalgia
• Chronic Fatigue
• Lupus
• Immune dysfunction

Phase 2 enzymes work to further enhance solubility and reduce toxicity. Through conjugation, the liver can turn drugs, hormones and various toxins into water soluble excretable substances.

What natural products enhance Phase 2 detoxification?

For efficient phase two detoxification, the liver cells require sulphur-containing amino acids such as taurine and cysteine. The nutrients glycine, glutamine, choline and inositol are also required for efficient phase two detoxification.

Eggs and cruciferous vegetables (eg. broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower), raw garlic, onions, leeks and shallots are all useful sources of natural sulphur compounds to enhance phase two detoxification. Thus, these foods can be considered to have a cleansing action.

While it is always best to get what you need from a healthy varied diet, it isn’t always possible to feed the body the optimal amount of nutrients it will need to detoxify, especially if you are experiencing toxic overload.

Phase 2 detoxification needs to be fed the proper conjugates (amino acids, nutrients like glycine, glutamine, choline and inositol) to transform the phase 1 intermediates into compounds that can be excreted.

This is a common roadblock for many attempting to cleanse or detoxify and a legitimate reason to consider a comprehensive detoxification program from a reputable nutrition company.