Detoxification in the Liver
Toxic substances exist almost everywhere in the world – in food, water and air.
The organ primarily responsible for eliminating toxins from the body is the liver.
If this system is impaired, chronic health problems, such as inflammatory conditions and neurological disease may develop. An unhealthy liver does not detoxify substances as rapidly or as completely as a healthy liver, which creates a build up of toxic substances circulating in the body.
Many of these toxins are fat-soluble and incorporate themselves into fatty body tissue, including the brain and central nervous system cells. Stored toxins may very slowly be released into the blood in times of exercise, stress, or fasting, contributing to many symptoms such as headaches, muscle and joint pain, and fatigue.
The body is exposed to chemicals and exotoxins from processed foods, automobile emissions, pesticides, industrial pollutants, cigarette smoke, medications, dry cleaning, and body care products, to name a few.
Endogenous toxins include the by-products of digestion and metabolism, hormones, and bacterial waste products from the intestine.
A healthy liver detoxifies these harmful substances by a complex series of chemical reactions carried out by the action of two sequential stages referred to as Phase I and Phase II systems.
Phase I involves the activation of a series of enzymes called the cytochrome P450 mixed function oxidase enzyme pathway, where the body’s enzymes activate toxic substances through biotransformation to make them more accessible to Phase II.
These intermediate metabolites from Phase I are acted upon by Phase II enzymes, and become less toxic, more water-soluble forms, which the body eliminates through urine or stool.
Phase II enzymes can also act independently of Phase I activity, and catalyse a toxin that does not require biotransformation.
Ideally, Phase I and Phase II detoxification mechanisms work synergistically.
Wasabia japonica and detoxification
Cruciferous vegetables are high on the lists of foods that support detoxification. Wasabia japonica, in particular, is distinctive in the Brassica family, in that the rhizomes contain high concentrations of many standard isothiocyanates (allyl, benzyl) found in more commonly consumed Brassica vegetables. In addition, it contains high concentrations of a unique group of isothiocyanates that are not routinely found in the foods people consume.
These unique isothiocyanates have been suggested to have important medical benefits, and have been shown to be up to 40 times more effective then common isothiocyanates in inducing Phase II enzymes.
The rhizomes exhibit antioxidant and free radical scavenging activities.
Sawa® Wasabia japonica
Sawa® Wasabia japonica is one of the world’s rarest perennial crops because it requires unique environmental conditions to thrive.
This plant is grown in water using a proprietary growing system that has been under development since 1990.
All factors that affect Wasabia japonica’s growth are controlled to promote superior quality rhizomes that contain more active ingredients.
Harvested by hand and specially selected, the rhizomes are carefully freeze-dried, processed and stored to maintain the highest level of active ingredients possible.
These Sawa® Liver Detox capsules are supplied in 90 capsule pottles and can be purchased here.