Detoxification this, detoxification that. What is meant? Along with Glutathione transferase, The family of 50 enzymes known as Cytochrome P450 are the heavy hitters for detoxification in the human body.
This powerful enzyme system is so vital for human physiology, your body is in a dire state when its production gets reduced. Pharmacology has been studying ways to reduce or minimize its power because cytochrome P450 neutralizes many thousands of chemicals and the drugs made from them. The human body was not meant for the ingestion of xenobiotic forms of toxicity such as pharmaceuticals, and the evidence lies in the fact that cytochrome p450 powerfully neutralizes them.
Cytochrome P450
Protein is used to create the Cytochrome P450 enzyme. How important is this? Cytochrome P450 is a family of 50 different enzymes found in all tissues of the body. Cytochrome P450 is found in the highest concentration within liver cells and is essential during phase I of liver detoxifcation. The key actions of cytochrome P450 enzymes are:
- To function within phase I Liver Detoxification
- To detoxify xenobiotic sources of toxicity, chemicals, alcohols and carcinogens, converting them into water and oxygen
- To assist endogenous sources of waste such as Bilirubin
- To assist in the synthesis of Vitamin D
- For hormone synthesis: To effectively convert cholesterol into pregnenelone which then gets converted into other hormones like estrogen, testosterone, cortisol and DHEA
- For the synthesis of bile and bile acids, which are necessary for the assimilation of fat soluble vitamins. Bile also contains many of the toxins conjugated in the liver, which then get dumped into the bowels for proper elimination
This critical enzyme system may be deficient in people who do not consume adequate dietary protein and those with high degrees of toxicity. In the epithelial lining of the GI tract, deficiencies in cytochrome P-450 are found in patients with colon tumors as well as those with pathology.
More than 900 pharmaceutical drugs are responsible for liver toxicity. In addition, many drugs inhibit the cytochrome P450 enzymes and can cause further damage to the liver. As many as 90% of cancers are suspected to be due to environmental carcinogens.
Excesses of xenobiotic toxicity can cause an over-utilization of the cytochrome P450 enzymes, and can result in dangerous free radicals.
Solutions
Does your body produce sufficient amounts of the Cytochrome P450 enzymes? Genetics, toxicity, health all play into the equation. Reduce exposure to toxic substances such as heavy metals and chemicals.
The environment is loaded with thousands of chemicals, metals and carcinogens. Eat a diet that is compatible with your type of metabolism, and eat sufficient protein that is suited for your metabolic type.
Enhance your liver’s detoxification pathways by using potent facilitators of liver detoxification.