8 replies to this topic

[health_nutty]

The word detox gets thrown around a lot these days with very little evidence presented in its favor or what toxins it is supposed to target.

Here are some methods that seem to have some promise (from the very little I've read):
1) Niacin flush for detox: It supposedly works by dilating your blood vessels to allow cells to get rid of waste products. What do these cells get rid of? Is there any evidence this works
2) IP-6 to remove heavy metals and excess minerals. Any studies?
3) Sweating either through exercise or a sauna. The theory is you sweat out those toxins!
4) Fruits and Vegetables. Note this method didn't work for detox according to the study featured on Oprah with Dr. Oz (I forget the details).
5) Fasting
6) EDTA.

[drmz]

I can only comment on the niacin flush :

Look at the vid shown here : HERE

And read the article : HERE


I was enthusiastic about the niacin flush and the histamine release which was the cause of waste being dumped into the blood .but after some research it appears that the flush is not caused by histamine release, this is an old assumption. I don't know if the increase in bloodvessel size has any postive impact, but in most studies it is described as : These findings, combined with recent in vivo work, provide evidence that macrophages play a significant role in mediating the niacin flush and may lead to better strategies to eliminate this limiting side effect

My personal opinion is that the flushing has no benefit at all.


Nicotinic acid, used for atherosclerosis treatment, has an adverse effect of skin flushing. The flushing mechanism, thought to be caused by the release of prostaglandin D(2) (PGD(2)), is not well understood. We aimed to identify which cells mediate the flushing effect. Nicotinic acid receptor (GPR109A) gene expression was assessed in various tissues and cell lines. Cells expressing GPR109A mRNA were further assayed for PGD(2) release in response to nicotinic acid. Of all samples, only skin was able to release PGD(2) upon stimulation with nicotinic acid. The responsive cells were localized to the epidermis, and immunocytochemical studies revealed the presence of GPR109A on epidermal Langerhans cells. CD34+ cells isolated from human blood and differentiated into Langerhans cells (hLC-L) also showed GPR109A expression. IFNgamma treatment increased both mRNA and plasma membrane expression of GPR109A. IFNgamma-stimulated hLC-Ls released PGD(2) in response to nicotinic acid in a dose-dependant manner (effector concentration for half-maximum response=1.2 mM+/-0.7). Acifran, a structurally distinct GPR109A ligand, also increased PGD(2) release, whereas isonicotinic acid, a nicotinic acid analog with low affinity for GPR109A, had no effect. These results suggest that nicotinic acid mediates its flushing side effect by interacting with GPR109A on skin Langerhans cells, resulting in release of PGD(2).

Nicotinic acid (niacin) is a B vitamin which is also a potent hypolipidemic agent. However, intense flushing occurs following ingestion of pharmacologic doses of niacin which greatly limits its usefulness in treating hyperlipidemias. Previous studies have demonstrated that niacin-induced flushing can be substantially attenuated by pre-treatment with cyclooxygenase inhibitors, suggesting that the vasodilation is mediated by a prostaglandin. However, the prostaglandin that presumably mediates the flush has not been conclusively determined. In this study we report the finding that ingestion of niacin evokes the release of markedly increased quantities of PGD2 in vivo in humans. PGD2 release was assessed by quantification of the PGD2 metabolite, 9 alpha, 11 beta-PGF2, in plasma by gas chromatography mass spectrometry. Following ingestion of 500 mg of niacin in three normal volunteers, intense flushing occurred and plasma levels of 9 alpha, 11 beta-PGF2 were found to increase dramatically by 800, 430, and 535-fold. Levels of 9 alpha, 11 beta-PGF2 reached a maximum between 12 and 45 min. after ingesting niacin and subsequently declined to near normal levels by 2-4 hours. Levels of 9 alpha, 11 beta-PGF2 in plasma correlated with the intensity and duration of flushing that occurred in the 3 volunteers. Release of PGD2 was not accompanied by a release of histamine which was assessed by quantification of plasma levels of the histamine metabolite, N tau-methylhistamine. This suggests that the origin of the PGD2 release is not the mast cell. Only a modest increase (approximately 2-fold) in the urinary excretion of the prostacyclin metabolite, 2,3-dinor-6-keto-PGF1 alpha, occurred following ingestion of niacin and no increase in the excretion of the major urinary metabolite of PGE2 was found. These results indicate that the major vasodilatory PG released following ingestion of niacin is PGD2. The fact that markedly increased quantities of PGD2 are released suggests that PGD2 is the mediator of niacin-induced vasodilation in humans.

Nicotinic acid is a safe, broad-spectrum lipid agent shown to prevent cardiovascular disease, yet its widespread use is limited by the prostaglandin D(2) (PGD(2)) mediated niacin flush. Previous research suggests that nicotinic acid-induced PGD(2) secretion is mediated by the skin, but the exact cell type remains unclear. We hypothesized that macrophages are a source of nicotinic acid-induced PGD(2) secretion and performed a series of experiments to confirm this. Nicotinic acid (0.1-3mM) induced PGD(2) secretion in cultured human macrophages, but not monocytes or endothelial cells. The PGD(2) secretion was dependent on the concentration of nicotinic acid and the time of exposure. Nicotinuric acid, but not nicotinamide, also induced PGD(2) secretion. Pre-incubation of the cells with aspirin (100muM) entirely prevented the nicotinic acid effects on PGD(2) secretion. The PGD(2) secreting effects of nicotinic acid were additive to the effects of the calcium ionophore A23187 (6muM), but were independent of extra cellular calcium. These findings, combined with recent in vivo work, provide evidence that macrophages play a significant role in mediating the niacin flush and may lead to better strategies to eliminate this limiting side effect.

[lynx]

Fasting and enhancing "real" detox mechanisms within the body. Detoxification occurs in 3 phases. You should read about them, none of them have to do with Niacin Flush-- that is some BS that L Ron Hubbard, "Tin Foil Hat Man extraordinaire" came up with.

Then there is Autophagy which happens naturally, however, fasting, Lithium, Trehalose and other substances can initiate a whole new level of Detoxing via enhancing autophagy.

search the forums here, I have some posts, as do others on the real science of detox.

Edited by lynx, 18 January 2008 - 05:24 PM.

[Mind]

Health nutty posed some good questions to start out this topic. Just wondering if there are any new trends/science floating around to back-up different detox methods. I know the niacin flush and IP6 are two of the more popular ones.

Scientists dismiss detox myth.

I think these detox fads dismissed in the article are the low hanging fruit. I could probably easily profile them in the Snake Oil Segment of the Sunday Evening Update. Other methods like IP6 have a bit more rigorous science behind them it seems.

One researcher investigated a Garnier face wash which claimed to detoxify the skin by removing toxins.

''Your body is the best detox product you have'' - Sense about Science
The "toxins" turned out to be the dirt, make-up and skin oils that any cleanser would be expected to remove, she said.

A five-day detox plan from Boots which claimed to detoxify the body and flush away toxins was also criticised for not being backed by evidence.

Evelyn Harvey, a biologist who looked into the product, said that if consumers followed the healthy diet that was recommended alongside the supplement they would probably feel better - but it would have nothing to do with the product itself.

The researchers warned that, at worst, some detox diets could have dangerous consequences and, at best, they were a waste of money.

Edited by Mind, 13 January 2009 - 09:44 PM.

[FunkOdyssey]

In my opinion, most people handle their detox needs very effectively each day via urination, bowel movements, sweating, and exhaling.

[4eva]

I understood liver detox to happen in two phases, not three. Each phase requires certain nutrients to be effective.

The Hubbard Protocol was used in vitro. Finding documentation of that on the web means the only source would be one associated with Hubbard's organizarion, The Foundation for Advancement of Sciences or whatever its name is.

There was an accident in Michigan in the 1960s where animal feed was contaminated with PCBs and other toxic chemicals that get stored in fat deposits of the body. The contimated farm animals were ingested by the local community and these people were treated with the Hubbard Protocol. It isn't just niacin; you ingest oil (also exercise and do saunas to help release toxins that way, through sweating) that displaces the fat in your body. I think it works on the same priciple that B3 lowers cholesterol. But it was documented that these people had reduced levels of toxins.

But that protocol is for fat soluable toxins.

I consider detox for most people to be about keeping you liver healthy and avoiding fatty deposit build up in the liver. And I think this can be a problem as you age and experience a lifetime of exposure to toxins in your environment. I know you can have some test done to see if your liver has fatty deposits clogging it up.

But detox can be used loosely to mean other things too.

[niner]

But detox can be used loosely to mean other things too.

Usually it means "hold on to your wallet"... Honestly, the number of people who think they are loaded with "toxins" is amazing. The body is very good at excreting xenobiotics, with some rare exceptions. A powerful chelator like EDTA will do a lot more harm than good unless you have a serious case of metal toxicity. I had a friend who decided he needed a "liver cleanse" after reading some stuff on the internet. He did the cleanse protocol, putting himself at some significant risk, and ended up sick for a couple weeks.

[4eva]

Hold onto your mercury fillings to save your pennies.

[wydell]

I really have no knowledge of the subject and don't know if there is any merit whatsoever to detoxification programs. But I would guess that the body's detoxification system would falter as we get older just like all other systems seem to falter (e.g., circulatory systems, joints, and I guess everything else)

And if detox pathways do falter like everything else, it would seem rationale to take action (drugs, supplement, or other means) to assist in detoxifying.