Detoxification

Hi, Below are some notes I have snipped from various articles on dysbiosis and how it causes liver problems:

Detoxification and retoxification
Certain beneficial bacteria are able to neutralise toxic metabolites. This is called detoxification. The opposite is retoxification. This means the conversion of non harmful products to harmful ones. Probiotics reduce the pH in the intestine which inhibit the activity of the coliform putrefactive bacterias, such as bacteroides and clostridias. The production of their toxins are reduced. Additionally the absorption of these is impaired, resulting in them being excreted in the faeces.

Conjugation and deconjugation
One of the methods the liver use is to neutralise toxins by conjugating them with glucuronic acid, thereby creating glucuronides. This process is called conjugation. When these are excreted via the gallbladder out into the intestine, the body is given the possibility to get rid of toxins. When there is a dysbiotic condition in the intestine, certain bacterias improve their ability to digest these conjugates. This is called deconjugation. The toxins are reabsorbed into the blood. The result is retoxification. Some of the enzymes that deconjugate and retoxify toxic waste products are betaglucuronidase, azoreductase and nitroreductase. The outcome of their action is an increased accumulation of toxic metabolites. By probiosis this is reduced.

Glycosides from different green plants such as rutin may be converted by the action of Streptococcus faecium to quercetin. This molecule is mutagenous. It will cause injuries on the human cell's genetic code. This can develop to malignant conditions i.e. cancer. Streptococcus faecalis is responsible for another sort of retoxification. It converts the amino acid tyrosine to tyrosamine. An increased amount of tyrosamine is thought to trigger attacks of migraine. In a later phase this amine is converted to phenol which is mutagenous.4. Bacterial enzymes like beta-glucuronidase hydrolyze conjugated estrogens and bile acids. Hepatic conjugation and biliary excretion is an important mechanism for regulating estrogen levels in the body. Bacterial deconjugation increases the enterohepatic recirculation of estrogen. A Western diet increases the level of deconjugating enzymes in stool, lowers estrogen levels in stool and raises estrogen levels in blood and urine, possibly contributing to the development of breast cancer(6).

5. Beta-glucuronidase and other hydrolytic bacterial enzymes also deconjugate bile acids.

Deconjugated bile acids are toxic to the colonic epithelium and cause diarrhoea. They or their metabolites appear to be carcinogenic and are thought to contribute to the development of colon cancer(6,9) and to ulcerative colitis(10). Gut bacteria also reduce primary bile acids like cholate and chenodeoxycholate to secondary bile acids like deoxycholate (DCA) and lithocholate. The secondary bile acids are absorbed less efficiently than primary bile acids and are more likely to contribute to colon carcinogenesis. The prevalence of colon cancer is proportional to stool concentration of DCA.

Altered microbial ecology in the gut may produce disease and dys- function because of the intense metabolic activity and antigenicity of the bacterial flora. Bacterial enzymes can degrade pancreatic en- zymes, damage the intestinal brush border, deconjugate and reduce bile acids and alter the intestinal milieu in numerous ways, some of which can be easily measured in a properly collected sample of stool. Bacterial antigens may elicit dysfunctional immune responses which contribute to autoimmune diseases of the bowel and of connective tissue. Effective treatment of dysbiosis with diet, antimicrobial sub- stances and biotherapies must distinguish among patterns of dys- biosis. The failure of common approaches utilizing fibre and Lacto- bacilli is a strong indication of small bowel bacterial overgrowth, a challenging disorder which demands a radically different approach.

When the colon becomes the primary feeding ground of unfriendly flora like e-coli and candida, a condition called toxic colon develops and the pH of the colon becomes alkaline. Ammonia, amines and other toxins produced by unfriendly flora impair liver function and immune function more significantly than any other single factor we have discovered to date.

When the colon is toxic, it is because harmful bacteria that produce scores of toxins have multiplied in great numbers. These toxins are absorbed from the large intestines and go the liver to be broken down. The toxic overload on the liver leads to a depletion of Glutathione levels that then impairs cell-mediated immune function. The toxins also impair the ability of the liver to produce enzymes needed for metabolic functions throughout the body. The immediate result is fatigue and eventually chronic fatigue. The depleted Glutathione levels reduce the ability of the liver to remove heavy metals and more stress is placed on other organs like the adrenal glands and kidneys. In a sequence of events, toxins (poisons) in the large intestines began to adversely affect the entire person.

Some of the harmful bacteria(1) in a toxic colon have been identified as the fungal (hyphaeated) form of Candida Albicans, clostridium, e-coli, staph and strep strains. Other infections of the gastrointestinal tract that have been identified include HIV, HHV-6, herpes simplex, hepatitis B, C and D, CMV, EBV, chlamydiae, shigella, salmonella, campylobacter, mycobacteria, parasites, giardia, cryptosporidium, isopora, amoeba and strongyloides (2).

Just one or more of certain strains of unfriendly flora can produce a variety of toxins including amines, ammonia, skatol, hydrogen sulfide, histamine, indole, phenol and cadaverin (3). The liver has the job of breaking down these toxins and if the liver function is impaired, the toxins circulate and can cause neurological problems. Candidiasis increases Interluken 6 levels, a cytokine that is overproduced in HIV infection, CFIDS and cancer and contributes to the cytokine shift from TH1 to the less effective TH2 immune response.

A toxic colon by contributing to the depletion of Glutathione levels increases the activity of free radicals and oxidative stress that further damages cells and body organs. Unfriendly flora also move the pH of the colon in an alkaline direction creating an environment more favourable to their own survival. No complete or sustained recovery from chronic immune dysfunction is possible without restoring a healthy colon. This is the point of beginning, the foundation for rebuilding health.Some of the specific by products of friendly flora fermentation (bifidobacterium) in the large intestines are butyric acid that help rebuild the mucus membranes of the G.I. tract and heal a leaky gut. B. Longum and other bifidobacterium also produce lactic acid, acetic acid and proprionic acid. Researchers have found that acetic acid and proprionic acid are more effective than lactic acid in killing off bad microbes in the large intestines. Both acidophilus and bifidus fermentation of undigestible carbohydrates in the colon produce short chain fatty acids. These fatty acids cause the stools to float in water. Large diameter floating stools that are golden brown are healthy stools and indicative of a healthy colon whereas the sinkers and small diameters stools are loaded with toxins and harmful bacteria and come from a toxic colon. Little or no odour is emitted from healthy stools and strong or sour odours are emitted from toxic stools. David Webster writes that a floating stool is often an indicator of the existence of a predominately acidophilus flora.

The gastrointestinal tract harbours about 100 trillion bacteria, more than 90% in the colon. The intake of merely a few billion probiotic friendly bacteria a day is unlikely to make much of a difference in most instances.


(Conjugation and deconjugation One of the methods the liver use is to neutralise toxins by conjugating them with glucuronic acid, thereby creating glucuronides. This process is called conjugation. When these are excreted via the gallbladder out into the intestine, the body is given the possibility to get rid of toxins. )

very easy to understand here how a clogged up liver would effect this process (not to mention numerous others). and why flushing would be a great help.


Actually the part about the gall bladder is incorrect
The gallbladder is a muscular sac located under the liver. It stores and concentrates the bile produced in the liver that is not immediately needed for digestion. Bile is released from the gallbladder into the small intestine in response to fatty food. The pancreatic duct joins the common bile duct at the small intestine adding enzymes to aid in digestion.

The gallbladder per-se is not directly involved in detoxification


I wasn't aware that I'd actually expressed an opinion on the importance of the gallbladder, liver flushing or holistic medicine.

What I (thought)I'd written was that phase I and phase II detoxification occurs in the liver, while the gallbladder, anatomically speaking, comes after the liver and plays no role in detoxification.

Indeed, I don't really have an opinion on liver flushing. I've never tried it and as yet haven't managed to figure out exactly what it does.


you've made your position against liver flushing fairly obvious, but i think you are letting your bias cloud your thinking here.

you seem to imply, like many doctors do, that the gallbladder plays a minor role in digestion. ask people who have had theirs removed, some might agree with you, but many will not. without the gallbladder, bile drips out, not in response to a fatty meal, but constantly. the effects on digestion are very negative. besides, the real thrust of my point was that where you have a clogged up gallbladder, the liver will also harbor many stones, greatly impairing its function, including detoxification.

you need only to read the testimonials of hundreds of people who have flushed and cured or improved countless health conditions to know that something good happens with flushing, properly done. you don't have to take my word, or Peter C who basically turned his health problems around through cleansing.

you are not into holistic cleansing, and thats fine. the board benefits from a variety of viewpoints. some here prefer a "scientific" approach. others holistic. I know cleansing/diet/holistic approach works because it made my candida disappear. and i will continue to share this fact, regardless of sniping from the peanut gallery.

negativity has a powerful effect on health, and obviously not for the better.


Hi, So, what is your take on the notion of liver flushes. I would love
to hear the view from a science type like yourself.


good post. This is why the cultured vegetables are helping me. And why my liver hurts so bad when I screw up on the diet.


Do any of the reports make any suggestions of how rebuild a toxic colon? Colonic Irregation or Colon Cleansing Herbs perhaps. Have you tried any of these? I tried colonic irregation just the once but found it left me even more depleted in healthy flora.


I also tried colonic irrigation but it upset my system.

In the last six years I focused on mercury as the problem to my liver dysfuction. This has turned out to be a red herring after many , many tests and supplements.

This has made me look for another answer and retoxification is my latest angle to investigate. I have Gilberts Syndrome and dysbiosis exacerbate, as you can see in the snippets.

I have decided to input and build large quantities of colon friendly flora.

The two options are Natren bifido costs $35.00 from G&G. I am hesitating trying this one as it has Lactulose in it which is a sugar - disaachride.

Custom Probiotics - the one I will use - via the Gut Doctor sell Bifido powder which is expensive - $75 for 50g. It is very strong 400 billion in 1g. I plan to put the powder in a capsule then up my anus. I will start slowly and build up the dosage. Via the anus it skips interfering with the upper gut and gets straight into the war zone.

If this helps reduce the Retoxification and all goes well I plan to introduce L. Salivarius via my mouth to help my upper gut. This comes from Custom Probiotics in a 50g pot for $33 - salivarius is excellent for cleaning up the small intestine.

I'll keep you posted.

Kind regards


Hi, That sounds an excellent protacol and I really hope it works. Just one more question - are you planning on taking liver support to cope with the influx of toxins that could possibly result from introducing large quanties of probiotics?

Good Luck


I think the word retoxification is brilliant in desribing the old word auto-intoxication. As to too much die-off I will introduce the bifido gradually - but the logic of the protcol is that the bifido reduce the towins by munching them. Hopefully the process will balance out!


I am a pathological detoxifier and I have tried many supplements to try and balance this.