Detoxification Flashcards
What is the impact of environmental toxins on chronic disease?
Increased exposure to environmental toxins is a major contributor to the global rise in chronic diseases, affecting both older and younger populations. Efficient detoxification and elimination are key strategies for managing this issue.
What factors should be considered for detoxification?
Considerations for detoxification include an individual’s exposure to toxins (toxic load), antioxidant and nutritional status, and liver function, along with elimination via the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), urinary system, and skin.
What is detoxification?
Detoxification is the process of converting fat-soluble toxins and xenobiotics (foreign chemicals) into water-soluble forms that can be eliminated through urine or bile. This process primarily occurs in liver cells (hepatocytes), though other cells also contribute.
What are key strategies for clinical support of detoxification?
Key strategies include minimizing toxic load, supporting elimination pathways before focusing on liver detoxification, and enhancing detoxification pathways.
What is the classical definition of toxins?
Classical Definition: A poison produced in organisms that is active at low concentrations (e.g., aflatoxins from moulds).
What is the modern definition of toxins?
Modern/Broader Definition: Any agent (biological or otherwise) that disturbs physiology and can be harmful to the body.
What are toxicants/xenobiotics?
Toxicant/Xenobiotic: Foreign substances (typically synthetic) not derived from a normal diet or produced endogenously (e.g., pesticides, food additives, heavy metals, pharmaceutical drugs, industrial chemicals).
What are endogenous toxins?
Endogenous toxins are those produced within the body, including toxic compounds from GI microbes (e.g., aldehydes, alcohols), lipopolysaccharides (endotoxins) from dysbiotic bacteria, waste products from normal processes (e.g., urea), and poorly detoxified hormones.
