Beneficial Binders for Detoxification
In today’s world, exposure to toxins on a daily basis is unfortunately inevitable. Chemicals used for agriculture, construction and other industrial processes, along with vehicular pollutants, are released into the atmosphere – collectively known as the chemosphere. This largely odourless, tasteless and invisible collection has entangled itself into each breath we take – not forgetting of course toxins encountered in food and the home. The comforting news is that the human body was designed with its own sophisticated systems for detoxification, working synergistically to expel these unwanted harmful toxicants. However, due to the daily onslaught, the body would benefit from the extra support that binders can offer.
Binder Basics
When it comes to binders, bile and stool are the target routes of elimination. Fat-soluble substances such as dietary lipids, certain vitamins and toxins like mycotoxins get packaged into bile for absorption and detoxification. During bile’s lifecycle it gets excreted into the GI tract and is what gives stool its brown colour. In the colon most of the bile is reabsorbed so the liver and gallbladder do not have to work as hard to make more – a perfect example of the body recycling and reusing!
Since bile is reabsorbed, in the ileum and jejunum, if toxins are packaged in the bile, then the toxins can be reabsorbed as well. They would then re-enter circulation via the hepatic portal system.
This is where binders come in handy. Binders will adhere to the bile that packages the toxins and then it cannot be reabsorbed. Binding and chelating unwanted toxins and by-products (such as ammonia, environmental toxins, herbicides/pesticides, mycotoxins and heavy metals) supports their elimination to assist with the reduction of your toxic load.
Charcoal
A few years ago, activated charcoal was the new buzz trend. It was popping up in drinks, snacks, toothpaste and even ice cream! Due to this, most people are familiar with this binder. It is commonly used for firming loose stools and for binding toxins from food poisoning. According to the research, most binders will bind to just about anything, including nutrients necessary for life. They are non-discriminating. This fact made the charcoal trend rather troubling for those engaging in high intake of this substance with no regard to its potential danger if not taken responsibly. But, due to this fact, activated charcoal is an effective toxin binder to just about any toxin that is excreted in the gut – especially mycotoxins and heavy metals including lead, mercury and nickel.
Clays (bentonite/zeolite)
Another common binding agent is clay – particularly bentonite and zeolite. These two clays have been touted as working wonders in the cosmetic arena by pulling toxins from the skin. They have been shown to bind greatly to toxins in animal feed, reducing the toxic load before consumption. Great news, these clays have the same adsorbing action in the GI tract. Both agents show great affinity for binding aflatoxins best (esp. trichothecenes) but are also efficacious for organochlorine pesticides and heavy metals such as cadmium, copper and lead.
Chlorella/Coriander (cilantro)
These common plant-based binding agents have affinity for binding heavy metals (especially lead and mercury) and aflatoxins. Due to their safety profile this superfood algae and culinary herb lend themselves as universal binders for all populations. Adding in small doses is a safe and effective way to add in supportive detox without stimulating too much toxin release in sensitive individuals.
Fibres
Overall, fibrous supplements and foods can act as simple binders. Fibre from oats, wheat bran, alfalfa, lignans in flax and chia, guar gum, gum Arabic, etc., have been used as early interventions in reducing cholesterol. The bile-sequestering activity of these fibres works to lower cholesterol and will also lower toxic load. Even though fibre doesn’t have much direct research in the binding of specific toxins, it is always a good dietary change to implement. Barley and oats showed highest absorptive capacity amongst other fibres when tested. Supplementally, a fibre binder to consider is modified citrus pectin (MCP), which has proven efficacious in binding heavy metals, especially lead and mercury.
Humic & Fulvic Acids
Humic acid and its related counterpart, fulvic acid, are the final products of decomposition of organic matter. These by-products act as an adsorbent in soil to bind to toxic substances. Due to their rapid lifecycle, they don’t compete for nutrients with the plant or any other organism that use them. This makes these biotoxin binders simpler to utilise when taking a variety of nutritional supplements. Not only are humic/ fulvic acids great binders, particularly for lead and mercury, but they have also shown anti-inflammatory properties so are accomplished additions to any detoxification protocol.
Silica
Last but definitely not least, this mineral binder is a versatile and well-tolerated option for detoxification across all ages and stages (including pregnancy and lactation). Silica, in the form of polymethylsiloxane hydro gel, has been clinically trialled for short and long-term use and has demonstrated that it preferentially adsorbs medium-size molecular weight particles (including opportunistic pathogens, toxins and heavy metals). This occurs in the gut lumen so toxins are excreted naturally with the stool without adsorbing vitamins or nutrients. In addition to its binding capabilities, silica can help reduce intestinal symptoms such as diarrhoea, gas, nausea and vomiting – making it a winner all round!