How Your Liver Detoxes and It's Relationship to Your Hormones

One crucial organ that often gets looked over is the liver. From practice, I noticed people only got concerned about their liver if they drank alcohol. However, the liver is an AMAZING  organ and is a powerhouse worker. It silently orchestrates a symphony of biochemical processes crucial for our well-being. The liver detoxifies our blood, breaks down old blood cells, produces proteins and cholesterol, controls over 500 different metabolic processes, produces bile, breaks down certain medications and alcohol . . . . One way to look at it is through the liver's 5 primary functions:

• Filtration
• Digestion
• Metabolism and Detoxification
• Protein synthesis
• Storage of vitamins and minerals

Among its many duties, detoxification stands out as a key function. One part of this detoxification process is the elimination of extra sex hormones. Understanding how our liver detoxifies and it's relationship with our hormones is a central part to achieving balance in our overall health and wellbeing. 

The Liver's Detoxification Machinery:

At the heart of the liver's detoxification ability lies a sophisticated system:

1. Phase I Detoxification: This initial phase involves enzymatic reactions, primarily catalyzed by cytochrome P450 enzymes, which transform fat-soluble toxins into intermediary compounds. While this process renders toxins more reactive, it prepares them for further processing in Phase II.

2. Phase II Detoxification: In this phase, intermediary compounds from Phase I are conjugated with water-soluble molecules, such as glutathione, sulfate, or glycine. This conjugation renders them less harmful and facilitates their excretion via urine or bile.

3. Bile Production and Excretion: Bile, synthesized by the liver and stored in the gallbladder, helps your body digest fat. It also serves as a vehicle for the elimination of waste products out of your digestive system including cholesterol and bilirubin. Additionally, bile aids in the removal of fat-soluble toxins from the body via feces, completing the detoxification process.

The Liver-Hormone Nexus:

The liver's detoxification pathways intertwine seamlessly with hormone regulation:

1. Estrogen Metabolism: The liver plays a pivotal role in metabolizing estrogen by converting estrogen into less active forms, which are subsequently eliminated from the body. Disruptions in estrogen metabolism can lead to hormonal imbalances, impacting health and well-being. This can be seen in PCOS and estrogen dominance. 

2. Thyroid Hormone Conversion: Thyroid hormones, essential for metabolism and energy regulation, undergo conversion in the liver. Here, thyroxine (T4) is converted into its more active form, triiodothyronine (T3), ensuring proper metabolic function. Dysfunction in this conversion process can result in thyroid hormone imbalances, affecting overall metabolism.

3. Insulin Sensitivity: The liver plays a crucial role in maintaining glucose homeostasis. As we have seen in previous posts, issues with insulin sensitivity can lead to a whole host of chronic disease states. Want to read more about it? Click here.

   It stores excess glucose as glycogen or converts it into triglycerides for storage. Impaired liver function can disrupt insulin sensitivity, contributing to metabolic disorders such as insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.

4. Cortisol Metabolism: Cortisol, often referred to as the stress hormone, undergoes metabolism in the liver. Chronic stress or liver dysfunction can alter cortisol metabolism, leading to hormonal imbalances and increased susceptibility to stress-related conditions.

Filtering Toxins: 

As the body's primary detoxification organ, the liver meticulously filters toxins from the bloodstream. Through phase 1 and phase 2 detoxification pathways, it neutralizes and eliminates harmful substances, safeguarding our health.

However, this process is not without challenges. Excessive toxin exposure, poor diet, alcohol consumption, and certain medications can overwhelm the liver's detoxification capacity, compromising its function and your overall health.

Lifestyle to Improve Liver Function:

Nutrition:

Nutritional support for liver health focuses on antioxidant-rich foods, foods high in sulfur, and beneficial fats. For phase 1 detoxification, you need to be getting adequate amounts of folic acid, B vitamins, vitamins A/C/D/E. For phase 2 we need a number of different amino acids and sulfur metabolites. 

Antioxidants to neutralize oxidative stress, a harmful condition that contributes to liver fibrosis and a range of other liver-related complications. A diet rich in antioxidant-laden foods can serve as an effective, natural intervention for supporting liver health. Think berries, dark leafy greens, nuts and seeds. Your liver (and the rest of your body will thank you).

Sulfur rich foods are garlic, onions, broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables. 

Omega 3 fatty acids, commonly found in fish, chia seeds, and flaxseeds, play a key role in reducing liver inflammation and balancing liver health. These essential fats counteract the pro-inflammatory effects of omega-6 fatty acids, which are abundant in many Western diets. 

Limiting sugar and processed foods help to keep the fat off your liver. When you get too much fat on the liver, it can cause fatty liver disease and eventually cirrhosis or even liver cancer. 

Movement: 

This helps with insulin sensitivity and cortisol levels which can impact the health of your liver. 

Limit Alcohol:

The current recommendations are 2 drinks a day or less for men, 1 drink a day or less for women - but more and more studies are coming out about the negative effects of any alcohol. Listen to your body and no it's okay to say NO (thank you)! 

Check your supplements:

Run your supplements by your provider to make sure they aren't interacting with your current medications. So many supplements and medications get processed by the liver and you can un-intentionally cause damage. 

Conclusion:

The liver's ability to filter out toxins while intricately regulating hormone levels underscores its significance in maintaining optimal health. By nurturing liver health through a balanced lifestyle, including a nutritious diet, regular exercise, and minimizing toxin exposure, you can support its vital functions and promote overall well-being.

References:

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3. Kawamura, M., Ito, T., Miyajima, I., Sasao, K., Onishi, S., & Kuwaki, T. (2002). Enzymatic activity of cytochrome P450 is involved in the clearance of thyroid hormones in the rat liver. Life Sciences, 71(17), 1979-1988.
4. Caro, J. F., Sinha, M. K., Kolaczynski, J. W., Zhang, P. L., Considine, R. V., & Ohannesian, J. P. (1996). Leptin: the tale of an obesity gene. Diabetes, 45(11), 1455-1462.
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