What is D.X.2 and why should you care about Detoxing with Amino Acids

“The second product in our detox supplement trio D.X.2. This product is a selection of synergistic amino acids that provide the tools and support for a safe and healthy detoxification. Providing the building blocks to your body for its natural detoxification means no unwanted inflammation or damage that can occur from upregulating phase 1 & 2 detoxification with herbs and extracts” 

D.X.2™Synergistic Support for Phase II Liver Detoxification

A synergistic formulation designed to safely prepare the liver for phase II detoxification, D.X.2 is particularly relevant for individuals living in an ever-increasing toxic environment. This body burden from environmental toxicants, including pesticides, herbicides, chemical solvents, xenobiotics, and industrial chemicals, comes through food, water, air supply, and even via transgenerational inheritance through alterations in the epigenome¹⁰. Internal toxins, particularly from an imbalanced intestinal microbial ecology, further contribute to this burden. As a result, the liver is tasked with detoxifying and neutralizing these chemicals, which can create excessive oxidative stress in the body, ultimately leading to chronic disease. The end result can include fatigue, lethargy, headaches, multiple chemical sensitivities (MCS), skin disorders, chronic fatigue, and neuromuscular problems.

D.X.2 was designed to upregulate phase II detoxification biochemically. It is free of herbals, minerals, and B vitamins, which could also stimulate phase I detoxification. Patients who are chemically injured, have chronic illness, or suffer from impaired detoxification (blocked phase II pathways) will find this product effective in gently upregulating all conjugation pathways, allowing for the excretion of pollutants without mobilizing more oxidized pollutants from body fat stores—these oxidized pollutants can be more toxic and harmful than the original substance. Phase II conjugating pathways must be prepared to handle phase I metabolites before they are stimulated.

For repairing the liver’s ability to detoxify chemicals, D.X.2 should be used before any other nutraceuticals or powdered detoxification formulas, ensuring that conjugating pathways are functioning optimally. This product can be particularly useful as a first line in optimizing liver function in chronically ill patients.

D.X.2 supports phase II detoxification so that the physiological function of detoxification/biotransformation can occur more efficiently. This is especially crucial for patients with chemical sensitivities, who should consider D.X.2 to help prepare these pathways before embarking on a more comprehensive detoxification protocol. Phase II detoxification relies on amino acids, sulfur (sulfur-containing amino acids), and glutathione. The primary sulfur-containing amino acids are methionine, cysteine, and taurine, which are provided by D.X.2. MSM, along with glutathione, also contributes sulfur to these processes.

N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is a stable, nutritional form of L-cysteine that has been shown in research to protect the liver from alcohol-related damage and acetaminophen poisoning. Alcohol combined with acetaminophen creates a synergistic, toxic effect, but NAC prevents toxicity by preventing acetaldehyde build-up. Additionally, NAC has been shown to protect liver cells from acetaminophen-induced damage by raising glutathione levels, thus preventing oxidative damage⁶,¹⁵.

NAC is highly effective in the detoxification of heavy metals, free radicals, and xenobiotics²,⁵,⁸,⁹. A common source of heavy metal toxicity is mercury from amalgam fillings, and L-cysteine has a high affinity for mercury¹, helping to remove it from the body.

Methionine has been shown to protect mitochondria and liver cells from methylmercury toxicity, offering additional benefits for heavy metal detoxification.

Product highlights include:

• Encapsulated formula for liver detoxification support.

• Ideal for those requiring added cleansing support alongside other detox products.

• Convenient for travel and mid-day dosing.

• Targets phase II detoxification without stimulating phase I, making it ideal for individuals with imbalanced or pathological detoxification.

• Formulated to minimize allergenicity, suitable even for the most sensitive patients (including those with multiple chemical sensitivity).

NAC is also effective in binding to copper, lead, and cadmium². Lead and cadmium are highly toxic, with ongoing sources of exposure despite regulations. Calcium-D-Glucarate, a potent beta-glucuronidase inhibitor, further enhances detoxification. Elevated beta-glucuronidase activity is associated with an increased risk for hormone-dependent cancers, such as breast and prostate cancer. By inhibiting beta-glucuronidase and preventing the hydrolysis of glucuronides, Calcium-D-Glucarate aids in detoxifying carcinogens and tumor promoters¹¹,¹⁴.

These oxidized pollutants can be even more harmful than the original substances. To ensure that phase II pathways are ready to handle phase I metabolites, D.X.2 should be used before any other detoxification supplements.

References: 

1. Cline JC. Nutritional aspects of detoxification in clinical practice. Altern Ther Health Med. 2015;21(3):54‑62. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26026145/.

   
   

2. Aronica L, Ordovas JM, Volkov A, et al. Genetic biomarkers of metabolic detoxification for personalized lifestyle medicine. Nutrients. 2022;14(4):768. doi:10.3390/nu14040768.

   
   

3. Hodges RE, Minich DM. Modulation of metabolic detoxification pathways using foods and food‑derived components: a scientific review with clinical application. J Nutr Metab. 2015;2015. doi:10.1155/2015/760689.

   
   

4. Honda Y, Kessoku T, Sumida Y, et al. Efficacy of glutathione for the treatment of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: an open‑label, single‑arm, multicenter, pilot study. BMC Gastroenterol. 2017;17:96. doi:10.1186/s12876‑017‑0652‑3.

   
   

5. Dobrakowski M, Pawlas N, Hudziec E, et al. Glutathione, glutathione‑related enzymes, and oxidative stress in individuals with subacute occupational exposure to lead. Environ Toxicol Pharmacol. 2016;45:235‑240. doi:10.1016/j.etap.2016.06.008.

   
   

6. Lu SC. Glutathione synthesis. Biochim Biophys Acta. 2013;1830(5):3143‑3153. doi:10.1016/j.bbagen.2012.09.008.

   
   

7. Colovic MB, Vasic VM, Djuric DM, Krstic DZ. Sulphur‑containing amino acids: protective role against free radicals and heavy metals. Curr Med Chem. 2018;25(3):324‑335. doi:10.2174/0929867324666170609075434.

   
   

8. Ran S, Liu J, Li S. A systematic review of the various effects of arsenic on glutathione synthesis in vitro and in vivo. BioMed Res Int. 2020;2020:e9414196. doi:10.1155/2020/9414196.

   
   

9. Farina M, Aschner M. Glutathione antioxidant system and methylmercury‑induced neurotoxicity: an intriguing interplay. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj. 2019;1863(12):129285. doi:10.1016/j.bbagen.2019.01.007.

   
   

10. Mokhtari V, Afsharian P, Shahhoseini M, Kalantar SM, Moini A. A review on various uses of N‑acetyl cysteine. Cell J Yakhteh. 2017;19(1):11‑17. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5241507/.

    
    

11. Coppersmith V, Hudgins S, Stoltzfus J, Stankewicz H. The use of N‑acetylcysteine in the prevention of hangover: a randomized trial. Sci Rep. 2021;11(1):13397. doi:10.1038/s41598‑021‑92676‑0.

    
    

12. Morley KC, Baillie A, Van Den Brink W, et al. N‑acetyl cysteine in the treatment of alcohol use disorder in patients with liver disease: rationale for further research. Expert Opin Investig Drugs. 2018;27(8):667‑675. doi:10.1080/13543784.2018.1501471.

    
    

13. Dludla PV, Nkambule BB, Mazibuko‑Mbeje SE, et al. N‑acetyl cysteine targets hepatic lipid accumulation to curb oxidative stress and inflammation in NAFLD: a comprehensive analysis of the literature. Antioxidants. 2020;9(12):1283. doi:10.3390/antiox9121283.

    
    

14. Razak MA, Begum PS, Viswanath B, Rajagopal S. Multifarious beneficial effects of nonessential amino acid, glycine: a review. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2017;2017:1716701. doi:10.1155/2017/1716701.

    
    

15. Kumar P, Liu C, Hsu JW, et al. Glycine and N-acetylcysteine (GlyNAC) supplementation in older adults improves glutathione deficiency, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, inflammation, insulin resistance, endothelial dysfunction, genotoxicity, muscle strength, and cognition: results of a pilot clinical trial. Clin Transl Med. 2021;11(3):e372. doi:10.1002/ctm2.372.

    
    

16. Lee DY, Kim EH. Therapeutic effects of amino acids in liver diseases: current studies and future perspectives. J Cancer Prev. 2019;24(2):72‑78. doi:10.15430/JCP.2019.24.2.72.

    
    

17. Gaggini M, Carli F, Rosso C, et al. Altered amino acid concentrations in NAFLD: Impact of obesity and insulin resistance. Hepatology. 2018;67(1):145‑158. doi:10.1002/hep.29465.

    
    

18. Wong T, Bloomer RJ, Benjamin RL, Buddington RK. Small intestinal absorption of methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) and accumulation of the sulfur moiety in selected tissues of mice. Nutrients. 2017;10(1):19. doi:10.3390/nu10010019.

    
    

19. Kim KH, Park JW, Yang YM, Song KD, Cho BW. Effect of methylsulfonylmethane on oxidative stress and CYP3A93 expression in fetal horse liver cells. Anim Biosci. 2021;34(2):312‑319. doi:10.5713/ajas.20.0061.

    
    

20. Rasheed MSA, Oelschlager ML, Smith BN, Bauer LL, Whelan RA, Dilger RN. Dietary methylsulfonylmethane supplementation and oxidative stress in broiler chickens. Poult Sci. 2020;99(2):914‑925. doi:10.1016/j.psj.2019.12.010.

    
    

21. Bohlooli S, Mohammadi S, Amirshahrokhi K, et al. Effect of methylsulfonylmethane pretreatment on acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity in rats. Iran J Basic Med Sci. 2013;16(8):896‑900. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3786100/.

    
    

22. Calcium‑D‑glucarate. Altern Med Rev J Clin Ther. 2002;7(4):336‑339. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12197785/.

    
    

23. Ervin SM, Li H, Lim L, et al. Gut microbial β‑glucuronidases reactivate estrogens as components of the estrobolome that reactivate estrogens. J Biol Chem. 2019;294(49):18586‑18599. doi:10.1074/jbc.RA119.010950.

    
    

24. Xie B, Liu A, Zhan X, Ye X, Wei J. Alteration of gut bacteria and metabolomes after glucaro‑1,4‑lactone treatment contributes to the prevention of hypercholesterolemia. J Agric Food Chem. 2014;62(30):7444‑7451. doi:10.1021/jf501744d.

    
    

25. Liu S, He L, Yao K. The antioxidative function of alpha‑ketoglutarate and its applications. BioMed Res Int. 2018;2018:3408467. doi:10.1155/2018/3408467.

    
    

26. Zdzisińska B, Żurek A, Kandefer‑Szerszeń M. Alpha‑ketoglutarate as a molecule with pleiotropic activity: well‑known and novel possibilities of therapeutic use. Arch Immunol Ther Exp (Warsz). 2017;65(1):21‑36. doi:10.1007/s00005‑016‑0406‑x.